University of Maryland Athletics

Women's Basketball Hosts Terrapin Classic

Terps welcome Coppin State, UMass and Richmond.

December 27, 1998

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Monday, Dec. 28
Gm1- Richmond (2-6) vs. Massachusetts (5-7), 4:30

Gm 2- Coppin State (4-4) vs. Maryland (0-9), 6:30

Tuesday, Dec. 29
Gm 3- Consolation Game, 5:30

Gm 4- Championship Game, 7:30

Game Facts and Coverage
#10 - Coppin State at Maryland
Date: Monday, Dec. 28
Time: 6:30 p.m.

#11 - Maryland vs. Richmond or Massachusetts
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 29
Time: 5:30 or 7:30 p.m.

Site: First National Bank of Maryland Court at Cole Field House (14,500)
Radio: All Maryland games in the Terrapin Classic can be heard on WMUC Radio, 650-AM and 88.1-FM, and on the Internet at www.wmuc.umd.edu.(Brett Molina, Adam Gantman, Paul Monusky)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - After a holiday break from action, Maryland hosts Coppin State, Massachusetts and Richmond in women's basketball tournament action on Dec. 28 and 29 at First National Bank of Maryland Court at Cole Field House. The host Terrapins battle cross-state rival Coppin State at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, following the tournament opener featuring Richmond and UMass at 4:30. Consolation and championship games take place on Tuesday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Bearing its third name in its seventh consecutive season, the Terrapin Classic welcomes three new participants to this year's field. Coppin State, UMass and Richmond hope to join Maryland, Southern California (1985), Penn State (1994) and Washington (1993) as champions of the annual tournament. Beginning with non-consecutive tournaments in 1985 and 1989, the tourney became an annual event in 1992 and has run consecutively ever since. The host Terrapins have played for the championship in every edition and have won five times.

Tournament highlights include a two-game, 59-point MVP effort by Cheryl Miller in the very first Maryland Invitational Tournament, and a Maryland title with three ranked teams in the 1989 tournament. In 1992, No. 6 Maryland upended No. 1 Tennessee in the championship to mark the Terps' third victory ever against a top-ranked opponent. The tournament was regarded as the Dial Soap Classic from 1993 through 1997. Year-by-year results:

Year  Championship Game               3rd Place          4th Place
1985  So. California 76, Maryland 54  St. Joseph's       Bucknell
1989  Maryland 65, Long Beach St. 50  St. Joseph's       UMBC
1992  Maryland 77, Tennessee 72       George Washington  Howard
1993  Washington 56, Maryland 55      Loyola (Md.)       UMES
1994  Maryland 68, Butler 64          George Mason       William & Mary
1995  Penn State 83, Maryland 66      Bowling Green      Mount St. Mary's
1996  Maryland 61, SW Texas St. 49    Radford            San Diego State
1997  Maryland 59, Howard 48          Hartford           Mississippi Valley St.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Terps play 10 games this season against teams currently ranked in national top 25 polls. Maryland plays 13 against teams at least receiving votes. None of the Terrapin Classic teams are ranked. This week's rankings:

AP (Dec. 21)         ESPN/USA Today (Dec. 21)
 6. North Carolina    6. North Carolina
11. Clemson          11. Clemson
12. Penn State       13. Rutgers
15. Rutgers          15. Penn State
16. Duke             20. Duke
23. Virginia         23. Virginia

Others: NC State, Western Michigan

Weller is 4-1 vs. the Terrapin Classic field though she has never faced Massachusetts. The Terps under Weller are 3-0 vs. Coppin State and 1-1 vs. Richmond.

Against the field of coaches, Weller is 0-1 lifetime, facing only Richmond's Bob Foley. Then at Providence, Foley upended the Terrapins 77-75 in an NCAA East Regional semifinal at Providence on March 18, 1990.

Coppin State's Jennie Hall (Rutgers '83) is 4-4 (.500) in her first season overall, and with the Eagles. Massachusetts' Joanie O'Brien (Penn State '86) is 110-103 (.516) in her seventh season as a college head coach, all with the Minutewomen. Richmond's Bob Foley (Villanova '74) is 30-32 (.483) in his third season with the Spiders. He is 236-159 (.597) in his 14th season overall, including an 11-year stint at Providence in which he guided the Friars to four conference championships and five trips to the NCAA Tourney. His 1990 Friars were ranked No. 11 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen where they eliminated Maryland.

SERIES HISTORY
The Terps are 3-0 vs. Coppin State, last meeting four years ago on Dec. 7, 1994 when the Terps downed the Eagles, 74-56, at Cole Field House. All three previous meetings have taken place at Cole, all during the '90s. Maryland is 1-1 against Richmond, splitting a pair of meetings in 1990 and 1991. The Spiders bested the Terps 79-69 in College Park on Nov. 27, 1990. On Nov. 26 the following year, Maryland outlasted UR, 74-56, in Richmond. Maryland and Massachusetts have never met in women's basketball.

NEXT GAMES
Following the Classic, Maryland resumes play in the ACC, hosting Duke on Jan. 2 and traveling to Virginia and North Carolina on Jan. 8 and 10.

RADIO/TV SCHEDULE
Seventeen Maryland women's basketball games are carried on live radio this season between the Maryland/Learfield Network with WBAL (1090-AM) in Baltimore as the flagship station, and campus radio station WMUC (650-AM and 88.1-FM).

The Terps appear on four regionally televised games during the ACC season beginning with a Jan. 21 date at Georgia Tech. Subsequent dates include Maryland at Duke on Feb. 1, Virginia at Maryland on Feb. 8, and Maryland at NC State on Feb. 15.

Remaining games on the Terrapin radio/TV broadcast schedule:

Dec. 28  Coppin State       WMUC
Dec. 29  Terrapin Classic   WMUC
Jan. 2   Duke               WMUC
Jan. 8   at Virginia        Learfield Network
Jan. 14  NC State           WMUC
Jan. 17  Florida State      WMUC
Jan. 21  at Georgia Tech    FOXSS-TV
Jan. 28  Clemson            WMUC
Feb. 1   at Duke            RSN-TV
Feb. 3   Morgan State       WMUC
Feb. 8   Virginia           WMUC/RSN-TV
Feb. 11  North Carolina     WMUC
Feb. 15  at NC State        RSN-TV
Feb. 21  Georgia Tech       WMUC

FOXSS-TV denotes FOX Sports South
RSN-TV denotes Home Team Sports, FOX Sports South and Sunshine Network.

TERP PROMOTIONS
Upcoming promotions include Big Brother and Big Sister Night on Monday, Dec. 28 when the Terps host Coppin State on the first night of the Terrapin Classic. All Big Brother and Big Sister chapters in the metro D.C. area are invited to participate.

Maryland's Jan. 2 date with Duke is tabbed as WNBA Day and Maryland Alumni Day. Washington Mystics star Nikki McCray will appear for postgame autographs, along with the hopeful appearance of former Terps and current Charlotte Sting teammates Vicky Bullett and Sonia Chase. Maryland alumni, as well as participants in county recreational basketball leagues throughout the state of Maryland, receive group ticket discounts.

Information or additional group tickets may be obtained by calling the Maryland sports marketing office at 301-314-5252.

TERRAPIN FANPHONE
Information on Maryland athletics and a recap of every Maryland men's and women's basketball game can be obtained by calling the Terrapin Fanphone at 301-314-TERP.

1998-99 ACC Standings

              ACC            Overall
Teams         W   L   Pct.   W    L   Pct.
Clemson       2   0   1.000  10   0   1.000
No. Carolina  2   0   1.000  13   1   .929
Virginia      1   0   1.000   6   2   .750
Duke          1   0   1.000   8   4   .667
Georgia Tech  1   1   .500    6   3   .667
Wake Forest   1   1   .500    4   7   .364
Florida St.   0   2   .000    5   5   .500
NC State      0   2   .000    4   5   .444
Maryland      0   2   .000    0   9   .000

Tuesday, Dec. 29
Maryland hostsTerrapin Classic
Auburn at Virginia (Virginia Tournament)
NC State at St. Joseph's Hawk Classic
St. Francis (NY) at Georgia Tech (Atlanta Marriott Northwest Holiday Invitational)
George Mason at North Carolina
UMBC at Wake Forest

Wednesday, Dec. 30
Georgia Tech hosts Atlanta Marriott Northwest Holiday Invitational
UNC Greensboro at Clemson
Florida State at Georgia

Thursday, Dec. 31
Hampton at North Carolina

MARYLAND TERRAPINS PROBABLE LINEUP

	
PROBABLE STARTERS              Ht.   Yr.  Hometown             PPG  RPG  APG  Notes
F 42  Rosita Melbourne (9/6)   6-3   Fr.  Washington, D.C.     7.2  6.1  0.9  4th in ACC in blocked shots
F 45  Kelley Gibson (1/0)      5-11  Sr.  Easton, Md.         13.0  2.0  4.0  Lone senior, 9.4 career scoring average
C 55  Branka Bogunovic (9/8)   6-8   Jr.  Zemun, Serbia       13.0  7.2  0.0  14 points, 8 rebounds vs. Rutgers
G  3  Tiffany Brown (1/1)      5-6   Jr.  Clinton, Md.        11.0  1.0  7.0  11 points, 7 assists, 4 steals in debut
G 20  March Strickland (9/9)  5-9   Fr.  Kingston, Mass.      9.7  2.8  3.7  Only Terp to start all 9 games

TOP RESERVES                   Ht.   Yr.  Hometown             PPG  RPG  APG  Notes
G 25  Ginji Perry (8/1)        5-11  Fr.  Hyattsville, Md.     3.4  2.4  2.3  22.4 minutes per game, 11 steals
F 32  Antonieta Gabriel (8/6)  6-0   Jr.  Virginia Beach, Va.  1.3  5.6  3.4  Career-high 13 boards v. Wake Forest
F 33  Cara Ferris (9/7)        6-1   Jr.  Pensacola, Fla.      2.8  5.1  1.8  Leads team in steals, 3rd in rebounds
F 34  Deedee Warley (9/6)      6-2   Fr.  Fort Washington, Md. 8.6  4.6  1.8  11.2 points in last five games

TERPS IN THE CLASSIC
Maryland is 13-3 all-time in its holiday tournament, losing only to Southern California, Washington and Penn State in its only championship game defeats. The Terps have never lost a first round game.

ALMOST LIKE NIGHT AND DAY
Though last Tuesday's game with No. 15 Rutgers still resulted in a loss and 26 turnovers resulted in 30 points for the Scarlet Knights, the return to the Maryland lineup of Tiffany Brown (Clinton, Md.) and Kelley Gibson (Easton, Md.) provided a near "night and day" contrast to the season's first eight games.

Starting guards from a year ago, Brown and Gibson saw game action against Rutgers for the first time since last season, and immediately provided the Terps with improved ball movement and offensive execution.

Maryland shot 44 percent from the floor, registered 19 assists and scored a season-high 61 points.

"It was the best game we've played all year," said Chris Weller following the game. "We have a whole new substitution pattern now, and a whole new lineup."

Commented Rutgers coach Vivian Stringer, "Maryland will be successful when they get some rhythm and timing. When you are struggling without a point guard, that makes all the difference in the world. Maryland will definitely hurt somebody in January, and before the season is over. We were just lucky enough to come in here and play well enough to leave with a win."

3-STREAK SNAPPED
Buoyed by Tiffany Brown's three 3-pointers on nine attempts, Maryland scored its first 3-pointer in five games last Tuesday. Entering the Rutgers game, Maryland had gone four games without a trey, and had hit just one in six games.

Maryland's four 3-pointers against Rutgers fell just one shy of the team's total through its first eight games.

BROWN AND GIBSON RETURN
Last Tuesday's game with Rutgers marked the return of a pair of longtime Terrapin starters, Tiffany Brown and Kelley Gibson. Brown, out for academic reasons during the first semester, was cleared to play just a day earlier. Gibson, still rehabilitating from an ACL tear in September, played 27 minutes in a surprisingly early return to action. She was not expected to return until January, and could make her way into the starting lineup for the Terrapin Classic.

Against Rutgers, Brown played all 40 minutes while contributing 11 points, three 3-pointers, seven assists and three steals. Gibson tallied 13 points and four assists.

STARTING GUARD TANDEM
Combined, the Brown (32) and Gibson (41) tandem have started 73 games over the last two-plus seasons. Gibson has started 57 games during a five-year career that has been marked by three knee injuries.

CHECKING THE CHARTS
As Brown and Gibson return to the lineup this season, here's a look at where they rank among Maryland career leaders.

CAREER 3-POINT FIELD GOALS

                                   FGs
1.   Tiffany Brown, 1997-present   87
2.   Carla Holmes, 1988-91         75
3.   Lillian Purvis, 1994-97       39
4.   Kelley Gibson, 1995-present   36
5.   Limor Mizrachi, 1991-92       32

                                   Atts.
1.   Tiffany Brown, 1997-present   277
2.   Carla Holmes, 1988-91         199
3.   Kelley Gibson, 1994-present   157
4.   Lillian Purvis, 1994-97       130

                                          Pct.
 1.  Limor Mizrachi, 1991-92      32-77   .416
 2.  Terri Bradley, 1989-90       21-53   .396
 3.  Kim Bretz, 1995-97           26-66   .394
 6.  Aluma Goren, 1990-91         28-82   .341
 7.  Estelle Christy, 1989-92     21-63   .333
 8.  Tiffany Brown, 1997-present  87-277  .314
 9.  Lillian Purvis, 1994-97      39-130  .300
12.  Stephanie Cross, 1995-98     18-65   .277
13.  Kelley Gibson, 1995-present  36-157  .229

                                    Assists
 1.  Debbie Lytle, 1980-83          583
 2.  Tara Heiss, 1975-78            504
 3.  Deanna Tate, 1986, 88-89       500
10.  Karon Ferguson, 1992-95        294
11.  Dafne Lee, 1989-92             251
12.  Katrina Colleton, 1990-93      243
13.  Bonnie Rimkus, 1991-94         234
14.  Kelley Gibson, 1995-present    233
15.  Myra Waters, 1979-82           220

                                    Steals
 1.  Debbie Lytle, 1980-83          315
 2.  Sonia Chase, 1995-98           309
12.  Jessie Hicks, 1990-93          139
13.  Carla Holmes, 1988-91          125
14.  Edna Campbell, 1987-88         120
15.  Kelley Gibson, 1995-present    119

                                    Blocks
 1.  Kris Kirchner, 1977-80         186
 2.  Vicky Bullett, 1985-89         170
12.  Stephanie Cross, 1995-98        46
13.  Lydia McAiley, 1979-82          43
14.  Belinda Pearman, 1981-84        36
15.  Debbie Jones, 1976-78           35
16.  Kelley Gibson, 1995-present     34

Shooting Woes
Early evidence of their absence was poor shooting (55-152, .362, through three games) and ballhandling by a team comprised mostly of freshmen and almost exclusively by newcomers.

However - Maryland has rallied to shoot 40 percent or better in four of its last five games including a matching .481 clip vs. Howard and Western Michigan, and .444 against No. 15 Rutgers.

Turnovers
On the season, the Terps have collected 130 assists and recorded 239 turnovers (almost two turnovers per assist) in nine games. That is in contrast to Maryland opponents' more respectable 156 to 143 ratio.

But despite continuing turnovers - and considering a season-low 13 turnovers vs. Wake Forest - the Terps have become more proficient with their offense. Maryland players distributed just 31 assists, barely 10 per game, through its first three games. The Terps have averaged 16.5 (99) assists in their last six games.

                Shooting       Assists-Turnovers
First 3 games   55-152, .362   31-82  (1.0-2.6)
Next  5 games  109-263, .414   80-131 (1.0-1.6)
Last  1 game    24-54,  .444   19-26  (1.0-1.4)

What is impressive, on one hand, is that Maryland only has allowed 70.2 points per game despite repeatedly handing the ball back to its opponents. Clemson and Rutgers each scored 30 or more points off of Maryland turnovers.

LINEUP SHUFFLE
With the return of Brown and Gibson against Rutgers, Maryland initiated its sixth different starting lineup in nine games. A seventh new lineup is imminent during the Terrapin Classic with Gibson making her starting debut.

BOGUNOVIC DOUBLES
Junior center Branka Bogunovic, at 6-8 the tallest player in Maryland women's basketball history, has scored three double-doubles this season while leading the Terps in scoring, 13.0, and rebounding, 7.2.

She posted team-highs of 14 points and eight rebounds in the loss to Rutgers.

Bogunovic posted 12 points and 11 rebounds at No. 20 Penn State on Dec. 10. She smashed her career scoring high with 32 points vs. Western Michigan while adding 12 rebounds. She contributed highs of 21 points and 17 boards at Howard.

Bogunovic has led the Terps in scoring and rebounding, four times apiece.

Against WMU, she scored 22 points in the second half to help produce the best scoring effort by a Maryland player since Dafne Lee tied the school scoring mark with 39 points at Wake Forest on Feb. 16, 1990. Her 32-point effort tied Maryland's seventh best of all-time. She hit 16 field goals to fall two shy of Vicky Bullett's Maryland record of 18, and match what was then the best in the ACC this season.

Against Howard, Bogunovic scored Maryland's first three baskets and had 10 of the Terps' first 14 points. She shot 8 of 9 from the floor in the first half, alone, to help match her previous career high of 17 points.

IN THE PAINT
Certainly a strength of the young Terrapin club has been its inside game with the play of Bogunovic and newcomers Deedee Warley (Fort Washington, Md.), Rosita Melbourne (Washington, D.C.) and Cara Ferris (Pensacola, Fla.) - all of whom average over 4.5 rebounds per game. Returning junior Antonieta Gabriel (Virginia Beach, Va.) averages 5.6 rebounds including a career-high 13 against Wake Forest.

However, after Maryland outrebounded its first five opponents, the Terps have been outrebounded in four straight games against ACC or nationally-ranked opponents.

The Terps have outrebounded every unranked, non-conference opponent.

Ferris (13) and Melbourne (12) also registered double-digit rebounds for the Terps at Howard, adding to 17 by Bogunovic. Together, the trio shot 17 for 33 (52.5%) from the floor.

The same trio shot 12 for 20 (60%) vs. Hampton, with Melbourne shooting 6 of 7 for a career best 14 points.

Bogunovic, Ferris, Melbourne and Warley have combined to shoot 47.6 percent (131 of 275) for the season.

MORE FRESHMEN PAINT
Local freshmen Rosita Melbourne and Deedee Warley have commanded an inside presence in every game this season. Maryland has outrebounded its opponent in five of nine games, with Melbourne and Warley averaging 6.1 and 4.6 rebounds, respectively.

Warley was chosen the ACC Rookie of the Week following the Penn State and Wake Forest games with career bests of 18 and 12 points, respectively.

Since averaging 7.0 and 5.4 rebounds after five games, Melbourne and Warley have been held to 5.0 and 3.5 averages vs. ACC and ranked opponents in the last four games.

At Loyola, Melbourne and Warley scored nine of 10 Maryland points during a 10-4 run which brought the Terps back from a 33-28 deficit. Melbourne's jumper in the paint gave the Terps a brief 38-36 lead.

Melbourne is second on the Terps with 6.1 rebounds including a career-high 12 boards at Howard. She led the Terps with seven at Loyola, and matched eight by Branka Bogunovic vs. Rutgers.

FERRIS & THE FRESHMEN
Boasting six freshmen on the roster and missing returning starters Tiffany Brown and Kelley Gibson, the Terps obviously counting heavily on those half-dozen freshmen during the early season. Maryland newcomers, including JC transfer Cara Ferris, accounted for 74 percent of total minutes played.

   Player              Minutes  Points  Rebounds
   March Strickland   301      80       23
   Ginji Perry         164      27       18
   Rosita Melbourne    193      57       47
   Deedee Warley       210      69       36
   Ije Agba             53      15       11
   Marija Ilic          14       0        3
   Freshmen Totals     935     248      138
   % of Team Total     58%     64%      43%
   Cara Ferris         245      25      46
   Newcomer Totals    1180     273      184
   % of Team Total     74%     71%      58%

   MARYLAND TOTALS    1600     386      318

Counting Antonieta Gabriel as a "virtual" newcomer after a 1.4 point average in 8.1 minutes last season, "newcomers" averaged 87.5% of Maryland's minutes, 73.3% of scoring and 82.1% of rebounds during Maryland's first eight games.

FERRIS CONTRIBUTIONS
JC transfer Cara Ferris has not scored the most points nor pulled down the most rebounds, yet, for the Terps, but she has provided steady efforts in most of Maryland's eight games. A starter in seven games, Ferris is currently second on the club with 28.0 minutes per game. She leads the team with 17 steals and is third on the team in rebounds and shooting percentage.

She started, but played just seven minutes vs. Rutgers. Her playing time should decrease slightly with the return of Kelley Gibson.

GABRIEL ASSISTS & BOARDS
When the Terps have been successful in moving the ball into the frontcourt, Antonieta Gabriel has proven adept at directing the ball to Maryland's inside trio of Bogunovic, Melbourne and Warley. Gabriel dished a combined 17 assists vs. Western Michigan (10) and Hampton (7). She also is one of four Terps with 5.0 rebounds or better. She recorded a career-best 13 rebounds vs. Wake Forest.

Gabriel's 10 assists against Western Michigan were the most by a Maryland player since Karon Ferguson turned in 10 against NC State in a 71-63 win on Feb. 13, 1994. Gabriel's feat was the best by a forward or center since Bonnie Rimkus had 10 in the same season (Dec. 28, 1993) against Maryland-Eastern Shore.

Gabriel did not play against Rutgers and, like Cara Ferris, Gabriel may begin to play more of a spot role behind Kelley Gibson now that the senior has returned to the lineup.

FROM THE STRIPE
Maryland has shot just over 12 free throws per game, and made only 55 percent of those. Opponents have made 111 free throws compared to Maryland's 62.

March Strickland has been Maryland's top free throw shooter, netting 23 of 28 for 82.1 percent - third in the ACC.

In her first game of the year, Kelley Gibson shot a Maryland high nine free throw attempts vs. Rutgers. She made seven, for 77.8 percent.

NOT SUCH AN EASY BEGINNING
All four Maryland games to begin the regular season were against teams which advanced at least to their respective conference title games.

Maryland's first four opponents boasted a combined record of 83-31 (.728) from last season. The Terps opened against Southern Conference champion UNC Greensboro (21-9). A drive to Baltimore three nights later pitted the Terps against Loyola which upended Maryland last season in College Park en route to a 20-9 record and second place finish in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Crosstown rival and three-time NCAA participant Howard (23-7) downed the Terps on Nov. 20. Maryland fell to MEAC runner-up Hampton (19-5) last Tuesday.

BEST CLASS SINCE '85-86?
Not since the freshman campaign of current pros Deanna Tate and Olympian Vicky Bullett has Maryland welcomed a freshman class with as much promise. The Terps boasted seven freshmen out of 15 players in 1985-86, compared to six of 12 on this season's roster.

The '98-99 freshman class has been regarded as one of the top 20 classes in the country, and includes the 40th-rated prospect in Rosita Melbourne.

The '85-86 team finished 17-13 overall and just 6-8 in the ACC, but rebounded to win the sixth of Chris Weller's eight ACC tournament titles. Maryland fell to Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Different from the '85-86 team is this season's total dependence on those freshmen. Freshmen on the 1985-86 club totaled 46 starts through a 30-game season. So far after just eight games this year, Maryland freshmen have registered 21 starting assignments.

NOT JUST FRESHMEN, (VERY) LOCAL TOO
Maryland's bumper crop of freshmen includes a quartet of local stars that come widely regarded by local and national publications. Ije Agba, Rosita Melbourne, Ginji Perry and Deedee Warley all prepped at D.C.-area high schools and received All-Met honors by the Washington Post.

Melbourne arrives as potentially the best post athlete during Weller's tenure and was a highly regarded recruit nationally.

Perry was the All-Met Player of the Year in 1996-97. All played their high school ball within 20 minutes of the Maryland campus.

TERPS BY THE NUMBERS

1
Terp seniors that have played this season.

3
Only three classes of players under Chris Weller have failed to participate in at least one Sweet Sixteen appearance.

6
Terrapin starting lineups in 1998-99.

6
Six freshmen on the Maryland roster are the most since seven in 1985-86.

7
Assists by junior point guard Tiffany Brown in her 1998-99 debut vs. No. 15 Rutgers.

9
Freshman March Strickland is the only Terrapin to start all nine games this season.

8
The Terps have captured an unprecedented eight ACC championships.

9
Teams on the 1998-99 Terrapin schedule that qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament.

13
Maryland's 13 turnovers against Wake Forest shattered the club's previous season-low of 21 vs. Western Michigan.

11.2
Scoring average by Terp freshman Deedee Warley in her last five games. Her top scoring outputs came in consecutive games - 18 at Penn State and 12 vs. Wake Forest - to earn ACC Rookie of the Week honors on Dec. 14.

26.6
Chris Weller's young Terrapins, lacking experienced leadership and a true point guard, average 26.6 turnovers per game.

32
Points by Branka Bogunovic vs. WMU, ties the seventh-best effort in Terrapin history, and the most since 1990.

37.6
Average minutes by freshman guard March Strickland who has thrice played 40 minutes.

48.1
The Terrapins' shooting percentage against Hampton and Western Michigan (25 of 52 in both games) is Maryland's best of the year.

QUOTING COACH WELLER

On Rutgers game: "I thought was the best game we've played so far this year, but obviously a lot of it has to do with [Tiffany Brown and Kelley Gibson] sitting next to me. We have a whole new substitution pattern now, and a whole new lineup. Kelley will probably be moving into the starting lineup our next game. Things that we would normally be doing early in the season, we're doing now. I continue to stay impressed with our team in terms of the kind of people they've been. I think they've been very positive. It's been a very unusual season for us thus far, being without Kelley and Tiffany and being so young, and people playing out of position. Now, to start getting people back in their regular positions, it shows. We were a much better team tonight than we have been. We have a real strong sense of team. That's what I'm probably most pleased about."

Biggest difference with Kelley and Tiffany in the lineup: "Everything. The defense is better, we're attacking more offensively."

On treating Rutgers game almost like a preseason scrimmage: "No. We came in trying to win this game. We wanted to be the aggressors in this game. I thought in the first half we were. I thought in the second half though, at least in that small stretch, we let that get away from us."

On a glimmer of hope: "I've had great hope all year long, and I'm not letting anybody take that away from me or my team because I know we're going to be very good. We've had some highly unusual circumstances. People got the advantage of some early gifts. [Having Kelley and Tiffany return] is huge, even just in practice. The whole level of practice can come up ten notches. Our freshman class is one of the top 20 freshmen classes in the country, however, our freshman class has been thrown to the wolves with no experience on the court and having to play without a point guard. I don't care if they were all seniors, that is tough to do. People don't know how good these guys are going to be. Our freshman class is a good class."

On being difficult situation as a coach: "I keep hearing that. You hear so many different things, both good and bad. The one thing that I learned a long time ago is that when we were doing really, really well, it's not me. And when we're doing really, really bad, it's not me. It is a team thing. But also, I think it is real important to understand that I am a teacher rather than a 'coach.' I am very proud of being able to teach people, not just basketball. I like this team. I wasn't waiting for Dec. 22nd. I think everyday that practices are interesting. Sometimes, yes, I get a little annoyed, but for the most part you can see growth almost everyday. Sure you have your bad days, but this is the life of a coach. You want so bad for it to feel fun all the time. But I can't let myself get caught up with just winning and losing all the time. We're learning always. I wish we could have picked up a few wins early on, but we know we are always getting better."