PREVIEW: Kentucky plays Maryland, Morgan State in Discover Puerto Rico Shootout

This gameday preview is going to be a bit different from pretty much another other we’ll do in the regular season. Because of the structure of the Discover Puerto Rico Shootout, we’re going to double dip and break down both Maryland and Morgan State.

So, without further ado, let’s see what Kentucky is going up against on Wednesday and Friday.

Bio Blast

First up for Kentucky is Maryland, led by the legendary Brenda Frese. She’s been there since the 2002-03 season, and in 2006, she reached the pinnacle of the sports as Maryland was the National Championship in just her fourth season at the helm in college park.

Maryland is 7-0 to start this season, and their best win thus far came against a 5-1 Princeton team that received votes in the latest AP Poll. Interestingly enough, Wednesday’s bout against Kentucky will be their first contest away from home this season, so that may be something that plays into Kentucky’s favor.

As for Morgan State, their 1-5 to begin the season. They lost to George Washington by 26 in their last outing. Safe to say they aren’t very good. They’re led by first-year head coach Nadine Domond, who was once the top point guard recruit in America back in the 90s. After a four-year collegiate career at Iowa, she went on to play in the WNBA for a brief stint.

Scouting Report

Between Maryland and Morgan State, the Terps are the more talented team — crazy, right?

Maryland is led by Duke transfer Oluchi Okananwa, who was the ACC Tournament Most Outstanding Player this past year coming off the bench. Through seven games in College Park, Okananwa is averaging 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. She’s their best player and her quickness could give Kentucky’s guards some serious issues defensively.

Morgan State, on the other hand, shouldn’t give Kentucky too many issues at all. They’re led by guards Gabrielle Johnson (11.8 PPG) and Ja’la Bannerman (10.8 PPG). Johnson shoots 41.7% from deep, but her teammate and fellow guard, Selina Gutierrez, is currently shooting 52.9% from three-point range. As a team, the Lady Bears only shoot 28.7% from the three, but they have a few players who are prone to getting hot here and there.

Maryland Terrapins roster

Morgan State Lady Bears roster

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Projected Kentucky Starters

#5 – Tonie Morgan

5-FOOT-8 – GUARD – SENIOR

10.9 PPG – 8.9 APG – 2.6 RPG

#0 – Jordan Obi

6-FOOT-1 – GUARD – GRADUATE STUDENT

12.6 PPG – 6.6 RPG – 0.9 APG

#32 – Amelia Hassett

6-FOOT-4 – FORWARD – SENIOR

11.6 PPG – 7.1 RPG – 2 BPG

#7 – Teonni Key

6-FOOT-5 – FORWARD – SENIOR

11.3 PPG – 6.1 RPG – 2.1 BPG

#13 – Clara Strack

6-FOOT-5 – CENTER – JUNIOR

16.9 PPG – 12.1 RPG – 3.1 BPG

Phoenix’s Prediction (Maryland)

For the first time this season, I am predicting that Kentucky will lose. Kenny Brooks‘ squad is good — really good — but I think Maryland is just a touch better, and with this game being on a neutral court, I think that’s about all there is to it. Outside of the S-tier, National Championship-contending teams, I think Maryland is the best team in the country. Hopefully, I’m wrong.

Phoenix’s Prediction (Morgan State)

Of course, after I picked Kentucky to lose to Maryland, it’s only right that I pick them to beat Morgan State down to a pulp on Friday. While I think Maryland is the best team Kentucky will face during non-conference play, I think there’s a strong argument that the Lady Bears will be the worst. With a huge lead, I think Brooks goes to the bench early, and who better to come off the bench and light it up than Asia Boone?

How to Watch/Listen (Maryland)

Location	Tipoff	TV	Radio	Live Stats
Coliseo Guillermo Angulo Carolina (San Juan, Puerto Rico)	5:30 p.m. ET	FloSports	98.5 ICONS, 790 WKRD (Darren Headrick)	StatBroadcast

How to Watch/Listen (Morgan State)

Location	Tipoff	TV	Radio	Live Stats
Coliseo Guillermo Angulo Carolina (San Juan, Puerto Rico)	5:30 p.m. ET	FloSports	630 WLAP, 790 WKRD (Darren Headrick)	StatBroadcast

If you need further help on how to keep up with the Cats this week, click here for our detailed breakdown of the (cost-friendly) options available to you.

Follow Along with KSR’s LIVE BLOG

Unable to watch the game? Don’t worry — we’ll be providing real-time updates throughout to keep you informed on the action. Follow along with KSR’s LIVE BLOG, which will get rolling on the website an hour before the game starts.

Join The Discussion on KSBoard

Want to interact with the KSR crew during tonight’s game? Consider joining the conversation on KSBoard, where we’ll be sharing live updates while also answering questions and providing real-time analysis (and probably complaining about the officiating).