Women's Basketball Hosts Terrapin Classic
11/26/2003 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Receiving votes in this week's AP Top 25 Poll, the Terps welcome Louisiana Lafayette Maryland-Eastern Shore and Sacred Heart for the Terrapin Classic. This is the fifth time in six years Maryland hosts the tournament, posting a 7-1 record.
UMES and Louisiana Lafayette open the fifth Terrapin Classic on Nov. 28 at 1 p.m., followed by Sacred Heart and host Maryland at 3:30 p.m. The winners of those games meet to decide the tournament champion on Nov. 29 at 3 p.m., preceded by the consolation game at 12:30 p.m.
Maryland does not have much of a history with three teams participating this weekend. The Terps play Sacred Heart for the first time in school history and could play Louisiana Lafayette for the first time, as well. UM and UMES have faced each other just two times in the Terps' 27-year history, with Maryland winning both contests. The Fighting Hawks participated in last season's Terrapin Classic, but the Maryland did not face UMES.
GAME 3 & 4: Terrapin Classic
Friday, Nov. 28
UMES vs. Louisiana Lafayette, 1 p.m.
Sacred Heart vs. Maryland, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 29
Consolation Game, 12:30
Championship Game, 3 p.m.
Comcast Center (17,950)
College Park, Md.
Terps Receive Votes in Weekly Poll
* Maryland is receiving votes in the Nov. 24 AP Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll. Entering the Terrapin Classic with a perfect 2-0 record, the Terps defeated Coppin State (79-64) and Niagara (82-74) to open the 2003-04 season.
Last Time Out
* Maryland come out of the starting gates with a 2-0 record for the fourth-straight year, after sweeping the season-opening weekend. The Terps won their fifth-straight season opening game, easily defeating Coppin State 79-64, and followed up with an 84-74 win over Niagara.
* Led by 25 points from freshman Shay Doron, the Terps cruised to a 79-64 triumph over Coppin State to open the 2003-04 season. Leading the Maryland offense, 23 of Doron's 25 points came from the free throw line, tying the NCAA record for makes in a game. She also broke the school and ACC records for makes and attempts (27). Maryland shot almost 82 percent from the charity stripe to runaway with the win. Fellow freshman Kalika France also had a standout performance in her official collegiate debut, grabbing 10 rebounds to go along with eight points.
* Maryland sunk 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch, sealing an 82-74 victory over Niagara to complete the weekend sweep. Senior Crystal Washington scored the first eight Maryland points, en route to a career-high 18 points and career-best 10 rebounds for her first-career double-double. The first half saw the Terps shooting at a 53.3 clip, ending the game shooting 49.2 percent.
Terrapin Classic History
* Maryland hosted the first Terrapin Classic during the 1998-99 season and has hosted the event every year except for the 2000-01 campaign. The Terps defeated Richmond the first year, then won the next two titles before suffering their first lost in the tournament last year in the championship game. Rhode Island is the only other team to win the Terrapin Classic.
About Sacred Heart
* In his 14th season, Ed Swanson led the Pioneers to an 18-10 overall record and a 12-6 Northeast Conference mark, tying for third in the conference. SHU returns seven letterwinners including senior starters Ashley Kohl and Kate Maher. Sophomore Nicolle Rubino also returns to the squad. Last year's NEC Rookie of the Year, she led Sacred Heart to a 61-46 win over UMass in its season opener, scoring a team-high 14 points.
* The Pioneers are 2-0 coming into the Terrapin Classic. After an easy win over UMass, SHU used a 51.6 shooting performance to coast to a 92-59 win over Lafayette at home.
Series vs. Sacred Heart
* This weekend's matchup will be the first between the team. Maryland head coach Brenda Frese is 1-0 against Northeast Conference teams, defeating UMBC last year, 56-38. ACC teams are 20-0 against NEC in the last five years.
About Louisiana Lafayette
* In his second season as head coach, J. Kelley Hall led the Ragin' Cajuns to an 8-19 record and an 11th-place showing in the Sun Belt with a 4-11 mark last year. ULL lost every starter but senior Sharee Glenn and welcome five newcomers to the team. Glenn was second on the team with 9.9 ppg last year, starting in 25 of 26 games played.
* Opening its season on Nov. 25, ULL defeated Southeastern Louisiana in a low-scoring affair, 57-53, on the road. The players recorded double-digit scoring, led by Bernette Tolston with 20.
Series Vs. Louisiana Lafayette
* The Terps have never played the Ragin' Cajuns and Terrapin head coach Brenda Frese has never coached against a team from that conference. The ACC is 12-1 against Sun Belt squads in the last five seasons.
About UMES
* Led by fourth-year head coach Surina R. Dixon, the Fighting Hawks went 12-17 last season and tied for sixth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference at 8-10. Seven letterwinners and two starters return from last year's squad. The team's leading scorer in Tiffany Winkfield returns. She averaged 11.8 ppg and was the team's leading rebounder, grabbing 9.1 boards per game.
* UMES lost to Memphis in its season opener, 89-63, but rebounded to take a 77-60 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Octavia Thompson paved the way for the Hawks in each game, scoring team highs of 14 and 25 points, respectively.
Series Vs. UMES
* Maryland leads the all-time series, 2-0, with the last meeting coming in 1993. Maryland eclipsed the 100-point plateau on Dec. 28, 1993, winning 102-31 to advance to the championship game of the Dial Soap Classic in College Park.
Doron Sets Record, Ties NCAA Mark
* In her first-collegiate game, freshman Shay Doron made 23 free throws in the 79-64 win over Coppin State, tying the NCAA record for makes and breaking the ACC and Maryland records. Her 27 attempts were also a conference and school records.
Washington Leads Terps to Win with Career Outing * Senior Crystal Washington scored Maryland's first eight points in the game against Niagara, en route to a career-high 18 points. She also grabbed a career-best 10 boards, posting her first-career double-double, to lead the Terps to an 82-74 win over the Purple Eagles.
Moving Up * Two Terps are looking to make moves in the Maryland record books. Fifth-year senior Vicki Brick is ninth in the record books in career steals at 207. She also ranks 12th with 318 career assists.
* In just one season, sophomore Chrissy Fisher has already made her mark in the Maryland record books. One of the best three-point sharp shooters in school history, she ranks sixth in the career record books with 45 three-pointers made and seventh with 116 three-point field goals attempted. Entering the season with a .382 field goal percentage behind the arc, she ranked fourth-best all-time.
Who's Back
* Maryland returns seven letterwinners from last season's squad, including three starters. Fifth-year senior Vicki Brick comes back as the team's point guard. Starting all 28 games, she averaged 7.8 points per game and 3.3 assists per game. The tallest player on the squad, Delvona Oliver is looking to put in a full season after coming to College Park as a transfer. After taking to the floor in late December, she averaged 10.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg. A starter in 23 games, Angel Ross is the team's top-returning rebounder, averaging 5.5 boards per game.
* Also coming back this season are sophomore Chrissy Fisher, classmate Charmaine Carr, junior Anesia Smith and senior Crystal Washington. Fisher earned ACC All-Freshmen team honors last year. Carr started 19 games and Smith scored 5.3 ppg while appearing in all 28 games. Washington was hampered by injuries for most of last year and looks to be in top health.
Who's Not
* Four letterwinners depart from last season's squad, including two starters. Most significant is the loss of Renneika Razor. A 5-8 guard, she led the team with 16.1 ppg and 5.7 rpg, en route to second team All-ACC honors. She became the 20th player in Maryland history to score 1,000 points, ending her career 1,163 points which ranks 18th all-time.
* Also not returning is 6-0 guard Terri Daniels. Daniels is one of the best three-point shooters in school history, ending her career with 101 treys made which ranks third all-time. Her .352 percentage from behind the three-point arc is seventh all-time.
* The Terps also lose Brie Jackson, who averaged 2.0 ppg and 1.4 rpg in 18 games, and Vanessa Ruffin (2.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 7 games).
Terps Welcome Five New Faces
* Maryland welcomes five new faces to the squad - four freshmen and one junior transfer. Freshmen Shay Doron and Kalika France come in with a number of accolades including earning Parade All-America honors last year. Both were also named Gatorade Player of the Year for their home state.
* Invited walk-on C'Vette Henson comes from nearby Annapolis High where she was named all-county and All-Met after leading Anne Arundel County in scoring her senior year. Fellow freshman Aurelie Noirez crossed the Atlantic Ocean to get to College Park. A native of Vandoeuvre, France, she was a member of the French Junior National Team.
* The fifth newcomer to the team brings plenty of experience with her. A junior transfer, Alli Spence played two seasons at Old Dominion University and was named Colonial Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2000.
Also Joining the Terps...
* A new face will also be roaming the Comcast Center sidelines. Assistant coach Joanna Bernabei comes with a wealth of experience as a head coach, assistant coach and a collegiate player. Last year, she was an assistant coach for two seasons at West Virginia and also had stints at Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia Wesleyan.
* Bernabei replaced head coach Brenda Frese's sister, Marsha. Marsha Frese was a Terps assistant coach last season and left for an assistant coaching position at Illinois.
Top Recruits Sign with Maryland
* Head coach Brenda Frese announced the signing of four of the nation's top recruits, bringing even more excitement to the New Era of Women's Basketball as the Terps look to return to national prominence. Laura Harper, Crystal Langhorne, Jade Perry and Ashleigh Newman have signed National Letters of Intent to play basketball in College Park beginning the 2004-05 season. Full bios and list of accomplishments can be found on www.umterps.com.
Maryland on the Tube
* The Terps will make at least six television appearances this season as part of the ACC women's basketball schedule. Maryland's first televised contest is against Virginia in Comcast Center on Jan. 4.
Terps on the Airwaves
* For the second-straight year nearly every Maryland women's basketball game can be heard over the radio airwaves either by the Terrapin Sports Network or by Maryland's student radio station, WMUC. Voice of the Terps Johnny Holliday returns as play-by-play announcer on the Terrapin Sports Network and will be announcing six of the Terps' games.
* Games airing on the Terrapins Sports Network can be heard on affiliates throughout Maryland and Baltimore areas. Maryland home and road games broadcast by WMUC can be heard on 88.1 FM as well as on the web at www.wmuc.com and www.wmucsports.com.
Up Next
* Maryland closes out a five-game home stretch hosting No. 8/7 Penn State on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.
