The Massachusetts women’s basketball team will look to climb back up in the Atlantic 10 on Wednesday evening against a Temple team that has yet to lose against a conference opponent.
The Minutewomen (6-14, 2-3 A-10) hope to regain their footing after suffering a heartbreaking 72-68 loss to Saint Joseph’s, a game in which they led 45-38 at the end of the first half.
“We outplayed a great team for 39 minutes,” UMass coach Sharon Dawley said. “We had 19 turnovers, and with the timing of some of them, it felt like we had 30. We had a great effort, we competed and now we just have to learn how to finish.”
That, however, is just one of several keys that they have to utilize in order to defeat a roaring hot TU squad.
The Owls (13-6, 4-0 A-10) are perfect against conference opponents and are competing well on their six-game win streak, in which they have won by margins of over 40 points in two consecutive games. In those two games, TU beat Rhode Island, 81-34, and Fordham, 71-28, respectively.
In addition to a sparkling 7-1 home performance, TU boasts a 7-6 road record. A top road record is often the difference maker as to whether or not a team will advance to postseason play.
Dawley explained that to be successful against such a tough offensive squad, the Maroon and White are going to need to start strong right out of the gate, keep the game close throughout and dig deep in the final minutes of the game.
Luckily, the team will not be walking on the court unprepared.
“Our biggest strength going into this game is the good performance we had getting here,” Dawley said. “That and the fact that we are at home really gives us confidence going up against a tough team.”
Unfortunately, TU is a team that consistently brings a plethora of weapons that often leave opponents stumbling in their wake.
“[The Owls] are a very challenging and athletic team,” Dawley said. “They always play great basketball and they bring a lot of maturity everywhere they go. Great teams do it on the road, and they’re one of them.”
The biggest key to the Minutewomen’s game plan is to contain the Owls’ scoring bursts will undoubtedly lie in their defense.
“We can’t be lax, or else they’ll roll all over us,” Dawley said. “We have to stand strong, have the ability to play and the ability to change on the fly.”
Another point that Dawley brought to light is that the team has to be able to limit their misplays.
“Every team is going to make mistakes, but they can’t be all in a row,” Dawley said. “We can’t be dry offensively like we were in that stretch against Saint Joseph’s.”
In addition to the team’s resilience, their veteran leadership helps make for great attitudes across the board.
And it’s exactly those attitudes that lead to the team’s strong sense of confidence and hope that they will carry throughout the remainder of the season.
Dave Martin can be reached at [email protected]
