Dec. 2, 2011

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ATLANTA - Senior Lynetta Kizer and sophomore Alyssa Thomas of the sixth-ranked Maryland women's basketball team (8-0) were named to the Naismith Women's Early Season Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced this week. Maryland is one of eight schools in the country to land multiple players to the 51-player list.

In late February, the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors will compile a mid-season team of the top 30 players in the nation. Then in March, the Naismith Trophy voting academy will vote to narrow the list to the four finalists.

Notable Naismith Women's College Player of the Year winners include Chamique Holdsclaw, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, Tina Charles and last year's winner, Maya Moore. The Naismith Trophy is one of the most prestigious national awards presented annually to college basketball's player of the year.

Kizer and Thomas are two of six ACC players named to the list. They are joined by Florida State's Cierra Bravard, Duke's Chelsea Gray, and Miami's Shenise Johnson and Riquna Williams.

Both Kizer and Thomas were named to the Preseason Wooden Award Watch List and the Preseason All-ACC Squad earlier this fall. Thomas and Kizer are leading the Terrapins in scoring this year with 16.3 and 15.0 points per game, respectively.

The Terps will head across town for a 1 p.m. matchup at American Sunday afternoon. The Terrapins and the Eagles (5-3) will play in Bender Arena in Washington D.C.

Live stats will notbe available but the @Umterps twitter account will be updated throughout the game. The game will be shown live online for a fee at www.aueagles.tv.

Maryland is ranked No. 6 in the latest Associated Press rankings, released Monday, and No. 7 in the ESPN/USA Division I Top 25 Coaches' poll, released Tuesday.