Nelson settling into role as scorer
39-point outburst vs. Florida demonstrates her capabilities
Until two weeks ago Aleah Nelson said she had never scored 30 points in a basketball game.
The closest she got to such a milestone was a 29-point effort as an eighth grader for the Maryland Belles in an AAU tournament final against an All-Star team from Michigan.
Then on Nov. 12 at North Carolina State, the junior point guard dropped in a careerhigh 39 points to propel Towson to an 87-70 victory over Florida — the program’s first against a Power Five opponent since a 67-55 win against Maryland on Dec. 10, 2009.
“I’ve never had a performance like that,” Nelson said. “But it was because my teammates kept encouraging me and were happy for me. It could have been anyone.”
To those who know her, Nelson is simply being modest. The 5-foot-6 Baltimore resident and McDonogh graduate leads the Tigers (4-1) in scoring (20 points per game) and assists (6.6). She also ranks second on the team in total steals with 10 and third in rebounds at six per game.
“Aleah is a leader,” coach Diane Richardson said. “As she goes, we go, and she understands that. There may be times she might feel a little pressure, but we can give each other the eye that says, ‘It’s OK, let’s go,’ and she’s attuned to all of that.”
Last season — her first at Towson after transferring from Cincinnati — Nelson led the team in assists (6.5 per game) while ranking second in points (13.5) and total steals (27) andsixth in rebounds (four per game). Those numbers helped her earn a spot on the All-Colonial Athletic Association second team.
This winter has been different for Nelson and the Tigers. No longer able to rely on
into a bowl-eligible program.
“I believe with the investment that has been made in Maryland football [and] talent in this area, we have an opportunity to build this thing into something that can be very powerful in college football. That’s my vision,” he said. “I know it can be done because I’ve been here when we’ve done it.”
With Maryland and Rutgers sitting at 5-6 and itching for a bowl bid, Locksley said Saturday will feel like a wild-card playoff game. “It’s win or go home,” he said.
For many players on the team, if not all, Saturday will be unfamiliar territory, but players are embracing the moment.
“This experience that I want to have because I don’t think anyone on this team, even the seniors, have been to a bowl game,” senior cornerback Jakorian Bennett said. “Doing it for those guys that haven’t been there, and just cap off the season in the right way. It will be very special.”
Throughout the regular season, Maryland has treated each opponent the same, ranked or not. Junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa said this week has felt different, as the Terps are approaching it with a playoff mindset.
“It means a lot [to] the program,” he said. “Just taking the next step forward. More so, an opportunity to send the seniors out the right way and give them another opportunity to wear the Maryland jersey.”
History has been on the Terps side against Rutgers, even though they have just a 34.8% chance of winning, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. Maryland has won four of its past six meetings against the Scarlet Knights and has averaged 35 points per game in seven meetings since both programs joined the Big Ten in 2014.
Rutgers’ defense will have an edge on third down. The Scarlet Knights are the second-best third-down defense in the Big Ten and fifth in the country, while Maryland’s offense is ranked 11th in the conference and 95th in the nation in third-down conversions (35.8%).
“They play a lot of man coverage on third down,” Locksley said. “They’re able to keep guys in front of them. They do a good job of getting you into some third-and-long situations, which usually are to the advantage of the offense but they do a great job of executing their main coverage techniques.”
Maryland is not close to competing
against Ohio State and Michigan, who enter Saturday’s rivalry game in the top five of the College Football Playoff rankings. But a win Saturday will show the Terps are at least taking a step in the right direction.
“For us to be this late in the season and still have an opportunity to compete [to be bowl eligible], I [tip] my hat off to this team because we faced a lot of adversity this season,” Locksley said. “When you lose a
good amount of your production on both sides of the ball, we still have a chance on Saturday to win a sixth game to put us in position to go to a bowl game. I think that would be a great accomplishment.”