Lady Terps Fall In Final Minutes to No. 9 Tar Heels
12/2/1999 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 2, 1999
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - LaQuanda Barksdale scored 22 points and Nikki Teasley added 18 as No. 9 North Carolina held off upset-minded Maryland, 92-79, in the Atlantic Coast Conference women's basketball opener for both teams.
Maryland (4-2, 0-1 ACC) started its sixth different lineup in six games this season, and nearly found the right matchup for the No. 6 Tar Heels who have beaten the Terrapins in four straight meetings. Deedee Warley scored 26 points and added nine rebounds to lead a feisty Maryland team that threatened to beat a nationally-ranked opponent for the first time since an ACC Tournament upset of NC State two years ago.
North Carolina (4-1, 1-0 ACC) led by as many as 11 in the first half before the Terps cut the lead to three with 1:20 before the intermission and played toe-to-toe the rest of the way. Teasley's 3-pointer at the end of the first half staked UNC to a 10-point lead, 43-33, but the Terrapins repeatedly cut the margin and even knotted the score at 61 with 9:48 to play.
The Terrapins trailed by 14 with a minute gone in the second period and to get to 61-61, outscored UNC 19-5. Down 59-48 with 13:38 to play, Maryland turned up its pressure defense and used persistent offensive rebounding from Warley and Rosita Melbourne to pull within 61-54. Maryland then scored seven straight points to change the complexion of the game. For the game, Maryland forced Carolina into a season-high 19 turnovers.
Maryland never led, however, and North Carolina slowly stretched its lead back to 10 with 3:46 remaining at 77-67. A pair of 3-pointers by Tiffany Brown twice cut the deficit to seven, but a Teasley trey and 12 free throws in the last three minutes ended the Maryland rally.
The Tar Heels used free throws and capitalized on Maryland turnovers to coast to the win in the final minute of play. In fact, North Carolina's 27 free throws against Maryland were more than in four previous games combined (25).
Jennifer Thomas scored nine of her 15 points in the second half for UNC, joining Jackie Higgins, 13, and Juana Brown, 10, as other double-figure rebounds for the Tar Heels.
Warley and freshman guard Vicki Brick were the second-half catalysts for Maryland. Warley scored 12 points and wrestled seven second-half boards, mostly on the offensive end, to keep the Terps within reach. Brick, who dished eight assists in the game, scored nine second half points.
Maryland continues an eight-game homestand when the Terps host Howard on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
