Nov. 23, 2003
Box Score|
Quotes
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Senior Crystal Washington recorded career highs with 18 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Maryland women's basketball team to an 82-74 win over Niagara on Sunday afternoon at Comcast Center. The Terps sweep the weekend opener, going 2-0, while the Purple Eagles fell to 0-1.
Washington (Clinton, Md./Bishop McNamara) scored the Terps' first eight points of the game, giving Maryland its biggest lead of the half, 8-4. Niagara took over the lead, 9-8, on a Eva Cunningham three pointer and a Jessica Kemp layup. The Purple Eagles were ahead for most of the half, putting together an 8-0 run to claim their biggest lead of the game, 22-15. But the Terps remained within reach, however, going on a 10-2 run and taking the lead at 25-24 with 6:33 remaining. Another tie and two more lead changes occurred in the final minutes and the Terps went ahead, 33-31, on a Washington jumper with 1:42 remaining. Maryland never looked back, taking a five-point lead at the break, 38-32. Washington led all players with 12 points and six rebounds at the half, while the team shot 53.3 percent. Sophomore Charmaine Carr (Accokeek, Md./Gwynn Park) was perfect from the field in the half, going 3-for-3 and ending the game with eight points.
After the break, the Terps netted the first six points to build the largest margin of the game, 46-33. The Purple Eagles trimmed the deficit to on an Ana Mimm three pointer at the 2:33 mark. A couple of freshman Kalika France (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) free throws pushed the advantage back up to seven, 75-68. Niagara's Eva Cunningham's layup brought the Purple Eagles to within five with 1:35 remaining in the game, sophomore Chrissy Fisher (Rumson, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven) answered with a layup and the Terps sealed the win, going 5-for-6 from the charity stripe down the stretch.
Washington's career-high 18 points came on 7-for-10 shooting and Fisher added 14, shooting 6-for-8 from the floor. France ended the game with 13 points, including a 6-for-8 performance from the free throw line. The Terps were 85 percent from the free throw line as a team, going 17-for-20.
Niagara was led by a pair of 20-point scorers. Colleen Toetz tallied a game-high 24 points, while teammate Cunningham added 20.
Maryland hosts the annual Terrapin Classic on Fri.-Sat., Nov. 28-29. UMES and Louisiana Lafayette square off at 1 p.m. on Nov. 28, followed by the Terps and Sacred Heart at 3:30 p.m. The losers of both games play on at 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 29 and the tournament champion will be decided at 3:00 p.m.
-- TERPS --
