Feb. 23, 2006
Box Score |
Quotes |
Notes |
Photo Gallery
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Crystal Langhorne had just reached the 1,000-point mark quicker than any player in Maryland history, and she was the last one to find out.
After Langhorne reached the milestone in the first half of fourth-ranked Maryland's 89-63 victory over Clemson on Thursday night, the public address announcer trumpeted the feat and teammate Jade Perry shouted, "Congratulations!"
"What are you talking about?" Langhorne replied.
Langhorne finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Maryland (25-3, 12-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) never trailed in handing Clemson its ninth straight defeat.
Langhorne, a 6-foot-2 sophomore center, has scored 1,010 points in 60 career games. She became the 22nd woman to reach the 1,000-point plateau at Maryland, and she did it four games sooner than the previous record-holder, junior guard Shay Doron.
Coming into the game, Langhorne had no idea how close she was to 1,000. Coach Brenda Frese made certain to keep it that way.
"I never want to tell a player when they're getting close to anything because I think sometimes you press too much and start thinking about it," Frese said. "I wanted it to be a nice surprise. Surprises are good. And it worked out that way."
Langhorne was presented a souvenir basketball to mark the occasion, but she appeared more delighted with the victory.
"That really doesn't matter," she said of her accomplishment. "We're winning games right now, we're fourth in the nation, and we're doing really well. That's what I care about."
The victory was the school-record 14th at home this season for the Terrapins, who completed the league schedule assured of a second-place tie -- their best finish in the ACC since 1993.
Marissa Coleman scored 19 of her 20 points in the first half, when Maryland built a 20-point lead.
Amanda Frist scored 16 points and D'Lesha Lloyd added 12 for Clemson (8-19, 2-11). The last-place Tigers haven't won since Jan. 15 and are 0-6 on the road in the ACC.
"It's hard to play against a team this good if you're not going to put in the effort, and I don't think we put in the effort needed to win," first-year coach Cristy McKinney said. "They're a great team and they shoot it awfully well, and even better when you give them great looks. We definitely gave them those great looks."
Coleman made her first five 3-point tries, and Maryland forced 14 turnovers in taking a 44-29 halftime lead.
"We played like a very unaware basketball team," McKinney said. "We knew Marissa was a threat with her shooting. Look at her stats. She shoots the 3 great. We just weren't aware, and to not be aware of a player that good is scary."
Coleman scored a layup off the opening tip, starting a run of 11 straight points by Maryland. Clemson committed five turnovers and missed three shots before Frist finally got the Tigers on the board.
It was 17-12 before Langhorne made a three-point play. She then topped the 1,000-point mark with a layup with 12:56 left in the half.
"To be able to score 1,000 points says a lot about her, her work ethic and the tremendous teammates she has around her," Frese said. "It couldn't happen to a better, more classy person."
Minutes later, Doron scored on a drive, Langhorne made a layup and Coleman sank a 3-pointer for a 13-point lead. After Clemson closed to 29-22, Coleman connected three times from beyond the arc during a 13-0 run that put the Terps up 42-22.
