Terrapins Announce Women's Basketball Schedule

August 21, 1998

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Fourteen games against NCAA Tournament teams highlight the 1998-99 University of Maryland women's basketball schedule, which was announced on Thursday. The Terps, who appear on regional television in four ACC regular season games, play nine different schools that qualified for the NCAA Tournament last March - four of whom advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.

Five ACC teams earned berths in the NCAA Tournament a year ago to join non-league opponents Howard, Massachusetts and UNC-Greensboro who reached the NCAAs by virtue of winning their respective conference tournaments. Rutgers received an at-large bid and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before bowing to eventual champion Tennessee in the Mideast Regional.

All told, the Terps will play 12 games against four ACC and four non-ACC opponents who posted 20-win seasons a year ago. Outside the rugged ACC, six of 10 non-conference opponents recorded at least 17 victories in 1997-98. This seasons Terp opposition combined last year to record a .585 (323-229) cumulative winning percentage.

Head coach Chris Weller welcomes seven newcomers to this year's squad which will be tested early. After a pair of exhibitions against touring teams from Slovakia and Sweden, Nov. 3 and 6, respectively, all four Maryland games to tip off the regular are against teams which advanced at least to their respective conference title games.

Each of Maryland's first four road games, including a Dec. 5 bout at ACC runner-up Clemson and a Dec. 10 meeting at traditional power Penn State, is against 20-win opponents. Not until Jan. 21, in fact, will the Terps face a road opponent who did not win at least 20 games or qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

The Terps and Weller, beginning her 24th season at the Maryland helm, host 15 regular season home games including a Nov. 14 opener against Big South Conference champ UNC-Greensboro, and the ACC home opener against Wake Forest on Dec. 13. Maryland hosts Big East power Rutgers on Dec. 22 and the Terrapin Classic, Dec. 28-29, which features Richmond, Atlantic-10 champ Massachusetts and in-state rival Coppin State.

ACC action continues with 14 games through January and February, breaking only for a non-league tilt with Morgan State on Feb. 3. The new year begins quickly with three of the first four games in 1999 against Duke, North Carolina and NC State - each of whom advanced to last season's Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. Final Four participant NC State visits Cole Field House on Jan. 14.

Four regional TV games dot the latter half of the conference schedule with Maryland appearing on television once weekly beginning Jan. 21 at Georgia Tech, through the end of the regular season. The Terps host Virginia on Feb. 8 in the only TV appearance at Cole Field House.

Schedule Notes:

The 1998-99 schedule includes nine teams who advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Three teams - Duke, North Carolina, NC State - advanced to the Elite Eight and a fourth, Rutgers, reached the Sweet Sixteen.

The schedule includes four different conference champions - Howard, Massachusetts, North Carolina, UNC-Greensboro - from 1997-98. Three others - Hampton, Loyola and Penn State - reached their respective conference title games.

Seven of 10 non-conference opponents reached the NCAA Tournament, won 20 games or played in a conference final.

Eight teams registered 20-win seasons in 1998-99. Eleven teams recorded 17 or more victories.

1998-99 opponents boast a cumulative winning percentage of .585 (323-229) from last season. Non-ACC opponents combined for a winning percentage of .577 (179-131).

The first time Maryland travels to an opponent that did not go to the NCAA Tournament or win at least 20 games is not until Jan. 21 at Georgia Tech. That game will be televised on FOX Sports South as the first of four Terp TV games in consecutive weeks.

Maryland's first four opponents boast a combined record of 83-31 (.728) from last season. The Terps open the '98-99 campaign at Cole Field House on Nov. 14 against Big South Conference champion UNC-Greensboro (21-9). A drive to Baltimore on Dec. 17 pits the Terps against upset-minded 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) hosts the Terps on Nov. 20. Maryland entertains MEAC runner-up Hampton (19-5) on Nov. 24.

1998-99 MARYLAND WOMENS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

NOVEMBER 3 Tues. SLOVAKIA - exhibition 7:30 p.m. 6 Fri. SWEDEN - exhibition 7:30 p.m. 14 Sat. UNC-GREENSBORO 2:00 p.m. 17 Tues. at Loyola-Md. 7:00 p.m. 20 Fri. at Howard 7:00 p.m. 24 Tues. HAMPTON 7:30 p.m.

DECEMBER 2 Wed. WESTERN MICHIGAN 7:30 p.m. 5 Sat. * at Clemson 7:00 p.m. 10 Thur. at Penn State 7:30 p.m. 13 Sun. * WAKE FOREST 2:00 p.m. 22 Tues. RUTGERS 7:30 p.m.

28 Mon. TERRAPIN CLASSIC Richmond vs. Massachussetts 5:30 p.m. Coppin State vs. Maryland 7:30 p.m. 29 Tues. TERRAPIN CLASSIC Consolation Game 5:30 p.m. Championship Game 7:30 p.m.

JANUARY 2 Sat. * DUKE 2:00 p.m. 8 Fri. * at Virginia 7:30 p.m. 10 Sun. * at North Carolina tba 14 Thurs. * NC STATE 7:30 p.m. 17 Sun. * FLORIDA STATE 2:00 p.m. 21 Thurs. * at Georgia Tech (TV1) 7:00 p.m. 28 Thurs. * CLEMSON 7:30 p.m.

FEBRUARY 1 Mon. * at Duke (TV2) 7:00 p.m. 3 Wed. MORGAN STATE 7:30 p.m. 6 Sat. * at Wake Forest 2:00 p.m. 8 Mon. * VIRGINIA (TV2) 7:00 p.m. 11 Thurs. * NORTH CAROLINA 7:30 p.m. 15 Mon. * at NC State (TV2) 7:00 p.m. 18 Thurs. * at Florida St. 7:00 p.m. 21 Sun. * GEORGIA TECH 2:00 p.m.

25-28 Thu-Sun at ACC Tournament (Independence Arena - Charlotte, NC)

All Game Times Local to Site All Home Games at Cole Field House (14,500) * Indicates Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) TV1 denotes FOX Sports South TV2 denotes Regional Sports Networks (Home Team Sports, FOX Sports South, Sunshine Network)

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