Sept. 2, 2008
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - With 17 teams advancing to the 2008 postseason, including 10 NCAA Tournament teams, the Maryland women's basketball team faces a challenging schedule in 2008-09, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Tuesday. Among the highlights are home matchups with Duke, North Carolina and Rutgers, all teams traditionally in the top 10 in the nation, and a Thanksgiving getaway to the Cancun Challenge for a three-game tournament. Maryland will make at least eight television appearances, four on national television, including three ESPN2 televised games.
"We have put together another challenging non-conference schedule to prepare us for another exciting race in the dominant ACC," said head coach Brenda Frese, who has led Maryland to five-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. "We face 17 teams who competed in postseason play last year. We are thrilled our fans will get the chance to see us play in person and on television numerous times with the number of national and regional opportunities we will have this year. It's going to be another exciting ride for this team in 2008-09."
Maryland will showcase its new team in a pair of tune-up games early in November, hosting exhibition matchups vs. DT III on Nov. 2 and Team Evolution on Nov. 7. The Terps delve into the 2008-09 campaign traveling to TCU on Nov. 14. The Lady Frogs are one of eight teams on the schedule to advance to the WNIT last season.
Maryland puts its 21-game home-court win streak on the line with a three-game home stint, beginning with against Delaware State (Nov. 16), a rematch of last year's classic against WNIT participant James Madison (Nov. 20) and UCLA (Nov. 23), who is making its first trip to College Park since 1978. The Terps' home court win streak is the third-longest in the nation entering the season.
Maryland will take in some sun but it will be all business for the Caribbean Challenge in Cancun, Mexico. The Terps battle South Dakota State on Nov. 26, Montana on Nov. 27 and the Big Ten's Illinois on Nov. 28. All three teams were in the postseason last year, with the Grizzlies participating in the NCAA Tournament.
Back on state side, Maryland does not return to Comcast Center until the end of December. In the meantime, the Terps will hit the road for four games, beginning with the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Purdue on Dec 4. The Boilermakers are the reigning Big Ten Champions and fell short of the Sweet Sixteen in 2008, falling to eventual national champion Tennessee.
The Terps will not have time to rest, heading to Pittsburgh on Dec. 7, another 2008 NCAA Tournament squad. When the Terrapins return to their home state, they head north to Baltimore to face Loyola on Dec. 9 looking to sell the place out as they did two years ago. After a short break for end-of-the-year finals, Maryland is back on the road traveling down to Old Dominion on Dec. 21, a regular in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2008.
After breaking for the holidays, Maryland gears up for the Terrapin Classic, Dec. 29-30, hosting Mississippi State, Marshall and UNC-Ashville. On the first day of action, the Terps take on UNC-Asheville after the clash between the Bulldogs and the Herd. Maryland plays MSU or Marshall in the second game on the second day.
After setting some New Year's resolutions, Maryland will be back on the court on Saturday, Jan. 3 at Richmond, then the Terps dive into the ACC slate hosting Wake Forest on Jan. 8 in the conference opener.
Big Monday on ESPN2 welcomes the Terps and Duke on Jan. 12. The game will be televised from Durham, N.C., and is the first of two meetings between the teams. After a quick trip to Clemson on Jan. 15, Maryland returns home to host back-to-back games. A matchup with Virginia Tech on Jan. 18 will be regionally televised, followed by a nationally televised contest on ESPN2 against defending ACC Champion North Carolina on Jan. 25. Last year's matchup was a thriller, with the teams going to double overtime.
The Terps close out the month at Virginia on Jan. 30 and for fans who cannot make the drive to Charlottesville, Va., they can watch on the ACC's Regional Network (Comcast Sports Net in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area).
February begins with road trip to Florida State on the 2nd, but Maryland turns right back home for a game against NC State on the 5th. Another regional TV broadcast pits the Terps and Boston College up north in Chestnut Hill, Mass., on Feb. 9.
Virginia is next making the return trip to College Park on Feb. 12, then a marquee clash against Rutgers on Feb. 15 ESPN2 at Comcast Center. The Terrapins will look to avenge a loss to the Scarlet Knights after Rutgers came-from-behind to win in their arena last year, after Maryland held the lead for most of the game.
On Feb. 19, the Yellow Jackets will host Maryland and look to make it another exciting game with the Terps. Last year's matchup at Comcast Center was a double-overtime affair. Maryland fans will feast on the Terps-Duke matchup on Feb. 22 at Comcast Center, another nationally televised contest on the Fox Sports Network (Comcast SportsNet in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area).
The regular season closes out with Maryland hosting Boston College on Feb. 27, also on regional television, before flying down to Miami for the final ACC game on March 1.
The postseason begins with the ACC Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum, March 5-8. The top four seeds will earn a bye in the first round. The NCAA Tournament kicks off on March 22 and 24 for the first and second rounds, which the Terrapins will be hosting. The Terps will play their early round tournament games at Comcast Center regardless of seeding.
The Terrapins return three starters from last year's squad, which advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the second time in three years. Maryland was also 33-4 and was second in the league with a 13-1 record another. Among those returning are preseason Wade Trophy candidates Marissa Coleman (Cheltenham, Md./St. Johns College [D.C.]) and Kristi Toliver (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg). Maryland head coach Brenda Frese enters her seventh season at the Terrapin helm.
To purchase season tickets for the 2008-09 campaign and tickets for the 2009 NCAA Tournament first and second rounds, visit the Comcast Center Ticket Office or call 1-800-IM-A-TERP. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.umterps.com.
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