Women's Basketball Closes Out Five-Game Home Stretch
12/2/2003 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 2, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Coming off of a successful Thanksgiving weekend where Maryland captured its own tournament title finishing first in the Terrapin Classic, the Terps close out their opening-season five-game homestand hosting Penn State on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
Off to its best start since the 2000-01 season when the Terps opened the year 6-0, Maryland will look to improve on its 4-0 record but will be tested when the Lady Lions come to College Park. The ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25 rank PSU in the national top 10.
GAME 5: Penn State (3-1)
Wednesday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m.
Comcast Center (17,950)
College Park, Md.
About Penn State
* Penn State comes into the game 3-1, having captured the Junkanoo Jam Tournament at Grand Bahama Island. Junior guard Tanisha Wright was named the tournament Most Valuable Player. The Lady Lions topped George Washington, 77-51, and followed up by defeating No. 9/8 Kansas State, 69-56. PSU opened the season with an 83-46 victory over LSU but fell to Old Dominion, 75-68.
* The Lady Lions returned all 10 letterwinners from last season's 26-9 squad that won the Big Ten regular season crown, going 13-3. PSU lost to NCAA finalist Tennessee, 86-58, in the NCAA Mideast Regional Semifinals. Pacing the Penn State offense is senior All-American Kelly Mazzante who leads the team with 16.3 ppg and nine steals. Wright is second on the team with 15.5 ppg, followed close behind by junior Jess Strom at 14.8.
Series vs. Penn State
* Maryland trails in the all-time series, 13-8, having lost the last five meetings in a row. The last time the Terps hosted the Lady Lions, the Terps nearly pulled off the upset but fell 67-65.
Terps capture Classic Crown
* With wins over Sacred Heart and Maryland-Eastern Shore, Maryland captured its home tournament title, winning the Terrapin Classic. The Terps win the title for the fourth time in the five-year existence of the tournament and improve their all-time record in the Terrapin Classic to 9-1.
* The Pioneers fell victim to the Terps on the first day of the tournament, 90-49. The next day, Maryland eclipsed the 90-point mark for the second time, downing UMES, 97-65. It was the first time since 1992 the Terps posted back-to-back 90-point outings.
Doron Selected Rookie of the Week
* After shooting a scorching 62.5 percent from the field in the Terrapin Classic, Maryland's Shay Doron was named ACC Rookie of the Week. Doron scored in double figures in back-to-back games of the Terrapin Classic. She led all scorers with 22 points in the 90-49 win over Sacred Heart, going 9-for-12 from the field. She followed up that performance with a 15-point outing on 6-for-12 shooting, dishing out a career-high six assists, helping the Terps to a 97-65 win over UMES and to the Terrapin Classic title. Doron, who led all players in the tournament in points, field goals made and three-point field goals made, was 4-for-4 from three-point land, sinking a pair in each game.
Fisher Shines at Terp Classic
* Sophomore Chrissy Fisher was named Most Valuable Player of the Terrapin Classic, helping the Terps to the tournament title. Fisher had 13 points and five rebounds against the Pioneers and was even better against UMES, posting her first-career double-double in the first half, en route to 18 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. She also shot .500 from the field, going 12-for-24.
* Three other Terps earned tournament honors, as well. Seniors Delvona Oliver and Crystal Washington and freshman Shay Doron were named All-Terrapin Classic. Doron led the tournament in points (37), field goals made (15) and three-pointers made (4). She also shot an outstanding .625 from the field.
* Washington averaged 15.5 points per game over the two games and 6.5 rebounds. She also had a career-high three blocks in the win over UMES.
* Oliver shot .647 (11-for-17) from the field over the two games, leading all players in the tournament. She posted her first-career double-double as a Terp in the win over Sacred Heart with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Terps Double Up
* Three different Terps have recorded double-doubles in the first four games of the season and in each case, the players have accomplished that feat for the first time in their careers.
* Senior Crystal Washington's 18 points and 10 rebounds against Niagara were career highs.
* Senior Delvona Oliver netted 18 points and grabbed 10 boards in the win over Sacred Heart for her first-career double-double.
* Sophomore Chrissy Fisher needed just 20 minutes for her first-career double-double. She had 11 points and 11 rebounds in the first half against UMES and ended the game 18 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.
The Dish on Spence
* Junior transfer Alli Spence has led the team in assists in every game, handing out a career-high 10 helpers in the win over Niagara. As a result, she is averaging 8.0 assists per game and leads the ACC in that category. She is also the conference's leader in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.56.
Terps Receive Votes in Weekly Poll
* Maryland is receiving votes in the Nov. 24 AP Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll. After winning the Terrapin Classic last week, The Terps are 4-0 heading into the game vs. Penn State.
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's Career night Helps Terps to Early Win
* 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 208. She also ranks 12th with 321 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 48 three-pointers made and seventh with 125 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 hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to St. Bonaventure on Dec. 5. The look to keep their record perfect against the Bonnies, having won the first game in the series last year, 71-55, in Comcast Center.
