Sept. 15, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Former Terrapins and WNBA rookies Laura Harper and Crystal Langhorne have wrapped up the professional regular seasons this weekend. Harper's season will continue as the Sacramento Monarchs clinched a playoff berth and begin their championship run on Thursday, Sept. 18 on ESPN2.
The 10th pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft, Laura Harper (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) played in all but two of the Sacramento Monarchs' games, earning playing time in 31 contests, also starting once over the summer. She averaged 5.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in her first season in the WNBA. She scored a career-high 11 points three times during the campaign, grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds at Atlanta on July 22. Other highs include three blocks vs. Houston on May 30 and played 24 minutes vs. Detroit on June 6.
The Monarchs finished fourth in the WNBA's Western Conference and take on San Antonio Silver Stars in the first round of the playoffs in a best-of-three series. Game 1 tips off on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Game 2 will be televised on NBATV on Saturday, Sept. 20. If necessary, Game 3 will be played on Monday, Sept. 22. Time and broadcast are to be determined.
Selected with the sixth pick overall in the first round of the WNBA Draft, Crystal Langhorne (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro) finished the 2008 campaign this past weekend, as the Washington Mystics placed sixth overall in the Eastern Conference. Langhorne played in all 34 games of the regular season, earning a starting spot six times. She averaged 4.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. The superb shooting she was known for in the collegiate ranks, continued in the WNBA, making 62.4 percent of her attempts. Langhorne scored a career-high 17 points vs. San Antonio on July 7 and had a career-high 12 rebounds vs. Connecticut on Saturday at the Connecticut Suns on Sept. 13, where she also played a career-high 27 minutes.
For more information on both teams and the WNBA Playoffs log onto www.wnba.com, www.wnba.com/monarchs and www.wnba.com/mystics.
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