First Look at Winston-Salem State-Maryland: Easy Win on the Horizon?

Maryland doesn't actually play WSS for another whole week (that's the 22nd, for all you calender-challenged folks out there), but that's no reason to not take a quick look at what they'll be going up against.

First up, let me say this: this isn't a trap game. This isn't a plucky mid-major. This isn't a random team with one really strong aspect. No, this team is legitimately bad. I'll refrain from the word awful, but they're not that far away.

Actually, if you want stats, these guys are the 6th worst team in the country (or, if you prefer, the 342nd best). They've lost to some very average teams by very big margins - this is basically IUP pt. II. In fact, IUP might be better.

Take, for instance, the game against South Carolina State. They lost to the Bulldogs by 3. SCSt turned around and lost to Miami (FL) by 37.

I guess, however, it shouldn't be a total walkthrough. After all, no win is truly easy in college basketball. WSS is capable of hanging tough as they did against Wake Forest earlier this year, losing only (?) by 24. I doubt they'll be able to get up for Maryland as they were able to get up for their cross-town rivals, though.

I'm sorry, I don't really mean to play these guys down so much, but it's difficult to take a reverent angle here.

So, what do the Rams of Winston-Salem State do well? They're an average 3 point shooting team defensively. That's about it.

Okay, I'm assuming you want more than that. They do have decent size - their center is a respectable 6-9, though he's on the skinny side - so James Padgett and Jordan Williams might see playing time increases. They're best two players are guards that have respectable talent levels.

First is 6-2 senior Brian Fisher, who's averaging about 13 a game. He gets to the line a decent amount, though he's average from the stripe. He's definitely head and shoulders above any other Ram, though, and the offense definitely runs through him.

The other good player is 6-5 wing Sheldon Carter. In a strange bit of coincidence, this is his first season with the Rams after transferring from another opponent of Maryland's this year - Charleston Southern. He doesn't get the ball as much as Fisher, but he might be more effective with it.

Other than that, WSS is all-around bad. Maryland should win out every category - rebounding, turnovers, you name it - with ease. Unless Fisher or Carter gets hot and Maryland is in a funk, this won't be a close game.

Of course, Maryland being in a funk is entirely possible, given they'll be returning from exams and Christmas is in three days. In that sense, this game was scheduled very nicely - they shouldn't provide much of a challenge, and Maryland will be able to toy around more with the roster and shouldn't have to worry too much about losing.