Feb. 22, 2004

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Alana Beard made sure Duke clinched its fourth straight Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title.

Beard had 24 points and 10 rebounds to help No. 4 Duke beat Maryland 72-59 Sunday.

Monique Currie scored 14 points, Mistie Bass added 12 and Lindsey Harding had seven assists and 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils (22-3, 13-1), who have won five straight. Duke beat Maryland for the eighth straight time and 11th in 12 games.

It was not easy, though.

Maryland used a sagging man-to-man defense and a zone that pushed the ball to the perimeter, forcing Duke into low-percentage outside shots. The Blue Devils made 41.7 percent (28-of-67) from the field, but coach Gail Goestenkors wanted to see more shots go down.

"We've been shooting it well and we had confidence in our shot," Goestenkors said. "Today they just weren't falling."

Beard missed nine of 16 shots from the field and three of four 3-point attempts, but Maryland could not slow her down.

"How does anyone stop her?" Terrapins coach Brenda Frese said of Beard. "She does so many things. She obviously hurt us on the glass."

The Terrapins (15-11, 7-8) got 16 points from Delvona Oliver. Kalika France scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half.

The crowd of 13,446 at Comcast Center was the second-largest in ACC women's basketball history.

Beard scored 12 first-half points and Duke used a 15-0 run midway through the half to take a 38-21 lead at the break. Maryland missed its first five shots from the field and finished the opening half 8-for-28.

Oliver had six points in a 14-7 run that trimmed Duke's lead to 53-41 with 11:45 remaining. France scored nine straight points to get Maryland to 57-50 with 7:36 left.

But Currie hit consecutive field goals for an 11-point lead.

Chrissy Fisher made a 3 get Maryland to 66-59 with 2:16 left, but Vicki Kraphol responded with a 3.

"In the first half, I don't think they played their game," Beard said. "In the second half, they came out and played an awesome game."