University of Maryland Athletics

Women's Basketball 2/22/2011 7:00:00 AM Maryland Athletics

#15 Maryland Welcomes Virginia Tech Thursday

Feb. 22, 2011

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 15 Maryland women's basketball team will play host to Atlantic Coast Conference opponent Virginia Tech in its final home game of the year Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Comcast Center.

For tickets to the Terps-Hokies game, please visit the Terrapin Ticket Office online at umterps.com or call 1-800-IM-A-TERP. Parking will be free in all of the lots surrounding Comcast Center.

LIVE Coverage on TerpsTV Premium
• Fans will be able to watch the Maryland-Virginia Tech game live on TerpsTV Premium, which is a subscription service that offers exclusive video and audio content. The service is available for an annual subscription price of $79.95 or a monthly subscription of $9.95 per month. Click here to sign-up today!

At Thursday's game, the Terps will be teaming up with President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition in conjunction with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative to fight childhood obesity. The Terrapins. joined by fellow student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, Maryland cheerleaders and the Terps mascot, Testudo, will share their commitment to fitness and encourage the community to make a similar pledge.

The event will will invite local area youth to Comcast Center to listen to an elite list of guest speakers, including Shellie Pfohl, Executive Director of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. Dominique Dawes, a Maryland alum, three-time Olympian and former U.S. National Champion in women's gymnastics will also join the event as a guest speaker. Invitees will get an opportunity to participate in a variety of fun physical activities and attend the Maryland Women's Basketball game free of charge following the event.

The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. and end just before the Terps tip-off at 7:30 p.m. During halftime, Pfohl will present the Terps' fearless mascot, Testudo, with the Presidential Active Lifestyle award and will speak to fans about the importance of the Let's Move! initiative.

Registration is now open. To register your youth today, please email umterps.com/TerpsMove.

Maryland (21-6, 7-5 ACC) is coming off of a 72-66 loss at No. 12 Florida State Sunday. Freshman Alyssa Thomas led the Terrapins with her career-high 16 points. Junior Lynetta Kizer had 17 points and 10 boards.

Thomas was named the ACC's Rookie of the Week Monday for the sixth time this season. Her six awards this year are a new Maryland school record. She leads all ACC Rookies in scoring, rebounding and steals.

The Terps have outrebounded their opponents in 25 of 27 games this year. They lead the ACC and are No. 2 in the country in rebounding margin (+14.0).

After Thursday's game, the Terrapins will close out the regular season at Boston College Sunday at 1 p.m. Fans can watch Sunday's game online on BCEagles.com.

QUICK HITS

Maryland will play host to Virginia Tech Thursday night in the Terps' final home game. The Terrapins and the Hokies will tip off at 7:30 p.m.

Most recently, the Terps fell at No. 15 Florida State 72-66 in Tallahassee.

Freshman Alyssa Thomas notched a new career high with 26 points off 11-for-11 shooting from the field.

Thomas was named the ACC's Rookie of the Week for the sixth time this season Monday. Her six honors this year are a Maryland school record. leads all rookies in scoring (15.7 ppg) per ACC game, rebounding (8.5 rpg), scoring (15.7 ppg) and steals (2.0) per ACC game. She has scored in double figures in 11 of 12 ACC games.

Against the Seminoles, junior Lynetta Kizer notched her eighth double-double of the year with 17 points and 10 rebounds. She has hit double-figures in 10 of 12 ACC games and the last six straight.

LAST TIME OUT...

On Sunday, the Terrapins fell to No. 15 Florida State, 72-66 in Tallahassee.

Freshman Alyssa Thomas had a career-high 26 points and grabbed six boards. Junior Lynetta Kizer led with 17 points and 10 boards for her eighth double-double this season.

The Terrapins held an early 9-1 lead before Florida State took the lead back for good in the first half.

The Terps held the advantage inside, outrebounding the Seminoles, 51-45. The Terps scored 42 points in the paint to Florida State's 22.

SCOUTING THE HOKIES

Virginia Tech is 11-16 overall, 1-11 in the ACC and 2-7 on the road this year.

The Hokies have lost their last two straight.

Most recently, they fell 90-40 at Duke Sunday.

Shanel Harrison leads Virginia Tech in scoring with 12.3 points per game, as well as rebounding with 5.7 per contest.

Maryland owns the all-time series, 7-5. The Terps have won the last five straight.

ABOUT THE TERPS

Maryland fields one of the youngest rosters in the nation. The Terps are one of seven teams in the country to not have any seniors.

All five members of Maryland's No. 2 recruiting class played in their state's high school championship game and three, Alicia DeVaughn, Laurin Mincy and Alyssa Thomas won their respective titles.

Sophomore Diandra Tchatchouang played in the European championships over the summer. She led France to a fourth-place finish in the tournament. She was on her way to being tournament MVP, before suffering an ankle injury.

10 of the 14 Terrapins are over 6'0 tall and eight are over 6'2, making the Terps one of the tallest teams in the country. None of the Terps' 2010-11 opponents have as many players over 6'1.

GLASS CRASHERS

The Terps lead the ACC and are No. 2 in the country in rebounding margin (+14.0).

Three Terps are in the top 20 in the ACC in rebounding. Lynetta Kizer is No. 8 (7.7) and freshman Alyssa Thomas is No. 12 (7.2). Alicia DeVaughn is No. 19 (5.9 rpg).

Thomas is No. 5 the ACC in rebounding in conference games (8.5). She and Kizer both lead in offensive rebounding (3.8) in league games. Thomas leads all freshmen in rebounding.

As a team, the Terps lead the league in defensive rebounding percent (.706) and offensive rebounding percent (.469). They average 18.7 offensive boards per game.

The Terrapins have won the battle on the boards in 25 of 27 games. They have grabbed 1268 rebounds to their opponent's 889.

ALL HANDS ON DECK

Eight Terrapins are averaging over 14.0 minutes per game.

The Terrapins have had six different starting lineups through 27 games this season.

Maryland's bench averages 24.4 points per game to their opponents' 18.1. The Terrapins' bench has outscored its opponents' bench in 18 of the 27 games this season.

TEAM TYLER

In September, Coach Frese's two-year old son, Tyler Thomas, was diagnosed leukemia.

To help with leukemia awareness, a group of former Maryland players from the 2006 national championship team, including Marissa Coleman, Shay Doron, Laura Harper and Kristi Toliver, are starting a foundation called Team Tyler.

Some of the Terps' opponents this year, including the coaches from Purdue, the SAC from Loyola, the coaches at UMBC and Duke, as well as Georgia Tech, have made contributions to Team Tyler.

The Terrapins will be wearing green ribbons on their warmup shirts this season in honor of leukemia awareness.

For more information on the Team Tyler Foundation, log onto TeamTylerFoundation.com.

TOUGH PLACE TO PLAY

Comcast Center was recently named one of the country's top ten toughest places to play. No other ACC school made the top ten.

The Terps have won 83.10 percent of their games in Comcast Center (123-25) since it opened in 2002.

Maryland has led the ACC in attendance since 2007.

-Terps-

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#25 Marissa Coleman: G/F; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#22 Shay Doron: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#15 Laura Harper: F/C; 6' 4"; Junior

#20 Kristi Toliver: G; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#12 Lynetta Kizer: C; 6' 4"; Freshman

#13 Alicia DeVaughn: C; 6' 4"; Freshman

#1 Laurin Mincy: G; 6' 0"; Freshman

#24 Diandra Tchatchouang: F; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#25 Alyssa Thomas: F; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#25 Marissa Coleman
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G/F

#22 Shay Doron
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#15 Laura Harper
: 6' 4"; Junior
: F/C

#20 Kristi Toliver
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: G

#12 Lynetta Kizer
: 6' 4"; Freshman
: C

#13 Alicia DeVaughn
: 6' 4"; Freshman
: C

#1 Laurin Mincy
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: G

#24 Diandra Tchatchouang
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: F

#25 Alyssa Thomas
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: F