No. 1 Terps Welcomes Three Teams for Terrapin Classic
12/27/2006 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 27, 2006
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TERRAPIN CLASSIC
Friday, Dec. 29
Marist (8-3) vs. Liberty (6-5), 3:30 p.m.
#1/1 Maryland (13-0) vs. UNC Greensboro (6-4), 6 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 30
UNCG vs. Marist/Liberty, 3:30 p.m.
Maryland vs. Marist/Liberty, 6 p.m.
Comcast Center (17,950) • College Park, Md.
TV: None
Radio: 12/29 - WMUC Radio; 12/30 - Terrapin Sports Radio Network
Video Webcast: www.ACCSelect.com (Maryland games only).
Video and audio links provided at www.umterps.com
Three Teams Visit Terps for Terrapin Classic
• No. 1/1 Maryland hosts the Terrapin Classic for the eighth time over the last nine years. The Terps welcome Marist and Liberty, who clash on the court at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 29, followed by the Terrapins' matchup vs. UNC Greensboro at 6 p.m. On Dec. 30, UNCG plays against Liberty or Marist at 3:30 p.m., with Maryland playing the late game at 6 p.m. against one of the those teams teams.
• Maryland has won its first 13 games of the season, extending its win streak to 19-straight games, the longest active streak in the nation. The streak dates back to the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19.
• The Terrapins are playing in their third regular-season tournament of the season, winning the BTI Classic and the Junkanoo Jam. Maryland has won the Terrapin Classic the last three years, losing in the championship game in 2002. The Terps are 15-1 in the eight years of the tournament, dating back to 1998-99. There was no Terrapin Classic during the 2001-02 campaign.
• Five Terps are averaging double figures. During last season's championship run, five Terrapins also averaged double-digit scoring.
• Both Maryland games can be watched on www.ACCSelect.com, with GameTracker available for all four games. The Terps' contest on Dec . 30 can be heard on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network. Links are available through www.umterps.com.
Time Changes
• Both games on both days of the Terrapin Classic on Dec. 29 and 30 have moved to early start times. The first game will tip-off at 3:30 p.m., followed by the later game which is slated to begin at 6 p.m. Maryland will play the later game on both days, regardless of the outcome on Friday.
ABOUT ...
UNC-GREENSBORO:
• The Spartans are 6-4 heading into the Terrapin Classic, after most recently being edged by Western Carolina, 53-52, on Dec. 20. That snapped a two-game win streak for UNCG. Maryland will be the second ACC team it will face, falling to No. 2 North Carolina on Nov. 30, 103-48.
• Jasmine Byrd is the only player on the team averaging double-digit scoring. She has been the team's leading scorer in seven of the team's 10 games, averaging 16.7 ppg on the season.The team is averaging 63.7 ppg and allowing 65.4 ppg.
• UNC Greensboro is coached by Lynne Agee, who is in her 26th season at the school. She needs just one more win for career No. 500 at the institution. She has logged 545 victories in 29 seasons of coaching overall. The Spartans return all five starters from last season. They are coming off an 18-12 campaign, finishing second in the Southern Conference with a 12-6 record.
• SERIES VS. UNCG: Maryland lost its only meeting against the Spartans in 1998, falling 62-45 in the first game of the 1998-99 season.
LIBERTY:
• The Flames are 6-5 coming into the Terrapin Classic, losing its last two games of the Carribean Classic and five of their last six. Liberty's last win was a 66-49 triumph over Virginia Union on Dec. 16. It had opened the season on a five-game win streak, including a victory over Virginia, 75-71.
• Liberty also has George Mason and George Washington as common opponents with the Terps. It topped GMU, 61-56, and lost to the Colonials, 74-66. The Flames were also edged by the ACC's Virginia Tech, 66-49.
• Division I's only triplets are members of the Liberty Flames. They lead the team in scoring, with Megan Frazee leading the way with 19.1 ppg. Also the only player on the squad to average double figures. She is also the team's leading rebounder with 9.3 rpg.
• Liberty is 2-0 in Comcast Center, winning both of its 2005 NCAA Tournament opening round games on the Terps' home court. A 13 seed that season, it upset fourth-seeded Penn State and fifth-seeded DePaul to advance to its first-ever Sweet Sixteen appearance.
• SERIES VS. LIBERTY: A meeting between the Terps and the Flames would be the first in the history of the programs.
MARIST:
• The Red Foxes are 8-3, losing to Yale, 67-52, on Dec. 22, snapping a seven-game win streak. Among the wins was a 60-50 decision over Loyola on Dec. 8. One of Marist's three losses came at the hands of then-No. 6/5 Duke, 71-50.
• Rachele Fitz has led the team in scoring in seven of the team's last eight games, averaging a team-high 14.2 ppg.
• Marist has already played two conference games to date, winning both. It defeated the Greyhounds and Manhattan, 70-30, earlier this month. The Red Foxes were picked to finish second in the MAAC after winning the conference tournament title last season. They lost to Hartford in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
• SERIES VS. MARIST: A meeting between the Terps and the Red Foxes would be the first in the history of the programs.
Coaching Milestone
• Fifth-year head coach Brenda Frese is three wins away from her 100th-career victory at College Park.
• In her five years at Maryland, Frese has ammassed 97 victories and 45 losses for a 66.9 winning percentage.
• Frese's first win in Colllege Park was an 80-72 win over Loyola on Nov. 22, 2002. Since then, she has guided the Terps to three-straight winning seasons, three-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, back-to-back 20-win seasons, a No. 1 ranking and the program's first-ever national championship crown.
Century Club
• The Terrapins have scored over 100 points seven times since head coach Brenda Frese arrived in College Park. Six of those 100-point games have come in the last two seasons.
• The Terps have reached the 100-point mark three times last year and have already scored 100 points three times this season, as well.
• Maryland was second in the nation in scoring last year and have another potent offense this year, with its offense also ranking second in the country as of Dec. 17.
Five starters Among Naismith Candidates, First time ever
• For the first time ever, five players from the same team were named preseason candidates for the Naismith Award, presented to the national player of the year, which was announced in early December. All of Maryland's five starters were among the 30 preseason candidates.
• Maryland continues to make history. Four Terrapins were selected preseason candidates for the Wade Trophy, making it a first in the history of the award that four players from the same team were placed on the Wade Watch list.
• Senior Shay Doron, junior Crystal Langhorne and sophomore Marissa Coleman have been named to three national player of the year lists to date, while sophomore Kristi Toliver as also placed on the Wade Watch. This marks the first time junior Laura Harper, last year's Final Four Most Outstanding Player, has been placed on a national player of the year candidate list.
Great Start
• The Terps are threatening the school-record of 16-straight victories to open the season, set during the 1982-83 campaign. Maryland is currently 13-0 entering the Terrapin Classic, the best start in 14 years.
• After defeating UCSB on Dec. 2, the Terrapins improved their season-opening win streak to 9-0, tying the program's best start to the season since the 1991-92 campaign.
Nation's Longest Win Streak
• With the Florida men's basketball team losing to Kansas on Nov. 25, the Maryland women's basketball team currently has the nation's longest active win streak at 19 games.
• The Gators, who claimed the men's national championship, had won 17 in a row, dating back to March 1, 2006. The Terp women's streak dates back to March 19, 2006, the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
• The Terps' record for the longest win streak is 21, which spanned Jan. 10, 1989, through March 31, 1989.
Coming Up
• After the Terrapin Classic, Maryland opens ACC action at home for the first time since the 2003-04 campaign. After the new year, the Terps host NC State on Wednesday, Jan. 3
