Jan. 6, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - For the first time in 13 years, a battle of two of the top 10 women's basketball teams will clash in College Park. The No. 6 Terrapins host No. 2-ranked Duke in Maryland's ACC home opener on Sunday, Jan. 8 at 1 p.m. (doors open at 11:30 a.m.).

Reserved tickets are sold out, but general admission tickets are available for purchase at the Comcast Center Ticket Office. Fans are advised to arrive early because of the anticipated large crowd.

Maryland and Duke are also the highest scoring teams in the nation. The Blue Devils, who boast an undefeated record at 13-0, are averaging 98.7 points per game, the best average in the nation. Sporting a 14-1 record so far this season, the Terps' 87.5 ppg are second in the country.

Both teams are also shooting the ball with impressive accuracy. Maryland is shooting 45.1 percent from three-point range, the best percentage in the nation and just ahead of Duke's 44.7 percent. The Blue Devils' 55.3 shooting overall is No. 1 in the country, while the Terps' are fourth with a 50.4 shooting percentage from the floor.

The Terrapins are coming off an exciting 67-64 overtime victory over No. 19 Boston College on Thursday night to open the ACC slate. The Blue Devils are 2-0 in conference play, topping Wake Forest in their ACC openers, 100-54, and Florida State, 87-68, at home on Thursday, as well.

A combined 16 high school All-Americans are on the team's rosters. A 2003 high school All-American, junior Shay Doron (Great Neck, N.Y./Christ the King) leads five Terps who are averaging double digits at 16.7 ppg, followed by 2005 high school All-American and current freshman Marissa Coleman's (Cheltenham, Md./St. John's College [D.C].) 15.9 ppg.

For Duke, who, like the Terps, have five players averaging double figure points, are led by former high school All-American Monique Currie's 15.0 ppg.

Duke will be the third team Maryland faces who is ranked in the top 10 in the nation. The Terps defeated then-No. 9 Michigan State, 75-61, on the second day of the Paradise Jam over the Thanksgiving holiday. Their only loss of the season is to No. 1 Tennessee, 80-75, in the championship game of the same tournament.

The last time Maryland hosted a top 10 team while being ranked in the top 10 was on Jan. 20, 1993. The Terps, who were ranked fifth, topped 10th-ranked Virginia, 70-66, in Cole Field House.

The game will also be televised on the ACC's Regional Sports Network (Comcast SportsNet in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area and Fox Sports South) and be broadcast on the Maryland Radio Network. The Terps' radio crew of Matt Noble and David Preston will be calling all the action on the airwaves.

To purchase tickets in advance, call the Comcast Center Ticket Office at 1-800-IM-A-TERP or go online to www.umterps.com.

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