#23/22 Maryland Women's Basketball Closes ACC Regular Season Hosting Va. Tech
2/23/2005 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 23, 2005
Tonight's women's basketball game vs. Virginia Tech has NOT been postponed and will still be played as scheduled. The Terps and the Hokies tip off at 7 p.m.
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
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Virginia Tech (15-10, 4-8) vs. #23/22 MARYLAND (18-7, 7-6)
Thursday, February 24, 2005 • 7 p.m.
Comcast Center (17,950) • College Park, Md.
QUICK HITS
• Maryland is ranked 23rd in the Associated Press poll this week and 22nd in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Terps have been ranked for 15-consecutive weeks in both polls.
• Maryland recorded its 200th ACC victory at Miami on Feb. 17 and is 200-178 all-time.
• Maryland's record-setting crowd of 17,243 on Feb. 13 was not only an ACC record but also the third-largest this season and the only top 15 attendance figure not featuring Tennessee or Connecticut.
• The Terps' 18 victories is more than or ties the season win totals of the last 11 seasons.
• Three Terrapins are registering some of the best single-season marks in school history. Sophomore Shay Doron's 126 free throws made is the third-most in school history and her scoring output is among the top 15 single-season marks in school history. Senior Anesia Smith's 178 assists is among the top five in school history and freshman Crystal Langhorne's 250 boards are the eighth-most all-time.
• For the second time in three weeks, Crystal Langhorne was selected ACC Rookie of the Week. Her fifth selection of the season, she broke the school record for most Rookie of the Week nods..
• Maryland's 74.4 points per game is the team's highest scoring average since 1992-93. The Terps rank 12th in the nation in scoring and are third in the ACC. Sophomore Shay Doron's 18.8 ppg is currently the fourth-highest single-season average in school history. Crystal Langhorne's 16.0 ppg is among the top 15 all-time.
• Freshman Crystal Langhorne's 10.0 rebounding average is currently the fifth-best single-season average in school history. The Terps 43.1 rebounding average is the most since 1979-80.
• Maryland has scored at least 72 points in 15 of its 17 wins and in 17 total games this season. The Terps are 33-7 when scoring at least 70 points under head coach Brenda Frese.
• The Terps have had at least three double-digit scorers in all but six games and a 10+ rebounder 20 times.
Terps Close ACC Regular Season Hosting Va. Tech
• The No. 23/22 Terrapins close out the ACC regular season hosting league newcomer Virginia Tech on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. Maryland, who lost to the Hokies to open the ACC slate, are looking to earn the split and snap a three-game losing streak to VT.
• While Maryland is guaranteed to post a non-losing conference record for the second-straight year, with a win, the Terps could post their first winning record in ACC play since 1996-97.
• Depending on the outcome of Thursday's game, the Terps could finish as high as a tie for fourth in the ACC standings or as low as sixth.
Terps in the Polls
• For the 16th-consecutive week, Maryland is ranked in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Terps are ranked 23rd and 22nd in this week's poll, respectively. Pior to their loss at Virginia, the Terrapins spent six-straight weeks in the AP's top 20.
• Five Maryland opponents are featured in this week's polls, including LSU who holds the No. 1 spot in both polls for the third-straight week. ACC foes Duke (#3/4), North Carolina (#8/5), NC State (#21/24) and Florida State (#RV/25) are featured in this week's top 25. Arizon and Virginia are receiving votes in both polls.
• After upsetting its first top-five opponent since 1992-93 when it defeated North Carolina, Maryland made the second-largest leap in the Associated Press poll the week of Jan. 10, jumping six spots from No. 21 to No. 15.
• The Terps have posted a 18-7 record this season with six of their losses coming to teams who are ranked or have been ranked at some point in the season.
• The No. 15 national ranking earlier this season was the highest for the Terps since earning a No. 11 final ranking at the end of the 1992-93 season.
• 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 Virginia Tech
• Virginia Tech is 15-10 so far this season and 4-8 in the ACC. After opening the season 11-2, the Hokies have struggled of late and have gone 4-8, including going 1-4 heading into Thursday's contest. VT last contest was a 94-83 triple overtime loss to Florida State.
• Among the top half in the league in scoring, the Hokies have three players averaging double digits, led by Erin Gibson's 11.6 ppg. Kerri Gardin is averaging a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game to go along with 10.4 ppg, third-highest on the team.
• After spending four seasons at Western Carolina, head coach Beth Dunkenberger took over the head coaching duties at Virginia Tech in April of 2004. A 1988 graduate of Randolph-Macon College, she was a graduate assistant for two seasons and then an assistant coach for seven years from 1990-97.
Series vs. Virginia Tech
• Virginia Tech leads the all-time series, 4-2, inlcuding winning the last three meetings in a row. The Hokies have also won two games in College Park, once in 1994 and once in 2002, head coach Brenda Frese's first season. In that 2002 matchup, VT escaped with a 60-57.
• This is the first visit to College Park for Virginia Tech as a member of the ACC. The Hokies' first-ever game in the new conference was a win over the Terps on Jan. 5, 77-67.
RPI Rating
• Maryland's Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) this week is No. 12 according to the WBCA/Summerville RPI, CollegiateRPI.com and the Collegiate Basketball News. Only Duke's RPI is higher than Maryland's among the ACC squads.
• The three publications have also rated the Terps' schedule as the seventh strongest in the nation,. Maryland's schedule is the third toughest in the ACC according to the three publications, with only Miami and Virginia Tech's season slated earning a higher rating.
Among Nation's Best
• As of Feb. 21, three Terps are among the national statistical leaders. Freshman Crystal Langhorne is ranked in two categories. Her accuracy from the floor ranks 10th in the nation at 60.4 percent shooting. Recording one of the best rebounding seasons in school history, she ranks 19th in the nation with 10.0 rpg.Leading the team in scoring, sophomore Shay Doron's season average of 18.8 ppg is 28th in the nation. Senior Anesia Smith continues to put together one of the best seasons of her career. Her 7.1 helpers per game is not only first in the ACC but also ranks third nationally.
• As a team, Maryland is in the top 25 in four different statistical categories. Its 74.5 points per game is 12th in the nation and its 8.2 rebounding margin is 10th overall. Maryland's 45.8 shooting percentage ranks 15th nationally and the team's 16.8 assists per game are 22nd. 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.
A Class of Her Own
• When Crystal Langhorne posted a 29 point-22 rebound performance at Miami, she became the only freshman this season to post a 20 point-20 rebound game this season. She is also only the second player in the nation this year to perform the feat. Robert Morris' junior Sugiery Monsac has posted two 20 point-20 rebound games.
Doron Named to Exclusive List
• Sophomore Shay Doron was one of 30 of the nation's top players to be named to the midseason Naismith Player of the Year watchlist. She was named to the preseason list and made the midseason cut. The 30 candidate are eligible for the final ballot in March when four finalists will be announced.
• Doron is one of only three players from the ACC to be named to that list and is one of five sophomores in the country on the list.
20/20
• Freshman Crystal Langhorne continues to make a strong case for ACC Rookie of the Year honors. In the Terps' 70-65 win at Miami, she posted a career night, scoring 29 points and 22 rebounds. She became only the eighth player in school history to have a 20+ rebound game and the first since 1980. Langhorne, who was one off the single-game mark, is also the first Terrapin since 1980 to record a 20-point/20-rebound game.
• The 22 rebounds is the second-most this season by an individual in Division I and is also the most for an ACC player since Levys Torres from Florida State had 24 on Dec. 28, 2000.
• Langhorne is the only freshman in the country to record a 20 point-20 rebound game this season and one of just a handful in the history of the NCAA.
Back-to-Back
• The win at Miami also guaranteed a non-losing conference record for the Terps, making it the first time they have posted back-to-back non-losing ACC record since 1992-93 and 1993-94.
• Last season, Maryland went 8-8 in conference play, its first non-losing ACC record since 2000-01. Prior to last season, the Terps has won just four conference games in 2001-02 and 2002-03.
• Posting its 18th win of the season vs. the Hurricanes, Maryland equals its win total from last season. The 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons were the last time the Terrapins won at least 18 games in back-to-back years, notching 25 and 26, respectively.
Young Studs
• The No. 2 recruiting class in the nation has lived up to its billing this season and are among the top rookies in the ACC. Freshman Crystal Langhorne is the highest scoring and rebounding freshman in the league with 16.0 ppg and 10.0 rpg (which also leads the ACC). She is also sixth with 1.04 steals per game and is second with a .604 field goal percentage (which also ranks ninth in the nation).
• Ashliegh Newman's 6.4 ppg is ninth in the class and Jade Perry's 3.7 rpg are 10th among ACC freshmen.
Langhorne's Five Rookie of the Week Nods Breaks School Record
• With her latest ACC Rookie of the Week selection on Feb. 21, freshman Crystal Langhorne became the most honored Terrapin rookie in school history. Her five weekly honors tops Bonnie Rimkus' four selections in 1993-94.
• Here is a quick recap of Langhorne's five weekly nods:
Feb. 21 - Langhorne became the first Terrapin since 1980 to grabbed at least 20 rebounds and was one shy of the school record at Miami, grabbing 22 boards while scoring a career-high 29 points. At Virginia, she posted her 12th double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Jan. 7 - Langhorne posted her 10th double-double of the season at Clemson, scoring 12 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Prior to that game vs. Georgia Tech, she was nearly perfect from the field, going 8-for-9 en route to 18 points to go with eight rebounds and career highs of three assists and three steals.
Jan. 10 - Posting her fourth-straight 20-point game, Langhorne had 23 points on 11-for-13 shooting and grabbed a then-career high 14 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season in the upset-win over then-No. 5/4 North Carolina.
Jan. 3 - Langhorne posted three-straight 20-point outings in three games, helping the Terps win the Terrapin Classic team title and a 2-1 week. In the game one of the Terps' home tournament, she netted a career-high 26 points and 10 rebounds then had 20 points in tha championship game en route to tournament MVP after scoring 20 points. In her first-career ACC appearance, she scored a game-high 23 points at Virginia Tech.
• Dec. 6 - Langhorne's first Rookie of the Week selection came 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 then helped pull out a close 74-72 victory at Xavier tallying 18 points on 9-for-11 shooting and a 11 boards.
Smith Finalist for Liberman Award
• In her final season in a Maryland uniform and the most experienced member on the squad, Anesia Smith could arguably be the most improved player in the ACC. Earning the starting point guard duties on a full-time basis this season for the first time in her career, she is averaging 7.2 assists per game, more than three times her career average coming into the season (2.3). Her 172 helpers this year are among the top five single-season totals in school history. Recently, she was named one of 10 finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award, given to the nation's top point guard.
• The ACC's assists leader and ranked third in the nation in that category, Smith also sports the best assist/turnover ration in the conference at 2.02.
• Smith has had five double-digit assist games in her career, all coming during this season. Prior to his year, her career high was nine assists, which she achieved just two times. Her 14 assist performance vs. Marshall not only set the Comcast Center record, but is also the sixth-most single-game total in the nation this season.
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. It has been a team effort to make up for the loss, with classmate Crystal Langhorne and sophomore Shay Doron taking on a bulk of the load.
• In Maryland's first four games without Harper, Langhorne posted four-straight 20-point games, averaging 23 ppg and 9.3 rpg in that span and has been averaging 17.6 ppg and 11.8 rpg since Harper has been out of the lineup (16 games). Langhorne now leads the ACC in rebounding with 10.0 rpg and is fifth with 16.0 ppg.
• Doron has scored 20.4 ppg and grabbed 5.3 rpg in the last 16 games, reaching the 30-point mark twice and grabbing at least five boards nine times.
• Sophomore Kalika France has joined with Langhorne to help in the rebounding responsibilities, averaging 5.8 rpg since Harper has been sidelined to go along with 10.8 ppg.
• Another freshman, Jade Perry, has stepped into the starting position in place of the injured Harper. She has averaged 4.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg since stepping into the starting lineup.
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.
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.
Up Next
• Terps close out the regular season with Senior Night. Maryland hosts Northern Colorado on Monday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. Prior to the game, seniors Anesia Smith and Liz Gilchrest will be honored.
