Stanford-Maryland Sweet 16 rematch may be a shootout

Tara VanDerveer prefers “the ballet of basketball” over a slower, more physical game that can sometimes resemble a wrestling match. She should get her wish tonight when No. 1 Stanford faces No. 4 Maryland in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

The matchup (6:30 p.m., ESPN) in the Spokane Regional features two of the top scoring offenses in the country. The Terrapins are sixth at 79.2 points a game, while Stanford is 25th at 74.4.

“I would expect this game to be a very fun game, up-tempo game, an exciting game to watch. Both of our teams really are high octane offenses,” VanDerveer said Thursday. “People don't want to watch rugby in a 94-by-50 wooden floor. I think both of our teams play really exciting and really open basketball. It's going to be who does it better on that day.”

Both teams raced past their opponents last weekend. Secondranked Stanford (30-3) beat Montana State 78-37 and Kansas 9165. Maryland (23-8), ranked 13th, beat Delaware 102-71 and No. 23 Florida Golf Coast 89-65.

“We've seen on film just how aggressive Maryland is offensively and how much they want to run the floor,” senior guard Anna Wilson said. “I think we're ready to get our running shoes on and keep up with them.”

Stanford beat Maryland 86-68 on Nov. 27 in the Bahamas, but both teams were shorthanded. Pac-12 Player of the Year Cameron Brink was sick and only played nine minutes, while the Terrapins had only seven players available due to injuries and illness.

“I think we'll see a better version of Maryland and I think Maryland will see a better version of Stanford,” VanDerveer said. “November is November basketball. We're talking March basketball, which at this point both teams are playing their best.”

The last time these teams met in the tournament was also in Spokane, when the Cardinal beat the Terrapins 98-87 in the 2008 Elite Eight.

Stanford has reached the Sweet 16 every season since that matchup, culminating in the title last year. It has advanced to the regional final in eight of the last 11 tournaments.