After a week in which Maryland women's basketball won both of its games and Notre Dame lost by double digits at Connecticut, the new AP Poll is surprisingly no different from the old one. The Terps are still ranked No. 5. In fact, they dropped into a tie for fifth with Texas despite garnering more points than last week.
This may come as a surprise, but the team is still 8-0 and has a (very strong) chance to keep the undefeated season alive Tuesday night against Loyola (the Maryland version, not the Chicago one). The game is at the Xfinity Center and once again can be streamed via BTN2Go. Tip is at 7 p.m., so you can watch it back-to-back with Maryland's men's team.
Loyola (Md.) (3-5)
The coach
Joe Logan. In his 11th year driving the proverbial Greyhound bus. Holds a career record of 136-176. He led the program to its first-ever postseason win when the 2010-11 team beat Old Dominion in the opening round of the WNIT.
Players to know
Colleen Marshall, senior, guard, 5'9, No. 5. The Greyhounds' leading scorer (16 ppg) is also tied in assists (2.5 apg). Also averaged 2.59 spg a year ago, tops in the Patriot League. Marshall played two seasons at East Carolina before transferring.
Bri Betz-White, sophomore, guard, 5'3, No. 11. Has taken another step forward after being named named to the Patriot League All-Rookie team last year. She's averaging 13.6 ppg and 2.5 apg. Also 40-48 (83.3 percent) from the foul line.
Jeneh Perry, senior, forward, 5'11, No. 42. A three-year starter and the Greyhounds' best rebounder. Perry is at 7.9 rpg this year, and has also enjoyed success on the offensive glass (31 in the first 8 games).
Strength
Free throw shooting. The Greyhounds are just under 70 percent as a team. The two most frequent visitors, Betz-White and Marshall, are a combined 70 of 89 (78.7 percent).
Weakness
Three-point shooting. Unfortunately, the team gets a lot worse from a few feet farther out. Loyola is shooting a paltry 27.7 percent from downtown, and that's against teams that don't expose their other weakness.
Size. Let's just say they don't start anyone as tall as the Terps' small forward and move on.
Thomas's Prediction: Maryland, 92-50.