The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/916614
76 ■ THE WOLFPACKER to just 27 game appearances her first two years. Last season, as the primary backup to starting forward Chelsea Nelson, Maize played in 26 games, averaging career highs in minutes (11.8 per game), points (3.1), re- bounds (2.6) and blocks (18, a team high). In a memorable performance at ninth- ranked Louisville in February, Maize played 25 minutes and netted a career-best 11 points to help the Pack to a 72-70 upset victory in overtime. Coming into this season, Maize was aware that with the departure of four senior starters she and Nelson, the other senior on this year's roster, would be looked on for leadership — a role she had not held since her senior year in high school. "It took me a couple of years after get- ting hurt as a freshman and being so far behind to get my confidence back," Maize said. "And the last three years, we've had Miah [Spencer] and Dom [Dominique Wil- son)] as the team leaders. "But I knew this was my last go-round, so I really worked harder this offseason than in the past, I knew we'd have a young team, and I had to have a bigger role this year." As the Pack's starting post through 10 games, Maize is producing numbers far be- yond the averages of her first three seasons as a backup. In 21.9 minutes per game, she's scoring 12.0 points, pulling down 5.6 rebounds and has already equaled her ju- nior season total in blocks with 19 through 10 outings. "This is what I expected of myself all along," she said. "I just had to dig deep and pull it out of me. "The one area I focused on going into this season was scoring, because I'd always played pretty good D and gotten rebounds even though I hadn't played a lot of min- utes. But with us losing Miah and Dom, Coach said me and Chelsea had to be scor- ers to take the pressure off the guards in our four-out offense." Maize also feels that being able to start with Nelson, her best friend, has helped her confidence and allowed her to also improve an area that has been a problem in past years — fouls. Her 54 personals were sec- ond only to Nelson on the team last year, and her five DQs led the Pack. "It's like Kenny Rogers says: 'You gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em,'" Moore joked. "It will probably always be a battle keeping those two out of foul trouble, but it just comes down to being smart and understanding the game." With seven double-figure scoring games in the first 10 outings this season, including a career-best 20 in a 68-49 win over Ala- bama in the Fort Lauderdale Tournament on Thanksgiving Day, Maize is well on the way to her main goal this season. "I want to be a player that other teams have to stop," she said. "I've let others have the main roles these past years, and I've stepped back. This year I'm looking to put up numbers. I just want people to know my name." ■ Maize scored in double figures in seven of her first 10 outings this season, including a career-best 20 in a 68-49 win over Alabama in the Fort Lauderdale Tournament on Thanks- giving Day. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS "I want to be a player that other teams have to stop. I've let others have the main roles these past years, and I've stepped back. This year I'm looking to put up numbers. I just want people to know my name." ■ Maize