Maryland women’s basketball vs. Kennesaw State preview

Maryland women’s basketball is spending Thanksgiving break in Miami, and it just so happens that the Terps will be playing some basketball while soaking up the sun in the 305.

Maryland will take on Kennesaw State in Miami Thanksgiving Tournament on Friday before taking on either Maine or Miami on Sunday.

The Terps played their best game of the season on Tuesday, demolishing Howard 111-49. Six players scored in double figures, and Stephanie Jones, Brianna Fraser and Blair Watson all set career-highs.

The Owls are off to a 1-4 start, dropping their first four games before defeating Presbyterian on Tuesday. This is the first meeting between Kennesaw State and Maryland.

The tournament is a homecoming for Ieshia Small and Channise Lewis, both of whom are from the Miami area. The team will visit both their homes during the trip.

Tipoff against the Owls is scheduled 2 p.m. ET. There’s no streaming information right now, but we’ll update if it comes available.

Kennesaw State Owls (1-4)

2016-17 record: 10-20, 8-6 Atlantic Sun

Head coach Agnus Berenato is 11-24 in two seasons at Kennesaw State. She has won 455 games in 31 years as a head coach in stops at Rider, Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh.

Players to know

Kamiyah Street, freshman, guard, 5’5, No. 2. Street has made a big impact immediately at Kennesaw State, averaging a team-leading 16.8 points and 3.4 steals per game. Howard’s Curstyn Moore was that team’s leading scorer, and the Terps shut her down, holding her to just five shots and four points. They’ll hope to replicate that success Friday.

Alexis Poole, freshman, forward, 6’2, No. 10. Poole has been the Owls’ best post presence through the first five games, averaging 7.8 points and a team-leading 6.6 rebounds. The Terps are undersized, but Johnson has yet to face players as talented as Jones and Fraser so far this season.

Strength

Getting to the foul line. Kennesaw State has attempted 98 free throws this season, which is 32nd in Division I. Howard had the same strength, and it went to the foul line 25 times against the Terps.

Weakness

Scoring. The Owls have one of the worst offenses in Division I, putting up a horrendous 51.6 points per game. Maryland scored 56 points in the first half on Tuesday, so this game could be over in a hurry.

Prediction

Maryland wins, 95-50.