Guard Blair Watson will get her hand in the face of Nebraska heart Kate Cain in the Terps’ 87-69 win on Jan. 16, 2020 at Xfinity Middle. (Julia Nikhinson/The Diamondback)

Holding a seven-point lead halfway via the fourth quarter in opposition to a Northwestern squad that dismantled it lower than a month earlier, Maryland ladies’s basketball was nonetheless searching for a game-clinching play.

The Terps had only one discipline purpose in the body to that time, and the Wildcats appeared intent on capitalizing. So guard Blair Watson took issues into her personal palms on the defensive finish, as she’s executed routinely all through the season.

She closely pressured Northwestern guard Veronica Burton close to the halfcourt line, snatching the ball and discovering a streaking teammate to ignite a quick break. Watson wasn’t completed, although, and adopted the play to be in place to seize the lengthy rebound and hit a jumper from the foul line.

That sequence was the dagger the Terps wanted to safe their fifth straight win, coming in traditional Watson vogue — with staunch defense fueling her offense. She completed the contest with 13 factors, seven rebounds and three steals, including one other defensive showcase to her mounting Maryland basketball resume.

“[Watson] simply sets the tone, the head of our press, you possibly can really feel that power that we dictate off of her,” coach Brenda Frese stated. “She will make so many performs.”

[Read more: Since regaining her starting role, Blair Watson has been a spark for Maryland basketball]

Following an up-and-down junior season by which she was nonetheless feeling the results of her ACL tear the 12 months earlier than, Watson has now come into her personal as the crew’s finest 3-and-D participant.

Regardless of not enjoying in the crew’s first recreation in opposition to Wagner, Watson has a team-leading 58 steals — 19 greater than the subsequent closest participant and 10 greater than she had all of final season. She’s additionally hit 44 triples this season at a 37 % clip, good for the second most on the crew.

The Nutley, New Jersey, native’s lively palms and lateral quickness shine in Maryland’s new defensive id. Frese usually places Watson at the level of the crew’s “12” defense, a 1-2-2 trapping press that generates 13.2 steals per recreation, the third finest mark in the NCAA.

“[I want] to offer my all-out power and energy day-after-day, particularly on defense as a result of that’s one thing that I completely love,” Watson stated. “It doesn’t even matter if my shot is falling or what’s happening round me as a result of at the finish of the day defense is one thing I actually get pleasure from and my teammates all the time obtained my again.”

[Read more: Stephanie Jones’ double-double helps lead Maryland basketball past Northwestern, 70-61]

With her defensive dominance, Watson was named one in every of the 15 candidates for the Naismith Nationwide Defensive Participant of the Yr Award on Jan. 23. She says her success stems from her dedication to doing no matter the crew must win, and her coaches and teammates perceive her significance as the crew progresses via its convention slate and into the postseason.

She’s second in the Huge Ten and 16th in the nation in takeaways at 3.1 per recreation, constantly making each possession tough for the opponent’s finest perimeter participant. In flip, fellow guards Taylor Mikesell and Ashley Owusu are capable of save extra power to provoke the offense. Watson even tied a 39-year-old program file with 9 steals in a loss at Iowa on Jan. 9.

Her shot won’t all the time be falling, but Watson is undoubtedly one in every of Maryland’s most impactful gamers. And are available March, the Terps will depend on her to stymie a few of the nation’s most potent offensive threats.

“I’m thrilled for her that she is getting that nationwide publicity as a result of we depend on [her defense], we depend on it,” Frese stated. “We’re a distinct crew if she doesn’t deliver that.”