March 31, 2006
STATS Writer
North Carolina has already avenged its only loss of the season. To reach the national championship game, the Tar Heels will have to find a way to beat Maryland again as the ACC rivals meet Sunday night.
The Tar Heels (33-1) had their 24-game winning streak to open the season ended by the Terps (32-4) on Feb. 9, as Maryland forced overtime on a 3-pointer at the buzzer and went on to win 98-95 at Chapel Hill. The loss snapped Carolina's 30-game home win streak.
North Carolina exacted revenge in the ACC tournament final March 5, knocking off Maryland 91-80. Already plenty familiar with each other, the teams meet for the third time this season with a berth in the title game on the line.
"We both have our scouting reports already done," North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell said.
The Tar Heels are in their first Final Four since winning the 1994 national championship. North Carolina made it to Boston with a 75-63 win over Tennessee in the Cleveland Regional final Tuesday night.
The Heels got a big lift from their smallest player, as 5-foot-6 star guard Ivory Latta scored nine of her team's final 11 points.
Latta, the ACC player of the year and most outstanding player of the Cleveland Regional, finished with 20 points, nine assists and four steals. She played all 40 minutes.
"We're the No. 1 team in the nation," Latta said, "and tonight we showed it."
Latta, named a first-team All-American on Tuesday, is averaging 20.0 points and 6.5 assists in the tournament. She scored 47 points in the two games against Maryland this season.
"She's our heart and soul," Hatchell said. "Her spirit and enthusiasm are what drives us."
After shooting a season-worst 1-for-11 from 3-point range in their 70-68 regional semifinal win over Purdue last Sunday, the Tar Heels went 8-for-20 from beyond the arc against Tennessee.
North Carolina made just two of 15 3s against the Terps in the ACC championship game. Latta, a 41.6 percent shooter from 3-point range this season, went 1-of-7.
The Tar Heels have not lost to Maryland twice in a season since 1992-93, and have won 21 of the last 26 meetings.
Maryland returned to the Final Four for the first time since 1989 by defeating Utah 75-65 in overtime Monday night.
The Terps allowed the Utes to rally from nine points down to force overtime, but as Maryland showed in the victory over North Carolina, it's at its best when having to play an extra period. The Terps improved to 5-0 in overtime games this season, outscoring Utah 12-2 in the additional five minutes.
"Our confidence in overtime is out of this world," said sophomore forward Laura Harper, who scored six points in the extra period. "I think everybody on this team knew we'd be flying through the overtime."
Maryland has outscored opponents 67-32 in overtime this season.
Freshman Kristi Toliver set career highs with 28 points and six 3-pointers for the Terps on Monday, and Crystal Langhorne added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Langhorne, a sophomore, was named the most outstanding player of the Albuquerque Regional and was named to the All-America second team.
Maryland's top scorer with 17.2 points per game, Langhorne leads a young team that starts one junior, two freshmen and another sophomore.
"What makes this team so special is the fact that they don't take any of it for granted," Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. "They understand the big picture. There is no guarantee for us next year. They understand that."
The Terrapins are the second-highest scoring team in the nation at 83.5 points per game. North Carolina is third at 82.6.
Maryland has won 10 of its last 11 games, with the only loss coming to the Tar Heels. All four of Maryland's losses this season came against teams ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the Top 25.
"I wanted a rematch with North Carolina," Harper said. "I want to beat the best competition so we can get some respect."
