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Women's Hoops Opens Postseason, 1-0

Terps secure No. 7 seed for ACC Tourney.

February 22, 1999

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland Terrapins open the 22nd Annual ACC Women's Basketball Tournament on Friday evening at 6 p.m. against Wake Forest, in what is a battle of tied seventh-place teams.

Maryland downed Georgia Tech 92-79 on Sunday afternoon to move into a tie with the Demon Deacons at 3-13 in the ACC standings. A coin flip on Sunday evening gave the Terps the #7 seed in the tournament, and the right to wear their home, white uniforms when they face the Deacs again on Friday night.

Maryland, 6-20 overall, and Wake Forest, 7-19, split their two meetings this season with each team winning on the other's home floor. Maryland dropped a 65-47 decision at Cole Field House on Dec. 13 prior to the return to the lineup of junior point guard Tiffany Brown and senior forward Kelley Gibson. With Brown and Gibson back in the lineup, however, the Terps won a hard-fought 68-66 nailbiter against the Deacons in Winston-Salem on Feb. 6.

Excluding Wake's win in College Park with Brown and Gibson absent, each of the last three Maryland-Wake Forest games have all been decided by just two points or in overtime.

Friday's game can be heard on Maryland's campus radio station, WMUC (650-AM and 88.1-FM). Friday evening's winner advances to face 17th-ranked and second-seeded Virginia on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

Here is a look at the Terrapins' season heading into the ACC Tournament:

1998-99 At A Glance

  • Minus a point guard and its only senior, and relying almost solely on six freshmen in the first games of their college careers, MARYLAND began the 98-99 campaign 0-8 to mostly unranked, local competition.

  • With the return of point guard Tiffany Brown and senior guard/forward Kelley Gibson, the TERPS rebounded to raise its scoring average from 48.3 in the first eight games to 65.1 in its last 18.

  • In its first eight games, MARYLAND was 0-6 against unranked teams. Since the return of Brown and Gibson on Dec. 22, the TERPS finished the regular season 6-4 against unranked teams and 6-12 overall.

  • MARYLAND enjoyed a 5-6 home mark since the return of Brown & Gibson while welcoming to Cole Field House better crowds than a year ago, despite its record.

  • MARYLAND welcomed its two largest crowds of the year (2,817 vs. North Carolina, 3,124 vs. Georgia Tech) in its final two home dates, despite its record. MARYLAND's average attendance in ACC home games (1,797) was actually greater than on the floors of its ACC opponents (1,784) where four of eight league foes are in the Top 25.

  • In MARYLAND's last 10 regular season ACC games, the TERPS either led or were tied during stretches of the second half, or clawed to within three points in the final four minutes of every contest.

  • MARYLAND trailed North Carolina by 30 at the half in their first meeting, and by just three in the second. Maryland trailed Duke by 20 at the break on Jan. 2, but a month later in Durham, were tied at the half. After losing by 41 to Clemson in December, MARYLAND watched the Tigers escape from only a five-point lead with 3:03 to play. Virginia bested the TERPS by just six in Charlottesville, and clung to only a three-point lead with 3:13 remaining in College Park. The TERPS lost by 18 to Wake Forest at home in December, but rallied to beat the Deacs by a deuce on the road in February.

  • Before the return of Brown and Gibson, MARYLAND very nearly two turnovers for every assist. Since their return, the TERPS commit just 1.2 turnovers for every assist.

  • MARYLAND's freshman still have been vital to the TERPS' late-season success as Deedee Warley bids to become just the fourth freshman in MARYLAND history to lead the team in scoring. March Strickland is the only player to start every game for the TERPS this season. Ginji Perry is typically the first or second player off the bench.

  • Warley earned ACC Rookie of the Week accolades on three occasions while recording double-figure points in 18 games.

  • Before the return of Brown and Gibson, Branka Bogunovic was MARYLAND's only player that had ever averaged two points or played 10 minutes per game.

  • Bogunovic has continued to show progress during her third college season. She posted eight double- double performances through the regular season while playing in every game, starting 21 and averaging 11.7 points, 7.1 boards and 23.2 minutes.