December 8, 1998

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Continuing to show improvement despite still seeking its first victory, the Maryland women's basketball team battles No. 20 Penn State this week in a non-conference game sandwiched between Atlantic Coast Conference bouts with Clemson and Wake Forest. The Terps fell to then-No. 25 Clemson, 89-48, last Saturday, and host Wake Forest this Sunday in an ACC home opener at First National Bank of Maryland Court at Cole Field House.

The Terps face a top 25 opponent for the second straight game on Thursday at Penn State as the Nittany Lions moved to the No. 20 spot following an upset win over No. 6 Alabama, 77-73. Maryland faces a third top 25 opponent at home against No. 14 Rutgers on Dec. 22.

Game Facts and Coverage

#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)

#8 - Wake Forest at Maryland
Date: Sunday, Dec. 13
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Site: First National Bank of Maryland Court at Cole Field House (14,500)
Radio: WMUC Radio, 650-AM and 88.1-FM, and on the Internet at www.wmuc.umd.edu.(Brett Molina, Adam Gantman, Paul Monusky)

RECORDS
Maryland is 0-6 following its 89-48 ACC opening loss at Clemson. The Terps are 0-1 in the ACC. Penn State is 5-1 following its title run at the Wachovia Women's Invitational at Richmond last weekend. The Lions downed host Richmond 97-75 in the semifinals, and won the championship with a 77-73 win over Alabama. Wake Forest is 3-4 overall and 0-1 in the ACC. The Demon Deacons fell to Virginia in its league opener last Friday, 65-45.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Terps play 12 games this season against teams currently ranked in national top 25 polls. This week's rankings:

 
    AP (Dec. 7)                           ESPN/USA Today (Dec. 7) 
     7. North Carolina                     7. North Carolina 
    14. Rutgers                           13. Rutgers 
    15. Clemson                           14. Clemson 
    16. Duke                              15. Duke 
    20. Penn State                        23. Penn State 
    21. Virginia                          24. Virginia 
Others: NC State                          25. NC State 

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 447-227 (.663) overall record. She is 161-111 (.592) in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 1995, she became just the fifth coach in women's 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.

Weller is 8-8 all-time against Penn State and 6-8 vs. Rene Portland. Weller is 34-7 lifetime against Wake Forest, and 2-0 vs. Charlene Curtis.

Penn State's Rene Portland (Immaculata '75) is 506-173 (.745) in her 23rd season as a college head coach. She is 419-143 (.746) in her 19th year with the Nittany Lions. Portland has an extensive history against Maryland both as a player and coach. Besides an 6-6 all-time record vs. the Terrapins, Portland was a part of the first women's basketball game every broadcast on national television -- which took place at Cole Field House on Jan. 26, 1975. Portland was then a player at defending national champ Immaculata, an 80-48 winner over the Terps while former Maryland player Chris Weller was on the sideline as an assistant coach during a game telecast on the Mizlou Network. Prior to arriving at Penn State, Portland was at Colorado and St. Joseph's, each for two seasons.

Wake Forest's Charlene Curtis (Radford '76) is 7-27 (.206) in her second year with the Demon Deacons. She is 169-177 (.488) in her 13th season overall, including five seasons at Temple and six at Radford.

SERIES HISTORY
Against Penn State, Maryland is 8-8 in a series which dates to an 82-64 Lions' victory on Feb. 1, 1977. Maryland downed Penn State 59-53 on Dec. 7 of last season to snap a mild two-game PSU streak in the series. This week's meeting marks the fourth consecutive season the schools have played. Maryland leads the Wake Forest series 34-7, including five straight. The Terps downed the Deacons in both meetings last year: a 56-52 overtime win in Winston-Salem and a nailbiting 61-59 win in College Park. Wake Forest last beat the Terrapins, 72-57, on Jan. 31, 1996, at Cole Field House.

NEXT GAMES
Following the Wake Forest game, Maryland takes nine days off for final exams before hosting Rutgers on Dec. 22. The Terps host the Terrapin Classic on Dec. 28-29 -- Richmond faces Massachusetts at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 28, and Maryland hosts Coppin State at 6:30.

Penn State hosts Old Dominion on Sunday, Dec. 13. Wake Forest hosts Furman on Thursday, Dec. 17 before taking part in the California/Oakland Tribune Classic, Dec. 20-21.

RADIO/TV SCHEDULE
Seventeen Maryland women's basketball games are 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        WMUC 

FOXSS-TV denotes FOX Sports South

RSN-TV denotes Home Team Sports, FOX Sports South and Sunshine Network.

TERP TICKETS
Tickets for Terrapin women's basketball games are available by calling the Terp ticket office at 301-314-7070 or 800-462-TERP. Tickets for all home games are $5 for adults and $3 for youth 18 and under.

TERP PROMOTIONS
Sunday's game with Wake Forest is slated as 4-H Day, D.A.R.E. Day and Boys & Girls Club Day. Youth from each of these organizations will be in attendance at special group ticket rates.

Upcoming promotions include Big Brother and Big Sister Night on Monday, Dec. 28 when the Terps host Coppin State on the first night of the Terrapin Classic. All Big Brother and Big Sister chapters in the metro D.C. area are invited to participate.

Maryland's Jan. 2 date with Duke is tabbed as Maryland Alumni Day. Maryland alumni, as well as participants in county recreational basketball leagues throughout the state of Maryland, receive group ticket discounts.

Information or additional group tickets may be obtained by calling the Maryland sports marketing office at 301-314-5252.

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.

MARYLAND (0-6, 0-1 ACC)

 
N14     UNC Greensboro                     L  45-63 
N17     at Loyola (Md.)                    L  43-50 
N20     at Howard                          L  47-65 
N24     Hampton                            L  57-76 
D2      Western Michigan                   L  55-64 
D5   *  at Clemson                         L  49-89 
D10     at Penn State                      7:30 p.m. 
D13  *  Wake Forest                        2:00 p.m. 
D22     Rutgers                            7:30 p.m. 
D28     TERRAPIN CLASSIC  
        Richmond vs. UMass                 4:30 p.m. 
        Maryland vs. Coppin St.            6:30 p.m. 
D29     TERRAPIN CLASSIC Consolation Game  5:30 p.m. 
        Championship Game                  7:30 p.m. 
J2   *  Duke                               2:00 p.m. 
J8   *  at Virginia                        7:30 p.m.
J10  *  at North Carolina                  4:00 p.m. 
J14  *  NC State                           7:30 p.m. 
J17  *  Florida State                      2:00 p.m. 
J21  *  at Georgia Tech                    7:00 p.m. 
J28  *  Clemson                            7:30 p.m. 
F1   *  at Duke                            7:00 p.m. 
F3      Morgan State                       7:30 p.m. 
F6   *  at Wake Forest                     2:00 p.m. 
F8   *  Virginia  7:00 p.m. 
F11  *  North Carolina                     7:30 p.m. 
F15  *  at NC State   7:00 p.m. 
F18  *  at Florida State                   7:00 p.m.
F21  *  Georgia Tech                       2:00 p.m.
F26-    at ACC Tournament (Independence  
M1      Arena, Charlotte, N.C.) Sum        ACC game 

1998-99 ACC Standings

 
ACC          Overall 
Teams         W   L  Pct.    W   L    Pct. 
Clemson       2   0  1.000   7   0  1.000 
No. Carolina  2   0  1.000  10   1   .909 
Virginia      1   0  1.000   4   2   .667 
Duke          1   0  1.000   5   4   .556 
Georgia Tech  1   1   .500   5   2   .714
Wake Forest   0   1   .000   3   4   .429 
Maryland      0   1   .000   0   6   .000 
NC State      0   2   .000   3   4   .429 
Florida St.   0   2   .000   2   4   .333 

Tuesday, Dec. 8
Hampton at Duke

Thursday, Dec. 10
Maryland at Penn State

Friday, Dec. 11
Towson at Virginia

Saturday, Dec. 12
Temple at Duke

Sunday, Dec. 13
Wake Forest at Maryland
Tennessee State at North Carolina

Monday, Dec. 14
Dartmouth at Clemson
South Florida at Florida State

Wednesday, Dec. 16
Georgia Tech at Chattanooga

Thursday, Dec. 17
Clemson at South Carolina
Furman at Wake Forest
No. Carolina at Holy Cross
Florida St. at Pepperdine

Saturday, Dec. 19
Georgia State at Georgia Tech
NC State at New Orleans
UNC Asheville at Duke

Sunday, Dec. 20
Clemson vs. LSU (ACC-SEC Challenge @ Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
North Carolina vs. Alabama (ACC-SEC Challenge @ Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
Wake Forest vs. Colorado State (California/Oakland Tribune Classic @ Berkeley, Calif.)

Monday, Dec. 21
Wake Forest at California/Oakland Tribune Classic
Western Carolina at Florida State
East Carolina at NC State
Radford at Virginia

Tuesday, Dec. 22
Rutgers at Maryland

MARYLAND'S PROBABLE STARTERS

Player                      (G/GS)   Ht.  Yr.  Hometown             PPG  RPG APG 
F  32  Antonieta Gabriel    (6/5)   6-0   Jr.  Virginia Beach, Va.  1.0  4.5  3.5  T2nd on team with 3.5 assists 
F  34  Deedee Warley        (6/5)   6-2   Fr.  Fort Washington, Md. 6.5  5.0  1.8  8 pts. on 4 of 8 shooting at Clemson 
F  42  Rosita Melbourne     (6/3)   6-3   Fr.  Washington, D.C.     7.5  6.5  0.8  4th in ACC in blocked shots 
C  55  Branka Bogunovic     (6/6)   6-8   Jr.  Zemun, Serbia       15.0  7.7  0.0  Leads Terps in scoring and rebounds 
G  20  Marche Strickland    (6/6)   5-9   Fr.  Kingston, Mass.     10.3  3.2  3.5  Leads ACC in minutes played 

TERPS BY THE NUMBERS

0
Terp seniors that have played this season.

3
Only three classes of players under Chris Weller have failed to participate in at least one Sweet Sixteen appearance.

4
Four different Terps average at least 5.0 rebounds: Bogunovic (7.7), Melbourne (6.5), Ferris (6.5) and Warley (5.0).

4.3
Maryland's 4.3 rebound margin is third in the ACC. The Terps' margin fell from 7.0 after the Clemson game in which Maryland was outrebounded by an opponent for the first time this season. Clemson leads the ACC with a 12.1 margin.

6
Six freshmen on the Maryland roster are the most since seven in 1985-86.

8
The Terps have captured an unprecedented eight ACC championships.

9
Teams on the 1998-99 Terrapin schedule that qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament.

11
Maryland's 11 steals at Clemson were a season high. Freshman Ginji Perry had four.

21
Terrapin turnovers against Western Michigan matched its lowest total of the year.

28.0
Chris Weller's young Terrapins, lacking experienced leadership and a true point guard, average 28.0 turnovers per game.

32
Points by Branka Bogunovic vs. WMU, ties the seventh-best effort in Terrapin history, and the most since 1990.

38.5
Average minutes by freshman guard Marche Strickland who has twice played 40 minutes.

48.1
The Terrapins' shooting percentage against Hampton and Western Michigan (25 of 52 in both games) is Maryland's best of the year.

QUOTING COACH WELLER

On Clemson game: "There's not a lot I can say about this game except that they're a great team, and that I'm real proud of our team. We never backed down and we really played hard. We're obviously still learning, and this was a great learning experience. I've been waiting for this game, in fact. This was the first time that our young freshmen really saw first hand what it is to play at this level. They had to work hard for everything they got tonight. They realized they had to step up their game. We don't have any real leadership yet, and really no veteran players to show our younger players what it means to play this hard, at this level. We can't simulate this intensity in our practices. I have been waiting for this game just to show our players what it really means to play with this intensity. They really think they have been playing hard. This was a good experience for us. We improved a lot in this game. We played at an entirely different level than we have all season. I really like our team. We are young and we are struggling, but we have good people and we're not going to be a bad team. [Clemson] jumped on us and we learned how hard we really have to play."

On inability to get the ball to Branka at Clemson: "We had to deal with [Clemson's] press. We couldn't get the ball to anyone, let alone anyone in particular. Branka is a good offensive weapon for us when we get into our offense, but so, too are Rosita [Melbourne] and Deedee [Warley]. Our sole concern is handling the ball, controlling the ball, and passing the ball smoothly within our offense. We even showed improvement tonight, but our concern wasn't in getting the ball to a particular person, as much as breaking the press and getting into our offense."

On Western Michigan game: "We had another different kind of scenario tonight. It was the first time we've 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. That's a positive for us."

On the team's mental outlook: "I think the players believe in themselves. There's just so much that is new. Marche Strickland is a freshman and she's playing 40 minutes a game. That's tough, but that will turn into a good thing in the long run. We've got good things that are happening in each game. I was not too pleased with our last two games, but I'm pleased with the effort [against WMU]. I thought everybody played their heart out."

On difficulties handling pressure: "[The reason is] the inexperience and the lack of guards. We just don't have any guards. Marche is doing a good job. She's getting better and I can see Marche growing as a player. [Hampton] was the first team that really pressed us. We anticipated that going into the game -- it's just hard to prepare for [pressure] when you can't simulate it in practice."

TERPNOTES - Dec. 8, 1998

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 six games, including three straight recently over 40 percent from the floor. 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 shot over 40 percent in three games since.

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 4.3 rebound margin. It took ACC rebounding leader Clemson to outrebound the Terps for the first time this season. Junior center Branka Bogunovic (Zemun, Serbia) averages 7.7 rebounds with single-game efforts of 17 and 12. Freshmen Rosita Melbourne (Washington, D.C.) and Deedee Warley (Fort Washington, Md.), and JC newcomer Cara Ferris (Pensacola, Fla.) all average better than 5.0 rebounds per game.

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 five-game starter, Gabriel posted 17 assists in consecutive games (Hampton and Western Michigan), and averages 3.5 per game. She also is fifth on the club with 4.5 rebounds.

"Point guard by default" Marche Strickland (Kingston, Mass.) shares the Terrapin lead with 21 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. She netted 22 points in the loss to Hampton.

TURNING TURNOVERS INTO A POSITIVE?
Well, not exactly, but despite averaging 28.0 turnovers per contest, improvement has actually been made What is impressive, on one hand, is that Maryland only has allowed 67.8 points per game despite repeatedly handing the ball back to its opponents. Clemson was the first team to truly take advantage of the Terps' "generosity," turning a season-high 33 turnovers into 31 points.

TELLING STATS AND SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT
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. Early evidence of their loss was poor shooting (55-152, .362, through three games) and ballhandling by a team comprised mostly of freshmen and almost exclusively by newcomers. On the season, the Terps have collected 86 assists and recorded 168 turnovers (almost two turnovers per assist) in five games. That is in contrast to Maryland opponents' more respectable 95 to 89 ratio. However, Maryland has rallied to shoot 40 percent or better in its last three games including a matching .481 clip vs. Howard and Western Michigan. And regarding its assist-to-turnover ratio, despite continuing turnovers, the Terps have also become more proficient while their offense. Maryland players distributed just 31 assists, barely 10 per game, through three games. In its last three games, though, Maryland has posted 20, 18 and 17 assists.

BOGUNOVIC DOUBLES
Junior center Branka Bogunovic, at 6-8 the tallest player in Maryland women's 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 last Wednesday with 32 vs. Western Michigan, and 12 rebounds. Bogunovic had 14 points and six boards at Clemson. -- 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 Bullett's Maryland record of 18, and match the best in the ACC this season (NC State's 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.

IN THE PAINT
While "unstoppable" is certainly too lofty a description for the Terps' inside players this season, Maryland certainly has been dominant in the paint -- whenever the Terps have been successful in getting into an offense. In fact, the first game being outrebounded was last Saturday at No. 25 Clemson, against the ACC's top rebounding team.

Branka Bogunovic has had career nights at Howard and against Western Michigan, combining for 53 points and 29 rebounds in the two games. Bogunovic, Cara Ferris (13) and Rosita Melbourne (12) also registered double-digit rebounds for the Terps at Howard, adding to 17 by Bogunovic. Together, the trio also shot 17 for 33 (52.5%) from the floor, compared to the team's 36 percent overall. 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 53.3 percent (72 of 135) 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 five of six, with Melbourne and Warley consistently averaging over 5.0 rebounds per contest. 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. Melbourne's jumper in the paint gave the Terps a brief 38-36 lead. Melbourne is second on the Terps with 6.5 rebounds including a career-high 12 boards at Howard. She led the Terps with seven at Loyola. Warley boasts 5.0 per game, and had seven rebounds vs. both UNC Greensboro and Howard.

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 74 percent of total minutes played.

Player                    Minutes Points Rebounds 
Marche Strickland           231    62      19 
Ginji Perry                 144    23      17
Rosita Melbourne            147    45      39 
Deedee Warley               141    39      30 
Ije Agba                     38     9       6 
Marija Ilic                  14     0       3 
Freshmen Totals             715   178     114 
Percent of Team Total       60%   60%     45%

Cara Ferris (JC Transfer)   176     21      39 
Newcomer Totals             891    199     153 
Percent of Team Total       74%    67%     61%
MARYLAND TOTALS            1200    295     251

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 or played even 10 minutes per game. Counting Antonieta Gabriel as a "virtual" newcomer after a 1.4 point average in 8.1 minutes last season, "newcomers" average 86.8% of Maryland's minutes, 69.4% of scoring and 81.6% of rebounds.

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 29.3 minutes per game. She is second on the team with 6.5 rebounds, a 50 percent (10 of 20) shooting clip and a total of 11 steals.

GABRIEL ASSISTS
When the Terps have been successful in moving the ball into the frontcourt, Antonieta Gabriel has proven adept at directing the ball to Maryland's inside trio of Bogunovic, Melbourne and Warley. Gabriel dished a combined 17 assists vs. Western Michigan (10) and Hampton (7). She played just 19 minutes with two assists at Clemson. Gabriel's 10 assists against Western Michigan 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. Gabriel's 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.

FROM THE FIELD
For the season, Maryland can barely boast a better field goal percentage than its opponents, shooting 41 percent compared to 40 percent.

FROM THE STRIPE
Maryland has shot just over 13 free throws per game, and made only 48 percent of those. Opponents have made 67 free throws compared to Maryland's 38. Marche Strickland has been Maryland's top free throw shooter, netting 17 of 21 for 81.0 percent -- fifth in the ACC.

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. 7: Maryland is third in the ACC in rebound margin (4.3) and blocked shots (3.3), and fourth in scoring defense (67.8) ... Maryland is currently last in the ACC, however, in scoring (49.2), scoring margin (-18.7), 3-point field goals (5), free throw pct. (48.1) and turnover margin (-12.3).

INDIVIDUALS IN THE ACC
Here is where Terrapin individuals rank among ACC leaders: Branka Bogunovic is third in the league in the league in field goal pct. (.581), eighth in rebounds (7.7) and tied for eighth in scoring (15.0) ... Marche Strickland is fifth in free throw pct. (.810), sixth (tied) in steals (2.0) and ninth (tied) in assists (3.5) ... Rosita Melbourne is fourth in blocked shots (1.2) ... Ginji Perry is eighth in assists (3.6) and tied with Strickland for sixth in steals (2.0) ... Antonieta Gabriel is tied with Strickland for ninth with 3.5 assists ...

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.

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 season's roster. The '85-86 team finished 17-13 overall and just 6-8 in the ACC, but rebounded to win the sixth of Chris Weller's 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 Weller's 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 team's 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.