Jan. 3, 2003

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Maryland (6-6, 0-1 ACC) women's basketball team suffered a narrow seven-point defeat at NC State (6-6, 1-0 ACC) in its first Atlantic Coast Conference game, a 79-72 decision in Reynolds Coliseum. Senior Terri Daniels (Ellicott City, Md.) led Maryland and topped all scorers with 20, while junior transfer Delvona Oliver (Euclid, Ohio) chipped in 19. The Pack finished the game with four players in double-figures, including a season-high 17 from junior Alvine Mendeng.

The Pack went on an 8-2 run to open the ACC contest, which eventually carried it to a 14-3 lead at the first media time out. The home team held a 42-27 advantage heading into halftime, never trailing in the opening half. Mendeng led the NC State drive with 10 points, while Labador added nine. For the Terps, Oliver, who came off the bench and was playing her first ACC contest since transfering from Cincinnati State, paced the team with eight points and three boards. Daniels was next in line with six.

Maryland pulled within seven points two times in the second half, both after successful three-pointers from Daniels, but the first-half deficit was too big for the Terps to crawl out from under. Daniels finished 4-12 for the night from the arc.

Senior Renneika Razor (New York, N.Y.) was the only other Terrapin in double figures, finishing with 12 points and six rebounds and three steals. Oliver ended up one rebound short of her first career double-double for the second time in her first three games with the Terps. Her 19 points give her an average of 15.7 ppg in her first three outings, second on the team only to Razor's 15.8.

Maryland will host Georgia Tech on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Comcast Center in its ACC home opener.