#21/21 Women's Hoops Hosts #5/4 UNC for an ACC Clash
1/7/2005 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Jan. 7, 2005
#5/4 North Carolina (11-1) vs. #21/21 MARYLAND (10-2)
Sunday, January 9, 2005 • 6:30 p.m. (FOX Sports Net)
Comcast Center (17,950) • College Park, Md.
QUICK HITS
• The Terps' 10-1 start was their best since starting the 1991-92 season by going 20-1. The eight-game win streak was the longest since winning nine in a row in 1996-97.
• Terrapin head coach Brenda Frese is five wins shy of career number 100.
• Maryland is seven conference wins away the program's 200th ACC victory.
• North Carolina is the second top-five opponent the Terps face this season and could face at least three this season. Currently, Duke is ranked second in both national polls.
• Maryland has scored at least 72 points in nine of its 10 wins this season and is 27-6 when scoring at least 70 points under head coach Brenda Frese.
• The Terps have had at least three double-digit scorers all but three games and a 10+ rebounder nine times.
• Freshman Crystal Langhorne has averaged 23.0 ppg and 7.7 rpg over her last three games.
• The Maryland women's basketball team is the subject of a 13-episode, documentary-style series which airs nationally on Comcast SportsNet, Fox College Sports and College Sports TV. It is the first reality-based series based on a women's basketball team to air nationally.
Terps Host UNC for an ACC Clash
• The No. 21/21 Terps return to Comcast Center to open the ACC home slate, hosting No. 5/4 North Carolina on Sunday, Jan. 9 at 6:30 p.m. on Fox Sports Net and Comcast SportsNet. Looking for its first conference victory of the season, Maryland is making its second-consecutive television appearance. The game will feature six of the conference's top underclassmen as both teams have a pair of sophomores and a freshman leading the team.
• UNC is the second ranked opponent the to play the Terrapins this season and the second rated in the top-five. Maryland lost to top-ranked LSU at Colorado's Coors Classic on Nov. 26.
Terps On TV
• Maryland will make at least five television appearances this season. The Terps made its first at Virginia Tech on Jan. 2 on the ACC's regional network (Comcast Sports Net, Fox Sports South and the Sunshine Network) and looks forward to its first national broadcast on Fox Sports Net when they host North Carolina on Jan. 9.
• The Terps will make three national television appearances this season. Maryland will be on Fox Sports Net, once again, when it travels to Ariona on Jan. 29. Maryland appears on ESPN2 when it hosts Duke on Feb. 13.
• Maryland's home game vs. NC State, a regional broadcast, is the only other game currently scheduled to appear on television on Jan. 23.
Last Time Out
• Maryland dropped its first ACC game, traveling to league-newcomer Virginia Tech, 77-67, snapping an eight-game win streak, the Terps' longest since 1996-97.
• The Terrapins trailed by 10 at the half then fought back to within a bucket with 2:28 remaining in the game, however, the Hokies closed out the game on a 10-2 run to seal the win.
• Freshman Crystal Langhorne recorded her third-consecutive 20-point outing, leading all scorers with 23 points. Junior Shay Doron added 17. Classmate Kalika France struggled from the field but hauled down a career-high 11 boards.
Let's Get Real
• The University of Maryland Department of Athletics a cutting-edge, national television program launches Sunday, Jan. 9. Fans can get a unique, all-access look at the Terrapin women's basketball team when "Maryland Women's Basketball: Under the Shell" debuts nationally, including on Comcast SportsNet on Sunday, Jan. 9 at 11:30 a.m. The reality-based, 13-episode documentary will be available to 100 million viewers through Fox College Sports (FCS) and every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. beginning Jan. 12 on College Sports TV (CSTV). It is the first reality-based series on a women's basketball team to air nationally. Programming schedule for FCS will be released at a later date.
TV SCHEDULE (check umterps.com or TV listings for re-airing schedule): Comcast SportsNet Sundays, 11:30 a.m. beginning Jan. 9CSTV Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. (except 2/9 at 3 p.m.) beginning Jan. 12
Terps in the Polls
• After stumbling in its ACC opener at Virginia Tech, Maryland falls to No. 21 in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll this week. It is the ninth-straight week the Terps have been among the top 25 in both polls.
• Three Maryland opponents are featured in this week's polls, including top-ranked LSU and ACC foes Duke (#2/2) and North Carolina (#5/4). Virginia Tech is making its first appearance in the top 25 this week. Receiving votes in the polls this week are Arizona, who hosts the Terps in late January for a nationally televised contest, Florida State, NC State, Virginia and Wake Forest.
• The Terps have run out to an 11-2 record this season with their losses coming against the No. 1 Lady Tigers and No. 25 Virginia Tech.
• On Dec. 20, Maryland was ranked in the top 20 in both the AP and Coaches poll for the first time since the week of Dec. 27, 1993. That was also the last year the Terps were featured in the top 20 in either poll prior to this season.
About North Carolina
• Picked to win the ACC, North Carolina comes into Sunday's contest at 12-1 and ranked fifth in the Associated Press Poll and fourth in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. The Tar Heels are coming off of a 79-29 victory over Winthrop, their final non-conference game of the season. The 29 points allowed is a UNC record.
• A trio of underclassmen lead the Tar Heels, with freshman Erlana Larkins leading the way with 15.2 points per game while adding 7.2 rebounds per game. Sophomore Ivory Latta, an ACC All-Freshman and All-ACC pick last year, had 15.0 ppg and leads the squad with 5.2 assists per game. Camille Little, last year's ACC Freshman of the Year, is contributing 12.0 ppg and 5.9 rpg. The three are among the top 20 in scoring in the ACC.
Series vs. North Carolina
• UNC leads the all-time series, 31-26. The Terps have lost the last seven-straight meetings and 15 of the last 17. Maryland's last win was a 55-53 decision in College Park on Jan. 28, 2001.
• The last time the Terps and the Heels were both ranked at the time of their meeting was March 7, 1993. Maryland, ranked 12 in the AP poll, topped UNC, rated 18th in the AP, 75-61, in College Park.
Terps in ACC Openers
• Maryland has won its last four ACC home openers and is 22-5 all-time in those games. Its last loss in an ACC home opener was to North Carolina on Dec. 2, 1999.
• After falling to Virginia Tech on Jan. 2, the Terps are 20-8 all-time in ACC openers, including 9-6 when opening the conference slate on the road. Maryland has lost the last five road ACC openers in a row.
Picking Up the Slack
• With the departure of Laura Harper, the Terrapin post players have had to step up to make up for the 13 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game Harper was contributing. Classmate Crystal Langhorne posted 20-point games in the last three games and had averaged 23.0 points and 7.7 rebounds, over seven points and almost a rebound more than her season average. She went on to be named Terrapin Classic Most Valuable Player after helping the Terps win their home tournament for the second-straight year and ACC Rookie of the Week on Jan. 3.
• Another freshman, Jade Perry has stepped in to start in place of the injured Harper. She averaged 5.0 ppg and 5.5 rpg over the two-game tournament.
Harper Sidelined
• Freshman Laura Harper suffered an Achilles tendon injury of her left ankle at practice on Monday night and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season. She will undergo surgery to repair the tendon later this week.
• Harper, who comes to College Park after earning McDonald's and Parade All-America honors as a high school senior and helped the USA Junior World Championship team to a gold medal this summer, was named ACC Rookie of the Week on Nov. 29. Averaging 13.2 points per game while leading the conference in rebounding with 9.8 boards per game, she posted three double-doubles this season, including a 17-point and 16-rebound outing vs. No. 1 LSU.
Among Nation's Best
• As of Jan. 3, three different Terrapins are ranked among the nation's top 30 in four statistical categories. Although she is out of action for the rest of the season, freshman Laura Harper is ranked in two categories. The ACC's leading rebounder, she is 22nd with 9.8 rpg and 29th in field goal percentage at .570. Classmate Crystal Langhorne continues to be among the top 20 in the nation in field goal percentage. Her .605 shooting from the field is 16th. Senior Anesia Smith is 17th with 6.1 assists per game.
• As a team, Maryland is in the top 25 in five different statistical categories. Its 10.5 rebounding margin is 7th overall in the nation. The Terps are also 13th in scoring offense (76.4), 24th in field goal percentage (.458) and 17th with a +17.8 scoring margin and 25th with 17.3 assists per game. Check out the chart at the bottom right-hand corner of page three to see where the Terps rank among Division I's 324 teams in every statistical category as a team.
Langhorne Voted Top Rookie of the Week
• For the second time this season, freshman Crystal Langhorne was selected the ACC's Rookie of the Week, tied for the most of among ACC newcomers.
• Langhorne was named conference Rookie of the Week most recently on Jan. 3. She posted three-straight 20-point outings in three games, helping the Terps to a 2-1 week and the Terrapin Classic team title. In the first game of the Terps' home tournament, she recorded her fourth double-double of the season, netting a career-high 26 points and 10 rebounds. She was named tournament MVP after scoring 20 points in the championship game. In her first-career ACC appearance, she scored a game-high 23 points at Virginia Tech.
• Langhorne was first selected Rookie of the Week on Dec. 6 after posting back-to-back double-doubles.She notched her first-career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in Maryland's decisive 77-36 win over in-state foe Loyola. She helped the Terps pull out a close 74-72 victory at Xavier tallying 18 points on 9-for-11 shooting and a season-high 11 boards.
Smith Sets Comcast Center Record
• In the championship game of the Terrapin Classic, senior Anesia Smith handed out 14 assists in the 83-68 win over Marshall, breaking the Comcast Center record. The 14 helpers is also a career high for the fourth-year senior. The lone four-year Terrapin letterwinner, she is the ACC's assists leader, averaging 6.45 apg.
• The 14 assists is tied for the fourth-most in a game this season in the country and the most by any ACC player this season. West Virginia's Yolanda Paige dished out 18 assists on Nov. 22, 2004, the most by any Div. I player this season.
Moving Up
• It took just one season, but sophomore Shay Doron has already made her way into the Maryland record books. After making her mark on the free throw record, she has her sights set on the three-point charts. She is seventh all-time with 42 treys after entering the season ranked 10th in the school record books. Her 131 attempts behind the three-point line are also seventh overall.
Doron's Diary
• Get up close and personal with sophomore Shay Doron. Read her diary on www.espn.com every two weeks or by going through www.umterps.com.
Wins vs. Ranked Opponents
• Maryland has posted 89 all-time wins over ranked opponents (since 1976-77; based on AP poll) with 21 of those victories coming against top-10 teams. In the history of the program, the Terps have also claimed wins against top five teams 12 times. The Terps' last win over a top-five squad was when they beat Virginia, the No. 1 team in the nation, during the 1991-92 season, 67-65. Maryland was ranked No. 3 in that game.
• Of those wins , the Terps were also ranked in 65 of those games. Maryland's only win over a top-five team while unranked was an 81-80 upset over No. 3 NC State on Jan. 26, 1991.
• The Terps had not defeated a ranked squad (AP or Coaches poll) since the 2000-01 season until it counted. In the first round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, Maryland topped No. 23 (Coaches) Miami, 86-85, to advance and claim its first postseason victory in 12 years.
Maryland Picked Third in ACC Preseason Poll
• After being picked to finish eighth in the previous two Preseason ACC Media Polls, the Terps jumped five spaces to third in the 2004-05 version, garnering two first-place votes. Last year, Maryland ended the season in a surprising third-place tie with NC State.
• North Carolina was predicted to end Duke's six-year stranglehold on the ACC regular-season title, while the Blue Devils were picked to place second in the league. League newcomers Virginia Tech and Miami round out the top five, respectively.
Langhorne Selected Preseason Rookie of the Year
• Newcomer Crystal Langhorne became the first-ever Terrapin to be named ACC Rookie of the Year when it was announced at ACC Media Day. Langhorne was rated the top post player in the nation last year according to the All-Star Girls Report and was a McDonald's, Parade, Street & Smith's and WBCA All-American.
• Since 1991 when the preseason picks began, the preseason honoree has been the actual honoree seven times.
Terrapins 12th in Athlon Poll
• Maryland was 12th in this year's Athlon College Basketball Annual, the Terps' highest preseason ranking. Only three ACC teams were among the preseason top 25. North Carolina was seventh in the poll while Duke was ninth.
Doron Earns Preseason Honors
• Doron, who was the first Terrapin freshman to ever earn All-ACC honors, was named to the Naismith Player of the Year watch list. In addition, Street & Smith's selected Doron a Honorable Mention All-American in its college basketball preview edition. She was also voted to the Preseason All-ACC squad at the ACC's Media Day.
Frese Signs Recruits
• Head coach Brenda Frese announced the signing of two of the nation's top recruits. High school seniors Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver signed National Letters of Intent to play basketball at the University of Maryland beginning 2005-06. The Blue Star report rated this class the No. 4 recruiting class in the nation, making it the second-straight year Frese has secured a top-five recruiting class.
Up Next
• Maryland embarks on a two-game ACC road swing beginning at Georgia Tech on Jan. 13. The Terps wrap up their trip at Florida State on Jan. 16.
