MIAMI, Florida — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball squad opens the 2022-23 season on Monday (Nov. 7) at 4 p.m. at the University of Miami amid drama for the Hurricanes as Miami head coach Katie Meier will be suspended for three games.
"This is a young team and our first road game against a top national opponent and it is going to be a challenge for us," head coach Fred Batchelor said. "So I think it is much more about us than them and how we handle the moment. I think this will give us a small definition of what we are early on."
Batchelor feels like his young team is behind a bit at this point in the season partially because of six newcomers on the roster and partially because many of his veterans have missed at least one season and some have missed two.
"The starting lineup that we are going with (Monday) has just four years of total experience and those five players have never been on the court together before," Batchelor said. "And those who have played had sporadic minutes and inconsistent playing time. I think feeling behind can be expected at this point with a young team."
The Hurricanes — who fell in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to eventual champion South Carolina — feature a pressure defense and are a team with a lot of size.
Batchelor said his staff decided to adjust the starting five after film study to get some extra ball handling on the court, but had to be careful not to sacrifice rebounding in doing so.
When the two teams last met in December of 2018, the Hawks were outrebounded just 31-26 and also held a 22-16 advantage on the offensive glass.
"I think they were bigger the last time we played them," Batchelor said. "This is going to have to be a team rebounding mentality."
While the Hawks will be focused on the court, Hurricanes have a few potential distractions.
The Associated Press reported on Sunday that Meier has been suspended for the first three games of the season, while the school cooperates with an NCAA investigation.
No details have been released and Miami called it "an enforcement matter."
Meier will miss the season opener against UMES as well as games against Stetson and Boston University. Assistant head coach Fitzroy Anthony will lead the team in Meier's absence.
The Cavinder twins (Haley and Hanna), who boast 4.1 million Tik Tok followers, transferred to Miami in the summer to take advantage of laws enacted last summer allowing college athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness. The change from Fresno State to Miami, opened up many more NIL opportunities to the duo.
The game will be available on ESPN+ and ACCNX.
"I'm just ready to see how we grow in this game," Batchelor said. "This will be an opportunity for us to grow quickly, fast and in a hurry, so it will be an exciting challenge for us.
"The reset begins."
