Nov. 14, 2009
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The 39th season of Maryland women's basketball officially began Saturday night as the 21st-ranked Terrapins cruised to an 88-39 win over North Carolina Central at Comcast Center. Sophomore Lynetta Kizer posted a new career-high with 23 points in the opening win.
Maryland (1-0) opened with a 3-pointer from senior Lori Bjork nine seconds into the game and never looked back. Halfway through the first period, the Terrapins led 24-6. Ten of Kizer's 23 points came in the first half, as did five of her eight boards, which led the Terps to a 41-20 lead at the break.
Midway through the second half, the lead had grown to 32, as Maryland led 63-31, thanks in large part to Kizer's last 13 points. Freshman guard Dara Taylor had three assists in each half and fellow freshman Essence Townsend blocked three shots in the second period and four total. Townsend also led the team in rebounding with nine.
Four Terrapins scored in double figures. Besides Kizer's game-high 23 points, freshman Tianna Hawkins added 15, Diandra Tchatchouang scored 11 and Bjork finished with 10. The Terps forced the Eagles (0-1) to turn the ball over 27 times, including 16 in the first half. The 27 forced turnovers are the most since the Terps caused 27 Nov. 12, 2006 against George Mason.
The Terps led by as many as 49 points in the contest, the final margin of victory. The 49-point victory was the largest since the Terps knocked off Clemson by 64 points, 110-46, Jan. 6, 2008.
This was the two schools' first-ever meeting and the Terps improved their home winning streak to 37 straight games.
Joanna Miller led the Eagles with 15 points.
Maryland returns to Comcast Center at 7 p.m. Monday to play New Hampshire.
-Go Terps-
