The Women are ranked #5 in the nation and appear destined to reach the final four for the second time in three years. Last Sunday’s 98-56 win over UMBC saw a Maryland team set an ACC record with 17 3-pointers.They finished a stretch of 14 games in 30 days to begin the season going 13-1. Their only loss was against #3 Rutgers on the road. Fatigue probably played a big factor into the game as Rutgers has a fast, tough defense, and if you are tired, you will not be able to beat them, which is exactly what happened. Wins so far this year include victories over #6 Oklahoma, #25 Notre Dame, #4 LSU, and #17 Ohio State. Unlike last year, their out of conference schedule this year has prepared them for when they will face tough matchups in the ACC against Duke and North Carolina. This team is good enough to not lose a game the rest of the year. Of course, they will need to bring their A game to beat the likes of Duke and North Carolina, but the rest of the ACC should be a piece of cake. This is an elite team, who could very well bring us home another national championship.

A big reason why the Terps have played so well is Kristi Toliver. The Terps starting point guard is shooting lights out from 3, a shocking 48%. She is also distributing the ball well and getting others involved in the offense. Coleman is shooting 44% from 3. After a slow start, freshman shooting guard Marah Strickland is shooting 45% from 3. In fact, almost every player is contributing significantly to this team in their roles. The only player I can tell that is having a disappointing season is senior Ashleigh Newman. Newman is only shooting 37% from the field period. She is capable of much better and I look for her to improve during ACC play. This is a great team; and they have the chance to have a very special season. Their job now is to take care of the ACC and win the conference outright. They have completed stage one of the season very well. Its time to work on stage 2, and an ACC crown.