March 26, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
No. 1 seed Maryland (32-3) defeated No. 8 seed Nebraska (21-12), 76-64, Tuesday night during second-round action in the 2008 NCAA women's basketball tournament.
Postgame Notes
• Maryland is now 23-15 all-time in NCAA Tourament history, 5-1 as a No. 1 seed.
• Maryland evened its record to 7-7 in NCAA second-round games.
• With the victory over Nebraska, Maryland is now 4-0 over Big 12 schools in NCAA Tournament play.
• Maryland has now won 31 straight non-conference home games.
• With the win, Maryland tied an NCAA record for most home wins in a season with 21, tying UNLV's mark set in 1978-79.
• This is the second Maryland team Brenda Frese has led to the Sweet Sixteen. Frese also led the Terps to the Sweet Sixteen in 2006 national championship season.
• Nebraska drops to 3-8 in NCAA Tournament play all-time. They have never advanced beyond the second round.
• Nebraska falls to 3-12 when trailing at the half. They trailed Maryland 34-33 at intermission tonight.
• Nebraska had 13 assists compared to 10 for Maryland. Nebraska drops to 19-2 when they have more assists than their opponents this season.
• Maryland junior Marissa Coleman reached 1,500 points during the first half against Nebraska. She is one of only nine players to reach that plateau for Maryland.
• Coleman scored 19 points for her 30th double-figure game of the season and 86th of her career.
• Coleman made four free throws to break the single-season record for free throws made with 159. Coleman also moved into fourth with 195 free throws attempted this season.
• Coleman moved in sixth place in NCAA Tournament points for Maryland with 124 in her career.
• Maryland junior Kristi Toliver scored 19 points, reaching double figures for the 31st game this season and 79th of her career. It is the eighth straight NCAA Tournament game she has reached that mark.
• Toliver attempted her 500th three-point-shot in Maryland career in the first half. She is only the second player to attempt that many at Maryland. Toliver is also the Terps' career leader in three-pointers made with 206.
• Maryland senior Crystal Langhorne scored 18 points to reach double figures for the 27th time this season and 123rd time in her career.
• Langhorne became the first Maryland player to eclipse the 2,200 career point mark, scoring 18 to bring her total to 2,206.
• Langhorne also grabbed 12 rebounds, the 15th time this season she has reached double-figure rebounds and the 62nd time in her career.
• With 18 points and 12 rebounds, Langhorne achieved her 15th double-double of the year and 59th of her career. It's her sixth double-double in NCAA Tournament play.
• Crystal Langhorne and Ashleigh Newman have now played in 12 NCAA Tournament games for Maryland in their careers, tying them with Shay Doron for most in school history.
• Langhorne has now tied the record for most minutes played in the NCAA Tournament in Maryland history with 407, tying Shay Doron's record.
• Nebraska sophomore Yvonne Turner scored 23 points in the game, a new career high. Her previous best was 18 points, which she last accomplished against Oklahoma State on Feb. 10, 2008.
• Turner's 23 points is tied for the third-most scored by a Nebraska player in its NCAA Tournament history.
• For Turner, the eight field goals made set a career high. Her five three-pointers also set a new career high.
• Turner's five three-pointers are the most any Husker has ever registered in an NCAA Tournament game.
• This is only the second time in Turner's career that she has been the high scorer for the Huskers. She twice was tied for the high mark, but was only alone atop the Huskers' scoreboard on January 16, 2008 when she scored 18 against Oklahoma.
• Turner's 23 points gave her double figures for the 12th time in her career. All 12 times have come this season. She has scored in double figures in three of the last four games.
• Nebraska senior Danielle Page extends her single-season blocks record to 78 with two blocks today.
• Nebraska junior Kelsey Griffin grabbed seven rebounds, giving her 665 in her career. She has moved into seventh place on the Huskers' all-time list, passing Charlie Rogers (659 from 1997-00) and Angie Miller (661 from 1984-87).
Maryland Quotes
Head Coach Brenda Frese
Opening statement
"This is a very special win for our team and our program. I am so proud of my team to go undefeated at home and show the toughness that they displayed tonight against a very good Nebraska team. I'm very proud of how we were able to keep our poise and composure throughout that stretch in the second half. We're excited to be leaving College Park and going out to Spokane."
On Marissa's play and her hot scoring stretch in the second half:
"I knew at some point Marissa was going to be able to turn it on. It's a credit to Marissa hanging tough. I really thought it started with her defense, which transferred into her offense. She's a big emotional leader for us and she gives us a ton of energy."
On Nebraska's future:
"Their future is extremely bright only losing one senior. There was no quit in Nebraska. They're physical, athletic and have a lot of great team depth. I think what Connie has done is phenomenal especially with that kind of youth. She has great years ahead of her with those players."
On whether this game was more mentally challenging than physically challenging:
"Mentally from our end it was going to be a big hurdle for us because this is the round we were knocked out in last year. I thought mentally we had to keep this team in a great place with their confidence level and knowing they could achieve success tonight. I felt like that was going to be a big obstacle and I also knew that Nebraska was really good."
On Maryland's second half rebounding effort:
"We were tentative on the glass in the first half because Nebraska was so aggressive in its transition game so we got real hesitant on the glass. We talked about it at halftime of how we were going to solve our transition defense as well as getting back on the glass."
On Maryland's first half shot selection:
"I thought we weren't shot ready, but that was a credit to Nebraska's defense. I thought they made us take really difficult shots. That was a credit to Nebraska of how they defended us."
Junior forward Marissa Coleman
On her scoring stretch in the second half:
"In the first half, I wasn't playing as well as I'd like to. Coach B. kept pulling me aside and motivating me. We wanted to get out of College Park. That's all we've kept talking about. I was getting the ball in the right places and being aggressive. I definitely think my defense helped my offense."
On wrapping the season unbeaten at home and returning to the Sweet 16:
"I don't think you are going to find a happier team than us to be in the Sweet 16. This was the round we got knocked out in last year and this was kind of a hump for us to get over. We've talked about it all week that our goal wasn't to get to the Final Four, but to get out of College Park and take it step by step."
On the play of Jade Perry and Ashleigh Newman
"Jade and Ashleigh played so well for us tonight. They've been such a pivotal part of this program. For them to come in and step up for us was huge. Ashleigh sparked us on defense and she usually gets us going."
On Nebraska's first half defense:
"They were extremely aggressive and denying the guards the ball. They made it difficult for us, but we fought through it, played Maryland basketball and came out with the victory."
Senior center Crystal Langhorne
On outrebounding Nebraska 28-13 in the second half:
"Our coaches always stress rebounding and that's one of our strengths. That's what we focused on in the second half."
On Nebraska's defense:
"The coaches told me they were going to have a great scouting plan against us, but we have a great team. Everybody did their part and we did a good job of scoring in the first half."
On the play of Jade Perry and Ashleigh Perry:
"This was our last game playing here and we were talking about it before the game. We wanted to put everything out there and that's what we did. Jade and Ashleigh just played a great game tonight."
Nebraska Quotes
Head Coach Connie Yori (Nebraska)
Opening Statement:
"They did a lot of things in the second half the enabled them to pull away from us. Their rebounding in the second half was a huge part of their ability to get a double-digit lead at the end. I thought our players played really hard and competed like crazy. This is a very difficult place to play, especially playing the No.1 seed on their home court."
On the difference maker in the second half:
"Coleman had such a great start to the second half. She is a difficult kid to match with and Tolliver does a great job controlling the game and getting Maryland in their sets. We are not as big or physical as they are and the rebounding part is what it really boiled down to."
Sophomore guard Yvonne Turner
On Maryland's physical play:
"We knew we had to be physical and experienced a few breakdowns that hurt us.
Junior forward Kelsey Griffin
On Nebraska's feeling they could possibly get a win on Maryland's floor:
"We came into the game feeling we were capable of winning. We had a goal for every media timeout to not look at the whole game but look at the game in chunks. Maryland made some tough plays down the stretch and outrebounding us was a key."
