November 16, 1998

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland Terrapins open the 1998-99 women's basketball regular season this week when they host 1998 Southern Conference champion UNC Greensboro on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff at First National Bank of Maryland Court at Cole Field House is set for 2 p.m.

The Maryland men's team, preseason ranked No. 5 by the Associated Press, opens its season later in the evening, on the same floor, at 8 p.m. against Western Carolina.

Head coach Chris Weller guides her 24th team onto the floor Saturday following a pair of exhibition defeats to professional and national teams from Finland and Kazakistan, respectively. Weller directs a young squad consisting of six freshmen, a sophomore walk-on, four juniors and a senior.

Two starters from a year ago, however, when the Terps finished 15-13 overall and 7-9 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, are unavailable for the first month of the season. Senior Kelley Gibson (Easton, Md.), far and away the Terps' most dynamic, athletic and experienced player, is out until at least late December with her third knee injury in five seasons. Point guard Tiffany Brown (Clinton, Md.), Maryland's all-time 3-point scoring leader after just two seasons, is academically ineligible until at least Dec. 22.

Youth and inexperience, particularly at guard, have been the primary concern for Weller and the Terps.

UNC Greensboro at Maryland
Date: Saturday, Nov. 14
Time: 2 p.m.
Site: First National Bank of Maryland Court at Cole Field House (14,500)

Radio & TV: None.

RECORDS
Saturday's game is the season opener for both schools. Maryland finished the 1997-98 campaign with a 15-3 mark overall, 7-9 in the ACC. UNC Greensboro was 21-9 overall and 12-4 for a first place finish in the Southern Conference. The Spartans lost an NCAA First Round matchup to Alabama, 94-46.

TERRAPIN HEAD COACH CHRIS WELLER
Chris Weller (Maryland '66) has guided her alma mater to a national championship game and three Final Four appearances. She has engineered an unprecedented eight ACC championships while compiling a 447-221 (.669) record through 23 seasons. 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 United States Basketball Writers Association national coach of the year. A member of the WBCA legislative committee, she also has coached three different U.S. Select Teams. Weller was a member of Maryland basketball, lacrosse and swimming teams as a student-athlete. Weller has never faced UNC Greensboro.

SPARTAN HEAD COACH LYNNE AGEE
Lynne Agee (Longwood '71) enters her 18th season at UNC Greensboro, and 21st season overall as a college head coach. She is 356-128 at UNCG and 402-151 overall. She guided UNCG to a Southern Conference title last season, in the Spartans' first year in the league. The Spartans qualified for their first-ever bid to the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament.

LAST GAME - KAZAKISTAN 73, MARYLAND 51
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland jumped to a 9-2 early lead in the game's first four minutes, but couldn't sustain the lead as the Kazakistan National Team outscored the Terrapins 33-19 the rest of the first half and coasted to a 73-51 exhibition victory, at First National Bank of Maryland Court at Cole Field House.

Terrapin junior Branka Bogunovic scored six of her team high 13 points on Maryland's first three baskets. A jumper by junior college transfer Cara Ferris made it 8-2 in favor of the Terps, and Rosita Melbourne's free throw with 3:16 elapsed gave Maryland a 9-2 advantage.

Kazakistan, though, outscored the Terps 8-1 to knot the score at the midway point of the first half, and 25-12 to lead by 13 with 49 seconds remaining in the half. Baskets by Marche Strickland and Michelle Miller kept the Terps within nine at the intermission.

The second half saw Kazakistan shoot 45 percent from the floor and lead by as many as 25, 66-41, with 5:21 to play on a jumper by Yelena Solovyeva. Solovyeva finished with game highs of 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Kazakistan scored seven 3-pointers in the game, and outrebounded the young Terrapins 51-39. Bogunovic led a young Maryland team with nine rebounds. Strickland, one of six freshmen playing against a national team whose starting lineup averaged 28 years of age, pitched in 12 points for the Terps.

KAZAKISTAN NATIONAL TEAM 73, MARYLAND 51 (Exhibition)
First National Bank of Maryland Court at Cole Field House -- Nov. 6, 1998

Kazakistan      Min     FG   3FG    FT   O-D  Reb   F   A   T   B   S   Pts
Kudrevatova  f   18    3-6   1-3   1-1   2-2    4   5   2   1   2   0     8
Shavrina     f   19    1-6   0-3   0-2   1-4    5   5   0   2   0   0     2
Solovyeva    c   34   7-12   0-0   3-4   8-5   13   2   3   2   2   2    17
Mikhailova   g   25    2-7   1-5   0-0   0-6    6   2   2   4   0   3     5
Konnova      g   35   3-11   2-5   1-3   4-3    7   1   6   6   0   2     9
Yakimenko         2    0-0   0-0   1-2   1-0    1   0   0   1   0   0     1
Morozova         14    1-2   0-0   2-2   1-0    1   0   0   0   0   1     4
Iourtaeva        21   5-10   0-0   2-4   2-4    6   5   0   4   4   2    12
Korotkaya        32   6-12   3-8   0-0   0-1    1   3   2   2   0   0    15
Totals          200  28-66  7-24 10-18 20-31   51  23  15  22   8  10    73

Maryland        Min    FG    3FG    FT   O-D  Reb   F   A   T   B   S   Pts
Gabriel     f    33   1-5    0-0   0-0   0-4    4   1   3   4   0   0     2
Ferris      f     9   1-3    0-2   0-2   1-0    1   4   0   0   0   0     2
Warley      f    28  3-11    0-1   2-6   2-2    4   3   0   2   1   1     8
Bogunovic   c    17  4-10    0-0   4-9   6-3    9   2   0   2   0   1    13
Strickland  g    33  5-15    0-1   2-2   0-2    2   2   1   3   0   1    12
Miller           24   1-2    0-0   0-0   1-1    2   2   2   4   0   2     2
Ilic              8   0-1    0-0   2-2   0-0    0   1   1   0   0   0     2
Perry            22   0-3    0-0   1-2   1-1    2   0   0   3   0   0     1
Agba              7   2-3    0-0   0-1   1-2    3   4   0   0   0   2     4
Melbourne        19   1-6    0-0   3-6   3-2    5   1   0   2   0   1     5                      
Totals          200 18-59    0-4 15-30 16-23   39  20   7  21   1   8    51

Kazakistan  35  38  -   73
Maryland    26  25  -   51

FG% - Kazakistan .424, Maryland .305
3FG% - Kazakistan .292, Maryland .000
FT% - Kazakistan .556, Maryland .500
Technical Fouls - none
Officials - Courteau, Blauch, Ellison
Attendance - 253

BROWN AND GIBSON OUT EARLY
The Terps will take on the early part of the 1998-99 schedule without returning starters Kelley Gibson and Tiffany Brown.

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.

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.

NEW ROSTER ADDITION
Chris Weller announced the addition of a walk-on player to the 1998-99 roster this week. Leah Moore (Rye, N.Y.) joined the team last week, and dressed for the first time vs. Kazakistan. Moore is a sophomore who did not play last season and last played at Rye High School.

ACC MEDIA DAY POLLS; STRICKLAND EARNS VOTES
Maryland was tabbed for a seventh-place finish in the ACC this season in voting by league media at last weekend's ACC Media Day in Charlotte. Among players earning recognition around the league, Terp freshman Marche Strickland (Kingston, Mass.) earned three votes toward selection as the 1997-98 media preseason ACC Rookie of the Year.

Duke, which claimed its first-ever regular season ACC women's title in 1997-98, was picked to repeat this season on the strength of its 13 returning players, including all five starters. Second in the voting was Virginia, followed by defending tournament champion North Carolina, Final Four participant NC State and tournament finalist Clemson. Florida State was sixth, Georgia Tech was chosen eighth and Wake Forest ninth.

NEXT GAMES
The Terps make local road trips to Loyola (Md.) and Howard before hosting Hampton in a pre-Thanksgiving bout on Nov. 24.

UNC Greensboro continues its early season slate with a home-opening tilt with UNC Asheville on Nov. 18.

RADIO/TV SCHEDULE
Sixteen Maryland women's basketball games will be carried on live radio this season. Recently added to the broadcast schedule is a trio of games to be aired on the Maryland/Learfield network which includes Baltimore-based WBAL (1090-AM) the flagship station for women's basketball.

Games carried on WBAL and the Maryland/Learfield network are: the ACC opener on Dec. 5 at Clemson; Dec. 10 at Penn State; and Jan. 8 at Virginia.

Campus radio station WMUC (650-AM and 88.1-FM) carries 13 home Maryland women's basketball games this season beginning Dec. 2 vs. Western Michigan.

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.

MARYLAND (0-0, 0-0 ACC)

N1  +   Tapiolan Honka (Finland)    L   60-82
N6  +   Kazakistan                  L   51-73
N14     UNC Greensboro               2:00 p.m.
N17     at Loyola (Md.)              7:00 p.m.
N20     at Howard                    7:00 p.m.
N24     Hampton                      7:30 p.m.
D2      Western Michigan             7:30 p.m.
D5  *   at Clemson                   7:00 p.m.
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.)

* ACC game      
+ exhibition game

1998-99 ACC Standings

                    ACC            Overall
Teams           W   L    Pct.    W   L   Pct.
Maryland        0   0   .000     0   0   .000
Clemson         0   0   .000     0   0   .000
Duke            0   0   .000     0   0   .000
Florida St.     0   0   .000     0   0   .000
Georgia Tech    0   0   .000     0   0   .000
No. Carolina    0   0   .000     0   0   .000
NC State        0   0   .000     0   0   .000
Virginia        0   0   .000     0   0   .000
Wake Forest     0   0   .000     0   0   .000
    

Friday, Nov. 13
Duke vs. Connecticut, Four in the Fall Tourney at San Jose, Calif.)
Akron at No. Carolina

Saturday, Nov. 14
Duke at Four in the Fall Tourney at San Jose, Calif.
UNC Greensboro at Maryland
Florida State at Tulsa
Richmond at NC State
Wake Forest at VCU
UNC Asheville at Clemson

Sunday, Nov. 15
Virginia at West Virginia
No. Carolina vs. Kansas, State Farm Tip Off Classic at West Lafayette, Ind.
American at Georgia Tech

TERPS BY THE NUMBERS

0
The number of seniors that played for Maryland against either exhibition opponent.

1
Maryland's scoring defense led the Atlantic Coast Conference last season with an average of 60.2 points allowed per game. The Terps allowed just 59.4 in ACC action.

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

6
Maryland welcomes six freshmen to its 1998-99 roster. It is the most freshmen to grace a Maryland roster since seven in 1985-86.

8
The Terps have captured an unprecedented eight ACC championships.

9
The number of teams on the 1998-99 Terrapin schedule that qualified for last season's NCAA Tournament.

14
The number of games on the 1998-99 Terrapin schedule against participants in last season's NCAA Tournament.

15
The Maryland rebounding advantage against Tapiolan Honka. Maryland outrebounded the Finnish team 48 to 33.

18
Freshman guard Marche Strickland led Terp scorers with 18 points on 7 of 22 shooting in her college exhibition debut.

36
The number of minutes averaged by freshman guard Marche Strickland through two exhibition games.

40
The ranking bestowed upon Terp freshman Rosita Melbourne as the 40th-best women's freshman in the country, by Athlon's College Basketball Preview Magazine.

200 The number of victories Chris Weller has posted against foes currently in the Atlantic Coast Conference, pre-dating the advent of the ACC women's basketball championship in 1978.

NEAR DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR BOGUNOVIC
Considering that she played just 17 minutes in last Friday's loss to Kazakistan, Branka Bogunovic's (Zemun, Serbia) near double-double was impressive, indeed. Bogunovic scored the Terps' first three baskets, just minutes into the contest, and finished with a team-high 13 points and nine rebounds.

CAREER DAY FOR GABRIEL
Were the Terps' exhibition opener a regular season game, Antonieta Gabriel (Virginia Beach, Va.) would have shattered personal bests in every statistical category. Forced into a leadership role on the heels of 17 limited appearances in 1997-98, Gabriel played every minute of Maryland's exhibition opener against Tapiolan Honka, scoring 12 points and leading the Terps with 13 boards.

ASSISTS AND SHOOTING
Missing from the Terp lineup in the early-going are a pair of guards in Tiffany Brown and Kelley Gibson -- easily the Terps' most athletic returning starters, and the top returning scorers and assist makers from a year ago.

Evidence of their loss thus far as been poor shooting (40-123, .325), and lackluster ballhandling by a team comprised mostly of freshmen and almost exclusively by newcomers. Maryland has combined for 15 assists and 44 turnovers in two contests.

Freshman Marche Strickland has been forced into the role as Maryland's primary ballhandler in the early going, but came to the Terps as a primary shooting threat. She has averaged 15 points with just one assist in two exhibitions. She has averaged 36 minutes.

NOT AN EASY BEGINNING
All four Maryland games to tip off the regular season are against teams which advanced at least to their respective conference title games.

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 Southern 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.

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.

QUOTING COACH WELLER

On Kazakistan game: "It was not a good performance on our part. I wasn't pleased. We haven't practiced really great throughout the week and I think that was reflected. I know we're young, but there still are things we've got to get better with. We seem to be rushing a lot on our shots. You can't shoot 26 percent in the first half, and win, or 30 percent for the game. We didn't rebound particularly well, and we didn't play any aspect of the game particularly well."

On Tapiolan Honka game: "Obviously, I was not pleased with our performance. I knew we would be tested tonight and I knew we had a long ways to go considering all the freshmen we're going to play. We learned first-hand just how much we need to improve. We've only had two weeks practice, but I think we all learned we have a lot of work to do. I was pleased with our effort in the second half. I did think we showed a lot of poise in hanging in there, and coming back. We played even, for the most part, in the second half, and showed some signs that we really have some players that can play. We just have to find some consistency. We had flashes of really good play. We have to learn what we did during those times, and find how to control our play. That is a sign of not only youth, but maturity. This team will grow with every week and every game."

More on Tapiolan Honka game: "I thought we would have our hands full with their transition and defense just because they were an experienced team. I knew we would struggle with this game. We just weren't developed enough to play with their experience. I wasn't surprised that we lost, but I thought we would have stayed within about 15 [points]."

On lineup with four freshmen and Antonieta Gabriel: "That lineup is what you're going to see a lot of. That's who we are. In part because of missing Tiff [Tiffany Brown] and Kelley [Gibson], and in part because a lot of talent really is so young, we will have four freshmen in the lineup an awful lot of the time. I thought Toni really played like a leader and stepped up her game. She knows that right now, she has to. We're depending on her experience even though last year she really didn't play that often, herself. We have to look to her to help guide all the freshmen on the floor. Everybody is learning right now. And there's a lot to learn."