Feb. 3, 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland will recognize one of its all-time greatest women's basketball players, at the conclusion of Thursday's game versus NC State, with a jersey ceremony to honor former Terrapin Laura Harper.
Harper, a Maryland forward/center from 2005-08, was one of the key pieces of the Terrapins' run to the 2006 national championship. Named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player that year, Harper averaged 20 points and eight rebounds in Maryland's two Final Four games en route to its first national title in school history.
In the national semifinal contest versus No. 1 North Carolina, Harper scored a team-high 24 points with nine rebounds and followed that up with a 16-point (tied for team-high), seven-rebound performance in the thrilling title-clinching victory over Duke.
The Elkins Park, Pa., native averaged 11.5 points and 7.2 rebounds during the national title season, her sophomore campaign in College Park, on the heels of an injury-shortened freshman season. Along with classmate and All-American Crystal Langhorne, Harper nearly led the Terps back to the Final Four as a senior in 2008, falling one step shy of a return trip after an appearance in the Elite Eight.
For her career, Harper averaged 12.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game (seventh in Maryland history) with a 56.5 field goal percentage (fifth in school history, 20th in ACC history). She is the Terps' all-time leading shot blocker (198; 12th in ACC history) and her 1,407 career points rank 14th in school annals. She's also positioned in third place in career free throw attempts (566), fourth in free throws made (386) and fifth in rebounds (873).
Harper, a first-round selection in the 2008 WNBA Draft by Sacramento, was an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American as a senior while earning All-ACC Third Team laurels as well. Also a presence on the international scene, Harper joined Langhorne in helping Team USA to a gold medal at the 2007 FIBA U21 World Championship in Russia.
The Terrapins will pay tribute to Harper and her No. 15 jersey following their ACC clash with NC State on Thursday. Tip-off from the Comcast Center is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
