Jan. 26, 2009
GREENSBORO, N.C. -
Fresh off a 77-71 victory over No. 2/3 North Carolina, the Maryland women's basketball team capped off its week by sweeping the Atlantic Coast Conference's weekly honors. Senior Marissa Coleman was named the conference's Player of the Week, while freshman Lynetta Kizer earned her second-consecutive Rookie of the Week award.
Coleman set the tone early in the triumph over North Carolina, the only game of the week for the Terrapins. The Cheltenham, Md. native scored 18 of her eventual 22 points in the first half, keying an early 14-0 run for the Terps with eight points. The 22-point effort tied her season-high. Adding 10 rebounds, Coleman recorded her fourth double-double of the season and 31st of her career, the most among all active ACC women's players.
The senior Wade Trophy finalist was 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, helping the Terps maintain their status as the top three-point shooting team in the nation.
Meanwhile, Kizer came within a rebound of her seventh career double-double in the Terps' 29th consecutive home victory. The freshman from Woodbridge, Va. scored 10 points and pulled down nine rebounds to help the Terps dominate the boards. Kizer had five of the Terps' 24 offensive rebounds, which helped result in 20 second-chance points.
In addition to her strong play down low, Kizer swiped a career-best three steals in the victory.
The weekly honor marks the fourth weekly accolade for Coleman, who now leads all active ACC players. It is her first award of the season.
The honor is the second in as many weeks for Kizer's young career.
The performances of Coleman and Kizer helped Maryland jump four spots to No. 8 in the latest Associated Press poll, which was released following Sunday's games.
The ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll will be released later on Monday.
Maryland made the most of a week off prior to the North Carolina game, and again faces a long layoff before taking on a top-tier ACC opponent. This time, the Terps will hit the road as they visit Virginia, ranked No. 19 by the AP. Maryland and Virginia tip it off at 7 p.m. on January 30 at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville.
-TERPS-
