Terps Travel to Clemson for ACC Opener
6/21/1999 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
December 4, 1998
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland travels to No. 25 Clemson on Saturday evening for a rematch to last season's Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinals. The Tigers, then ranked No. 16 by the Associated Press, were 63-44 winners as Maryland ended a 15-13 campaign.
Saturday, the Terrapins open their 22nd season in the ACC as holders of an unprecedented eight conference crowns. Chris Weller, in her 24th season as Maryland's head coach, is one of just three league coaches to record at least 150 career victories in the league. Clemson court boss Jim Davis is one of just four with over 100 ACC wins.
Saturday's bout features a pair of opponents heading in opposite directions thus far in the season. Clemson, enjoying its first Top 25 ranking of the season (No. 25 AP, No. 24 ESPN/USA Today), won for the sixth straight time while defeating NC State on Wednesday night. Maryland, meanwhile, is slumping to begin the year with a bevy of freshmen at all positions.
Game Facts and Coverage
#6 Maryland at ClemsonDate: Saturday, Dec. 5
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Site: Littlejohn Coliseum (11,020)
Radio: WBAL (1090-AM) in Baltimore is the flagship station for the Maryland/Learfield Radio Network. Pregame show 10 minutes prior to tipoff. (John Wagner, play-by-play; Jody Lavin Patrick, color)
#7 Maryland at Penn State
Date: Thursday, Dec. 10
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Bryce Jordan Center (15,300)
Radio: WBAL (1090-AM) in Baltimore is the flagship station for the Maryland/Learfield Radio Network. Pregame show 10 minutes prior to tipoff. (John Wagner, play-by-play; Jody Lavin Patrick, color)
RECORDS
Maryland is 0-5 following its 64-55 loss on Wednesday to Western Michigan. The Terps are 0-0 in the ACC. Clemson is 6-0 overall, 1-0 in the ACC following an 88-67 win over NC State on Wednesday.
COACHES
Maryland's Chris Weller (Maryland '66) has guided her alma mater to a national championship game and three Final Four appearances. Now in her 24th season, she has engineered an unprecedented eight ACC championships while compiling a 447-226 (.664) overall record. She is 161-110 (.594) in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 1995, she became just the fifth coach in womens college basketball history to earn at least 400 victories at the same school. Three years earlier, her Terps were No. 1-ranked for a month which led to her naming as the 1992 Naismith and USBWA national coach of the year.
Clemson's Jim Davis (Tennessee Wesleyan '70) is 239-110 (.684) in his 12th season with the Tigers. He is 258-118 (.686) in his 13th year overall. Davis has guided Clemson to three consecutive ACC Tournament title appearances including a 1996 victory over Duke to mark the Tigers first ACC crown. He was named ACC coach of the year in 1990 and 1994.
SERIES HISTORY
Against Clemson, Maryland boasts a 24-17 series advantage despite losing three straight, all last season. The Tigers ousted the Terps from last seasons ACC Tournament, 63-44, in the tourney semifinals. Maryland last defeated Clemson two seasons ago with wins at home and on the road. The Terps won a 70-64 decision at Littlejohn Coliseum on Feb. 22, 1997. The Terrapins are 7-11 lifetime in games played at Clemson.
Player (G/GS) Ht. Yr. PPG RPG APG
F 32 Antonieta Gabriel (5/4) 6-0 Jr. 1.2 5.2 3.8
Note: 17 assists in last two games
F 34 Deedee Warley (5/4) 6-2 Fr. 6.2 5.4 1.8
Note: At least five rebounds in 4 of 5 games
F 42 Rosita Melbourne (5/2) 6-3 Fr. 8.4 7.0 0.6
Note: 3rd in ACC in blocked shots
C 55 Branka Bogunovic (5/5) 6-8 Jr. 15.2 8.0 0.0
Note: 32 pts. v. WMU was 7th in UM history
G 20 March Strickland (5/5) 5-9 Fr. 9.6 3.2 3.8
Note: Leads Terps in minutes and assists
MARYLAND NOTEBOOK
A LOT TO WRITE ABOUT
Maryland's young Terrapins have yet to experience victory during the 1998-99 season, yet on-the-floor play has seen continual improvement as has on-paper statistics.
Terp deficiencies are well-documented and rather obvious considering significant turnovers each game and inconsistent perimeter play. Overshadowed, however, have been impressive numbers by a team which, equally as obviously, has a talented albeit inexperienced cast.
Terrapin shooting has improved in four of five games. The Terps shot 34.7 percent in their opener vs. UNC Greensboro, and shot 38.1 percent at Loyola. The only step backward was a 36.1 effort at Howard, though Maryland has rebounded to shoot 48.1 percent in each of the last two games.
A big lineup has undoubtedly helped Maryland's rebound advantage. Despite just one returning player among its front line starters and backups, Maryland is currently third in the ACC with a 7.0 rebound margin. Junior center Branka Bogunovic (Zemun, Serbia) averages 8.0 rebounds with single-game efforts of 17 and 12. Freshmen Rosita Melbourne (Washington, D.C.) and Deedee Warley (Fort Washington, Md.) have posted at least five boards all but one of 10 combined games. JC newcomer Cara Ferris (Pensacola, Fla.) averages 6.4 rebounds and had 13 at Howard, from primarily a perimeter role in which she has been asked to share ballhandling duties considerably, also.
The Terps have had regular contributions from several players including returning forward Antonieta Gabriel (Virginia Beach, Va.) who averaged just eight minutes in 17 games last season. A four-game starter, Gabriel has posted 17 assists in the last two games and is one of five players averaging at least 5.0 rebounds.
"Point guard by default" March Strickland (Kingston, Mass.) leads the team with 3.8 assists while playing nearly 39 minutes per game. She came to Maryland as a bonafide scoring threat, but has steadily helped Maryland improve its aching assist-turnover ratio (18 assists, 21 turnovers vs. WMU). She netted 22 points in the loss to Hampton.
BOGUNOVIC DOUBLES
Battling Clemson this weekend, against whom she recorded her only career double-double before this year, Branka Bogunovic has posted two double-double efforts so far this season
Prior to this season, Bogunovics career scoring high was 17 at Clemson last January. Her only double-double was a 14-point, 11-rebound effort against the Tigers at Cole Field House. She has added her second and third double-doubles early this season 21 points and 17 rebounds at Howard, and 32 points and 12 rebounds last Wednesday vs. Western Michigan.
MORE ON BRANKA
Junior center Branka Bogunovic, at 6-8 the tallest player in Maryland womens basketball history, contributed career highs of 21 points and 17 boards at Howard, eclipsing previous bests of 17 points at Clemson (1-11-98) and 14 rebounds vs. Loyola (11-19-97). She smashed her scoring high on Wednesday night with 32 vs. Western Michigan.
Against WMU, she scored 22 points in the second half to help produce the best scoring effort by a Maryland player since Dafne Lee tied the school scoring mark with 39 points at Wake Forest on Feb. 16, 1990. Her 32-point effort ties Maryland's seventh best of all-time. She hit 16 field goals to fall two shy of Vicky Bulletts Maryland record of 18, and match the best in the ACC this season (NC States Summer Erb had 16 vs. Idaho State).
Against Howard, Bogunovic scored Maryland's first three baskets and had 10 of the Terps first 14 points. She ended the first half with seven of Maryland's last eight points including a layin with :36 in the half to put the Terrapins in the lead. She shot 8 of 9 from the floor in the first half.
GABRIEL'S LAST TIME
Besides Bogunovic's eight-year scoring best at Maryland, Antonieta Gabriel has recorded assists in similar fashion the last two games. Gabriel has dished 17 assists the last two games, including 10 against Western Michigan, mostly to Bogunovic.
Gabriels 10 assists were the most by a Maryland player since Karon Ferguson turned in 10 against NC State in a 71-63 win on Feb. 13, 1994. Gabriels feat was the best by a forward or center since Bonnie Rimkus had 10 in the same season (Dec. 28, 1993) against Maryland-Eastern Shore.
EARLY ACC COOMPARISONS
Clearly deficient in some areas and showing strength in others, here is a look at how the Terps rank with other ACC teams through games of Dec. 2:
Maryland is third in the ACC in rebound margin (7.0), scoring defense (63.6) and field goal pct. defense (.372) ... Maryland is currently last in the ACC, however, in scoring (49.4), 3-point field goals (5), free throw pct. (53.3) and turnover margin (-11.8).
TURNING TURNOVERS INTO A POSITIVE?
Well, not exactly, despite the fact that Maryland's 21 turnovers against Western Michigan were the team's fewest of the season, and came against as much pressure as the Terps have seen so far.
What is impressive, however, is that Maryland only has allowed 63.6 points per game despite handing the ball back to its opponents an average of 26 times per contest.
FERRIS & THE FRESHMEN
Boasting six freshmen on the roster and missing returning starters Tiffany Brown (Clinton, Md.) and Kelley Gibson (Easton, Md.), the Terps are obviously counting heavily on those half-dozen freshmen. Maryland newcomers, including JC transfer Cara Ferris, account for 77% of total minutes played.
Player Min. Pts. Rebounds
March Strickland 193 48 16
Ginji Perry 114 14 15
Rosita Melbourne 126 42 35
Deedee Warley 112 31 27
Ije Agba 36 9 6
Marija Ilic 14 0 3
Freshmen Totals 595 144 102
Percent of Team Total 60% 58% 47%
Cara Ferris (JC Transfer) 149 21 32
Newcomer Totals 744 165 134
Percent of Team Total 74% 67% 61%
MARYLAND TOTALS 1000 247 217
HOW INEXPERIENCED?
Maryland is playing just one of its top eight scorers from last season. With its top four scorers graduated, one injured, one ineligible, and two others lost to transfer or graduation, Branka Bogunovic is the ONLY player to return that averaged 2.0 points or better.
Counting Antonieta Gabriel as a "virtual" newcomer after a 1.4 point average in 8.1 minutes last season, "newcomers" average 87.5% of Maryland's minutes, 69.3% of scoring and 81.6% of rebounds.
IN THE PAINT
While "unstoppable" is perhaps too lofty a description for the Terps inside players the last three games, Maryland certainly has been dominant in the paint whenever the Terps have been successful in getting into an offense.
Branka Bogunovic has had career nights at Howard and against Western Michigan, combining for 53 points and 29 rebounds in the two games. At Howard, Cara Ferris, Rosita Melbourne and Deedee Warley each have been highly successful both at rebounding and scoring recently.
Bogunovic, Ferris (13) and Melbourne (12) each registered double-digit rebounds for the Terps at Howard. Together, the trio also shot 17 for 33 (52.5%) from the floor, compared to the teams 36 percent.
The same trio shot 12 for 20 (60%) vs. Hampton, with Melbourne shooting 6 of 7 for a career best 14 points.
Bogunovic, Melbourne and Ferris have combined to shoot 55.6 percent (64 of 115) for the season.
MORE FRESHMEN PAINT
Local freshmen Rosita Melbourne and Deedee Warley have commanded an inside presence in every game this season. Maryland has outrebounded its opponent in all five games, with Melbourne and Warley totaling at least five boards, apiece, in nine of 10 combined games.
At Loyola, Melbourne and Warley scored 9 of 10 Maryland points during a 10-4 run which brought the Terps back from a 33-28 deficit. Melbournes jumper in the paint gave the Terps a brief 38-36 lead.
Melbourne is second on the Terps with 7.0 rebounds including a career-high 12 boards at Howard. She led the Terps with seven at Loyola. Warley boasts 5.4 per game, and had seven rebounds vs. both UNC Greensboro and Howard.
FERRIS CONTRIBUTIONS
JC transfer Cara Ferris has not scored the most points nor pulled down the most rebounds, yet, for the Terps, but she has provided steady efforts in each of Maryland's five games. A starter in four games, Ferris is currently second on the club with 29.8 minutes per game. She leads the team with 10 steals, and is third with 6.4 rebounds and a 52.6 percent (10 of 19) shooting clip.
NOT SUCH AN EASY BEGINNING
All four Maryland games to begin the regular season were against teams which advanced at least to their respective conference title games.
Maryland's first four opponents boasted a combined record of 83-31 (.728) from last season. The Terps opened against Southern Conference champion UNC Greensboro (21-9). A drive to Baltimore three nights later pitted the Terps against Loyola which upended Maryland last season in College Park en route to a 20-9 record and second place finish in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Crosstown rival and three-time NCAA participant Howard (23-7) downed the Terps on Nov. 20. Maryland fell to MEAC runner-up Hampton (19-5) last Tuesday.
TELLING STATISTICS
Missing easily their most athletic returning starters, and the top returning scorers and assist makers from a year ago in Tiffany Brown and Kelley Gibson, Terrapin deficiencies have been obvious.
Evidence of their loss thus far has been poor shooting (105-256, .410 up from .361 after three games) and ballhandling by a team comprised mostly of freshmen and almost exclusively by newcomers.
The Terps have collected 69 assists and recorded 135 turnovers (almost two turnovers per assist) in five games. That is in contrast to Maryland opponents more respectable 74 to 72 ratio.
Freshman March Strickland (Kingston, Mass.) came to the Terps as a primary shooting threat, but has begun on-the-job training as a college point guard. She has averaged 9.6 points and 3.8 assists. She also leads Maryland with 38.6 minutes.
Freshman Ginji Perry made her first start at Howard, and has contributed 3.0 assists, 3.5 points and 3.8 rebounds. Perry has averaged 28.5 minutes and directed the offense with Strickland and Cara Ferris, a junior forward but Maryland's most experienced perimeter player.
Perry did not play against Western Michigan.
FROM THE STRIPE
Maryland has shot just over 50 percent fewer free throws than its opponents, and has made only 53 percent of those. Shooting just 60 attempts from the free throw line so far, Maryland has averaged just 12 attempts per game. Opponents have made 60 free throws compared to Maryland's 32. March Strickland has been Maryland's top free throw shooter, netting 13 of 17 for 76.5 percent.
STRICKLAND NETS 22
March Strickland netted a career-high 22 points against Hampton to lead all Terrapin scorers, and raise her season average to then 10.8 points per game. It was the third time in four games that Strickland has at least shared top scoring honors for Maryland, but it was far and away her top shooting effort of her young career.
Against the Pirates, Strickland shot 9 of 18 from the floor, including 1 of 2 from 3-point range, after opening the season with a dreary 6 of 41 (14%) shooting performance through three games.
She joins Branka Bogunovic with one of three 20-point scoring performances so far.
BEST CLASS SINCE 85-86?
Not since the freshman campaign of current pros Deanna Tate and Olympian Vicky Bullett has Maryland welcomed a freshman class with as much promise. The Terps boasted seven freshmen out of 15 players in 1985-86, compared to six of 13 on this seasons roster.
The 85-86 team finished 17-13 overall and just 6-8 in the ACC, but rebounded to win the sixth of Chris Wellers eight ACC tournament titles. Maryland fell to Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
NOT JUST FRESHMEN, (VERY) LOCAL TOO
Maryland's bumper crop of freshmen includes a quartet of local stars that come widely regarded by local and national publications. Ije Agba, Rosita Melbourne, Ginji Perry and Deedee Warley all prepped at D.C.-area high schools and received All-Met honors by the Washington Post.
Melbourne arrives as potentially the best post athlete during Wellers tenure and was a highly regarded recruit nationally.
Perry was the All-Met Player of the Year in 1996-97. All played their high school ball within 20 minutes of the Maryland campus.
BROWN AND GIBSON OUT EARLY
Kelley Gibson, the teams lone senior, team captain and Maryland's leader in assists (4.3) and blocks (0.6) last season, re-tore the ACL in her right knee during preseason workouts. It marks the third of her five seasons that injury to one knee or the other has resulted in missed action. She hopes to return for games in early January.
Tiffany Brown is academically ineligible for the fall semester, and hopes to return for the Terps non-conference date with Rutgers on Dec. 22. Brown is the Terps leading returning scorer from 1997-98, averaging 7.3 points per game. She also is Maryland's career 3-point field goals leader after just two seasons.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Terps play 11 games this season against teams currently ranked in national top 25 polls, and 12 against teams at least receiving votes.
AP (Dec. 2) ESPN/USA Today (Nov. 30)
9. North Carolina 8. North Carolina
11. Rutgers 11. Rutgers
15. Virginia 14. NC State
16. Duke 16. Duke
17. NC State
18. Virginia
25. Clemson 24. Clemson
Others:
Penn State Penn State
NEXT GAMES
After the Clemson game, Maryland travels to Penn State (Dec. 10) next Thursday. The Terps host a home bout with ACC foe Wake Forest (Dec. 13) and pre-holiday home game with No. 11 Rutgers (Dec. 22).
Clemson has nine days off following the Maryland game, prior to hosting Dartmouth (Dec. 14).
RADIO/TV SCHEDULE
Seventeen Maryland women's basketball games will be carried on live radio this season three on the Maryland/Learfield Network with WBAL (1090-AM) in Baltimore as the flagship station, and 14 by campus radio station WMUC (650-AM and 88.1-FM).
The Terps appear on four regionally televised games. All four games fall during the ACC season beginning with a Jan. 21 date at Georgia Tech. Subsequent dates include Maryland at Duke on Feb. 1, Virginia at Maryland on Feb. 8, and Maryland at NC State on Feb. 15.
Nov. 24 Hampton WMUC Dec. 2 Western Michigan WMUC Dec. 5 at Clemson Learfield Network Dec. 10 at Penn State Learfield Network Dec. 13 Wake Forest WMUC Dec. 22 Rutgers WMUC Dec. 28 Coppin State WMUC Dec. 29 Terrapin Classic WMUC Jan. 2 Duke WMUC Jan. 8 at Virginia Learfield Network Jan. 14 NC State WMUC Jan. 17 Florida State WMUC Jan. 21 at Georgia Tech FOXSS-TV Jan. 28 Clemson WMUC Feb. 1 at Duke RSN-TV Feb. 3 Morgan State WMUC Feb. 8 Virginia WMUC/RSN-TV Feb. 11 North Carolina WMUC Feb. 15 at NC State RSN-TV Feb. 21 Georgia Tech WMUCFOXSS-TV denotes FOX Sports South RSN-TV denotes Home Team Sports, FOX Sports South and Sunshine Network.
TERP TICKETS
Tickets for Terrapin womens basketball games are available by calling the Terp ticket office at 301-314-7070 or 800-462-TERP.
TERRAPIN FANPHONE
Information on Maryland athletics and a recap of every Maryland men's and women's basketball game can be obtained by calling the Terrapin Fanphone at 301-314-TERP.
TERPS BY THE NUMBERS
0
Terp seniors that have played this season.
1
Maryland's scoring defense led the Atlantic Coast Conference last season with an average of 60.2 points allowed per game.
3
Only three classes of players under Chris Weller have failed to participate in at least one Sweet Sixteen appearance.
3
The number of players Bogunovic, Ferris and Melbourne who posted double-digit rebounds at Howard.
5
Five different Terps average at least 5.0 rebounds: Bogunovic (8.0), Melbourne (7.0), Ferris (6.4), Warley (5.4) and Gabriel (5.2).
6
Six freshmen on the Maryland roster are the most since seven in 1985-86.
7.0
Maryland's 7.0 rebound margin is third in the ACC.
8
The Terps have captured an unprecedented eight ACC championships.
9
Teams on the 1998-99 Terrapin schedule that qualified for last years NCAA Tournament.
9
Combined games, out of 10, by freshmen Rosita Melbourne and Deedee Warley in which each has posted at least five rebounds.
48.1
The Terrapins shooting percentage against Hampton and Western Michigan (25 of 52 in both games) is Maryland's best of the year.
32
Points by Branka Bogunovic vs. WMU, ties the seventh-best effort in Terrapin history, and the most since 1990.
21
Terrapin turnovers against Western Michigan matched its lowest total of the year.
38.6
Average minutes by freshman guard March Strickland who has twice played 40 minutes.
QUOTING COACH WELLER
On Western Michigan game: "We had another different kind of scenario tonight. It was the first time weve had a substantial lead in the second half and we got a little too excited. We lost our focus, and started to play outside of our abilities to stay controlled. It gave [WMU] the momentum to get back into it. Everything we get into is just a first for us. At least time, we were dealing with how to play with a lead. Thats a positive for us."
On the teams mental outlook: "I think the players believe in themselves. Theres just so much that is new. March Strickland is a freshman and shes playing 40 minutes a game. Thats tough, but that will turn into a good thing in the long run. Weve got good things that are happening in each game. I was not too pleased with our last two games, but Im pleased with the effort [against WMU]. I thought everybody on the court played their heart out."
On staying positive while going on the road: "I dont have a problem with that, and neither does the team. Maybe outsiders are being a little impatient, but so far as our team and our coaching staff are concerned, we know the hand that weve been dealt. We are working hard to do our best. For the most part, weve been winners. Weve been winners in terms of our attitude and our efforts, though maybe not yet on the scoreboard."
On particular areas of improvement: "Weve improved in our communication and poise, both offensively and defensively. [WMU] played Vanderbilt pretty close, at Vandy. They were down by three at half before Vandy pulled away, so this was a decent team. What I see is that we had 21 turnovers, and thats probably good for us considering [WMUs] press. They went with a very small lineup. Thats what teams have been doing with us, and making it difficult for us to play our man defense. We decided we werent going to sit back in the zone. We were going to play man even though we were bigger and they were quicker. I thought we did pretty well."
On only six players to play vs. WMU: "Because those are the six players who are playing the hardest in practice."
On difficulties handling pressure: "[The reason is] the inexperience and the lack of guards. We just dont have any guards. March is doing a good job. Shes getting better and I can see March growing as a player. [Hampton] was the first team that really pressed us. We anticipated that going into the game -- its just hard to prepare for [pressure] when you cant simulate it in practice."
On rebounding: "Were a big team. Were playing a lot of post players, so we ought to be rebounding well. We also dont have a lot of guards, so were turning the ball over too much. Theres a plus and a minus."
UNC Greensboro 63, Maryland 45
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Katie Del Campo and Brianne Dodgen each scored 13 points and combined to shoot 10 of 13 from the field to help lead defending Southern Conference champion UNC Greensboro to a 63-45 non-conference womens basketball win over Maryland.
In what was the season-opening game for both teams, UNCG (1-0) shot 53 percent to just 35 percent for Maryland (0-1), and took advantage of 29 Terrapin turnovers.
The Spartans took a lead midway through the opening half, and led by as many as 12, 29-17, with 1:57 left in the period. The Terps pulled within 35-27 early in the second half before a 9-0 spurt put UNCG in command, 44-27, with 10:34 to play. Samika Foster scored seven of her 11 points during the run and Maryland never got closer than 13 points the rest of the way.
A young Terrapin lineup consisting of as many as four and five freshmen on the floor at a time, got eight points apiece from freshmen March Strickland and Ije Agba, and junior college transfer Cara Ferris. Freshman Deedee Warleys seven rebounds helped Maryland to a 35-26 advantage on the boards.
