Nov. 24, 2005
Box Score
CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands - Marissa Coleman scored 21 points to lead 10th-ranked Maryland to an 88-50 victory over Gonzaga in the opening game of the Paradise Jam women's tournament Thursday night.
Crystal Langhorne added 13 points for the Terrapins (3-0), who had four players reach double figures in scoring for the third-consecutive game. Maryland outrebounded Gonzaga 54-31.
"It started with our rebounding," Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. "You're going to see a different scorer every night with all the weapons we have."
Katy Ridenour scored 13 points for the Bulldogs (1-2), who were held to just 34 percent shooting from the field.
Maryland ran out to a quick 9-0 lead before the Bulldogs got on the scoreboard. The Terps were too much for Gonzaga to handle. With 12:11 remaining in the period, the Terps were in front, 26-5. Their lead never dipped below 20 points after freshman Kristi Toliver (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) completed a three-point play with 7:41 to go, making the score 31-11.
Maryland closed out the half on a 9-0 run to claim its biggest lead of the period, 48-19, while limiting the Bulldogs to 33.3 percent shooting in the half. Sophomore Crystal Langhorne (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro) and Coleman (Cheltenham, Md./St. John's College [D.C.]) each had 12 points to lead all scorers at the break.
The teams traded baskets for the early part of the second half, until the Terps used an 8-3 run to grab a 71-35 lead with 10:45 to go. The Zags cut the deficit to 29 at 7:46, only to see Maryland score 17 of the game's final 25 points for the 88-50 victory.
Maryland outscored Gonzaga in the paint, 44-20, and scored 27 second-chance points, compared to only four for the Bulldogs.
Sophomore Laura Harper (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) also 12 points, while Toliver added 10. Sophomore Jade Perry (Central City, Ky./Muhlenberg South) was one point short of a double-double, grabbing a career-high tying 10 boards to go with nine points.
The Terps play 2005 NCAA Finalist and ninth-ranked Michigan State on Friday, Nov. 25 beginning at 6 p.m. ET. It will be the first top-10 matchup for Maryland since Jan. 20, 1993. The game will be webcast at www.paradisejam.com.
-TERPS-
