March 1, 1999
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Just one senior will depart, and eight first-year players will return when
the Maryland women's basketball Terrapins return to the hardwood next fall for the 25th consecutive
season under head coach Chris Weller.
Weller's contract extension at season's end solidifies a Terrapin squad consisting of six freshmen,
including ACC All-Freshman forward Deedee Warley (Fort Washington, Md.). Warley joined freshman
guard March - Strickland (Kingston, Mass.) in the Terp starting lineup all season, and heads a cast of
youngsters which are eager to improve upon their 6-21 record this season. Maryland was 3-13 in the
Atlantic Coast Conference, finishing in a tie for seventh place with Wake Forest.
It was Wake Forest who upended the Terps in the opening round of the ACC Tournament, using
a barrage of 3-pointers to keep Maryland at bay. The Deacs set ACC Tournament record for team 3-
pointers (10) and team shooting percentage (.674, 31 of 46). They set a tournament record for an opening
round game by shooting 67 percent (10 of 15) from 3-point range, and added 11 of 12 free throws for 92
percent. Deacon guards Heidi Coleman and Jenae Whiteside each connected on five 3-pointers to match
the existing tournament mark by an individual.
The Terps, however, shot a respectable 43 percent with seven treys against the Deacons while
committing only 13 turnovers -- a Maryland nemesis throughout the season. Maryland also placed five
scorers in double figures for the first time all year to exhibit a balance and an improved bench from the
beginning of its season.
Here is a look at Maryland's women's basketball year-in-review:
Minus a point guard and its only senior, and relying almost solely on six freshmen in the first games of their
college careers, MARYLAND began the 98-99 campaign 0-8 to mostly unranked, local competition.
With the return of point guard Tiffany Brown and senior guard/forward Kelley Gibson, the TERPS rebounded
to raise their scoring average from 48.3 in the first eight games to 65.1 in its last 19.
In its first eight games, MARYLAND was 0-6 against unranked teams. Since the return of Brown and Gibson on
Dec. 22, the TERPS finished the regular season 6-5 against unranked teams and 6-13 overall.
MARYLAND enjoyed a 5-6 home mark since the return of Brown & Gibson while welcoming to Cole Field
House better crowds than a year ago, despite its record.
MARYLAND welcomed its two largest crowds of the year (2,817 vs. North Carolina, 3,124 vs. Georgia Tech) in its
final two home dates, despite its record. MARYLAND's average attendance in ACC home games (1,797) was actually
greater than on the floors of its ACC opponents (1,784) where four of eight league foes are in the Top 25.
In MARYLAND's last 10 regular season ACC games, the TERPS either led or were tied during stretches of the
second half, or clawed to within three points in the final four minutes of every contest.
MARYLAND trailed North Carolina by 30 at the half in their first meeting, and by just three in the second.
Maryland trailed Duke by 20 at the break on Jan. 2, but a month later in Durham, were tied at the half. After losing by
41 to Clemson in December, MARYLAND watched the Tigers escape from only a five-point lead with 3:03 to play.
Virginia bested the TERPS by just six in Charlottesville, and clung to only a three-point lead with 3:13 remaining in
College Park. The TERPS lost by 18 to Wake Forest at home in December, but rallied to beat the Deacs by a deuce on
the road in February.
Before the return of Brown and Gibson, MARYLAND had very nearly two turnovers for every assist. Since their
return, the TERPS commit just 1.2 turnovers for every assist.
MARYLAND's freshman still have been vital to the TERPS' late-season success as Deedee Warley bids to
become just the fourth freshman in MARYLAND history to lead the team in scoring. March Strickland is the only
player to start every game for the TERPS this season. Ginji Perry is typically the first or second player off the bench.
Warley earned ACC Rookie of the Week accolades on three occasions while recording double-figure points in 18
games.
Before the return of Brown and Gibson, Branka Bogunovic was MARYLAND's only player that had ever
averaged two points or played 10 minutes per game.
Bogunovic has continued to show progress during her third college season. She posted eight double-double
performances through the regular season while playing in every game, starting 21 and averaging 11.7 points, 7.1
boards and 23.2 minutes.
