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An Exciting Women’s Game: Stanford vs. Maryland
By Ally White
Going closer to the Final Four the number one seed Maryland and the number two Stanford will start the competition tonight to get to the next step, the two teams will try to prove their own thing in the court and claim their way to the Final Four.
The Cardinals would seem to have an advantage, considering they were set the number two seed by the selection committee few weeks ago. The Terrapins have a sensation of under-dog because for most season, they have been left out of the national title, even being only two years detached from an NCAA title and with various of those title-winning players on the list.
"We want to prove that we are not a one-hit wonder," Maryland point guard Kristi Toliver said. "This is a great team, one of the best in the country. But it's one thing to say it. It's another to go out and do it."
In several ways and circumstances, Stanford and Maryland are in the same place, so it’s exciting that they would end literally playing against each other, in a game that appears to be the most equally matched of the four regional finals.
The two teams have a record of 33-3; both have played and defeated some of the nation’s best teams. Stanford wanted the number one seeded that was captured by Maryland and has used to motivate the players a postseason run that has incorporated the two big wins in the early rounds and the victory against Pittsburgh 72-53 on Saturday.
"We've been in this situation before where we thought we deserved a No. 1 seed," senior guard Candice Wiggins said. "It really comes down to this game. We can't talk about it. We can't say we should be this or that. This is the game that's going to prove it."
Stanford, who have won 21 games straight, probable will need one of their greatest start-to-finish hard work of the season to defeat Maryland and got to the first program’s Final Four berth since 1997. In the past the Cardinal lost the regional finals in 2004, 2005 and ’06.
"We really have been preparing to be in this position all season long," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "This team is ready to be in this position. ... We are way ahead of where we have been in the past in terms of preparation. We have been working for this day and I just have confidence that our team will come out and give their best effort."
Maryland will require no less of its players; their team is one of the most potent offensive teams in the nation that was shown by beaten in dominant way Vanderbilt 80-66 in the regional semifinal. Four Maryland players, Crystal Langhornes, Toliver, Laura Harper and Marissa Coleman have average together 66 points in three NCAA Tournament games.
The Cardinal and the Terrapins haven’t played against each other since 1982. However, Maryland isn't totally unknown. Langhorne, Coleman, Harper, Wiggins and Stanford center Jayne Appel have played together on USA Basketball teams.
Some of the Terrapins players have experienced the elevated of a national title, and that may be the biggest thing that divides these two teams.
About the Author
Ally White is a top senior copy writer on March Madness tournament action for the online sportbook http://www.instantactionsports.com. Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.
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