Terps Open ACC Women's Basketball Tournament Action on Friday
3/2/2006 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 2, 2006
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The ACC Women's Basketball Tournament is well underway, with the action kicking off today at the Greensboro Coliseum. The fourth-ranked Terrapins, however, begin their quest for their first conference title since 1989 on Friday, March 2 at 9:30 p.m. Maryland earned a first-round bye and faces the winner of the Georgia Tech-Miami first-round matchup. Fans can catch the game on the ACC's Regional Sports Network or can listen to it on the Terrapin Radio Sports Network.
The ACC Tournament is arguably the toughest field in women's basketball, as three of the top four teams in the nation are among the 12 teams competing for the conference crown.
Maryland has wrapped up its winningest regular season, heading into the postseason with 26 victories. The Terps placed in a tie for second in the ACC standings with a 12-2 mark, their best showing since 1992-93. Top-ranked North Carolina, whose only loss is to the Terps, is the top-seeded squad in the tournament, followed by second-seeded and second-ranked Duke. Florida State earned the fourth seed.
The Terps are led by three of the top players in the ACC. Sophomore Crystal Langhorne was named first team All-ACC earlier this week, while junior Shay Doron and freshman Marissa Coleman were voted to the second team. Doron became the first player in school history to earn all-conference nods three times, while Coleman was the only freshman in the league to be named All-ACC.
Providing an immediate impact since coming to campus, Coleman was also voted the ACC's Rookie of the Year, garnering 61 of 70 votes. It is the second-straight year a Terp has been awarded the honor, as Langhorne was tabbed Rookie of the Year last season.
The three led the team in scoring, with Langhorne's 16.4 ppg leading the way. Doron and Coleman are each contributing 14.8 ppg. They have helped the team to the second-highest scoring average in the nation (84.3) to compliment the team's +13.4 rebounding margin, which leads the nation.
Friday's quarterfinal matchup will be televised on the ACC's Regional Sports Network. In the Baltimore/Washington area, the game will immediately follow Sports Nite on Comcast SportsNet. The winners move on to the semifinals on Saturday, March 4 with the champion being decided on Sunday, March 5. The semifinal and championship rounds are televised nationally on Fox Sports Net (Comcast SportsNet in the Baltimore/Washington area).
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