Feb. 24, 2005
Box Score |
Quotes
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
No. 23/22 Maryland women's basketball could not overcome a 48-39 first-half deficit and eventually fell to Virginia Tech, 87-79, in the Terps' ACC regular season finale at Comcast Center. Freshman Crystal Langhorne, who sat out much of the first half because of foul trouble, had 17 points and 15 rebounds in the second period and ended with 19 points and 16 boards for her ACC-leading 13th double-double of the season.
The Terps (18-8, 7-7 ACC) finish with a .500 record in the ACC for the second-straight season, the first time they have posted back-to-back non-losing conference seasons since 1992-93 and 1993-94. Seedings for the ACC Tournament will be determined at the conclusion of the ACC regular season on Monday, Feb. 28.
Maryland did not have trouble scoring, shooting 47.4 percent in the game. But it had trouble containing the Hokies' (16-10, 5-8 ACC) attack which shot 57.6 percent from the field, including 60.6 percent in the first half. The Terps also had trouble taking care of the ball, turning it over 24 times. VT took advantage of those miscues, scoring 27 points off those opportunities.
After senior Anesia Smith (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield) scored Maryland's first two buckets of the game, giving the Terps a 4-2 lead, Virginia Tech (16-10, 5-8) responded with back-to-back layups and never trailed the rest of the game.
The Terps fell behind in the first half, 20-12, but a 17-9 run tied the game, 29-29, with 6:55 remaining in the period. The Hokies, however, came back with a 15-4 streak to claim its biggest lead of the half, 44-33. Free throws in the final two minutes of the half, four coming from sophomore Kalika France (Forestville, Md./Bisop McNamara) and two from classmate Shay Doron (Great Neck, N.Y./Christ the King) kept the game within reach and the teams headed into the locker rooms with VT on top, 48-39.
In the second half, the Hokies extended its lead to 13 points, 63-50, on a Roshana Jackson layup. The Terps got as close as nine on two occassions, that last time at 7:23 with two Langhorne (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro) free throws. But VT pushed its lead back up to 13 at 75-62 with less than five minutes left to play in the game.
Maryland would not give up, however, battling to within 79-75 with 2:40 left but could not get any closer. The Hokies hit six free throws to end the game and hold off the Terrapins' comeback.
Langhorne, who has struggled from the free throw line this season, was 9-for-12 from the charity stripe en route to 19 points. Doron was perfect from the line, hitting on all seven attempts to finish with 20 points and five rebounds. France was also a perfect 6-for-6 and added 14 points. Freshman Jade Perry (Central City, Ky./Muhlenberg North) had 10 points.
The Terps close out the regular season hosting Northern Colorado on Monday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. That night also marks the final regular season home games for seniors Smith and Liz Gilchrest (Sharpshurg, Md.) who will both be honored prior to the start of the contest.
-TERPS-
