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No. 4 Terps take on No. 3 North Carolina
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College Park (Map, News) - Maryland senior forward Crystal Langhorne acknowledges plenty of points will be scored when her No. 4 Terrapins play at No. 3 North Carolina this afternoon at 1 in Carmichael Auditorium in a game between two of the nation’s most potent attacks.
But Langhorne doesn’t believe one of the Terrapins’ biggest games in Atlantic Coast Conference play will be decided by which team plays better offensively.
“Everyone knows us and North Carolina likes to score,” she said. “It’s going to be a high-paced, up-tempo game and it’s going to come down to defense and rebounding.”
The Terrapins (22-1, 6-0 ACC) and Tar Heels (17-2, 4-0) are the top two scoring teams in the ACC and two of the top three scoring teams in the nation. Maryland is third nationally in Division I, averaging 82.5 points per game, with North Carolina averaging a national-best 89.4.
Maryland has won its past 12 games, including a dramatic, 99-95 double-overtime victory Sunday over Georgia Tech. North Carolina is coming off an 82-71 non-conference loss at top-ranked Connecticut on Monday.
Still, North Carolina is confident — and it should be. The Tar Heels swept a pair of games from the Terrapins last season, including a victory in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. North Carolina, which has won 23 of its past 29 games against the Terrapins, has five players who average in double figures, led by guard Rashanda McCants (16.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and forward La Toya Pringle (12.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg). North Carolina’s top post player, senior forward Erlana Larkins, who averages a team-high 8.4 rebounds per game, played against Connecticut with a broken hand.
Maryland, however, has four players who average at least 10 points per game, led by guard Kristi Toliver (16.9 ppg, 7.7 apg) and forward Marissa Coleman (16.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg).
The Tar Heels have won their past 17 straight home games dating to last season, but Maryland’s last trip to Chapel Hill two years ago was a memorable one. That’s when the Terrapins ended then-top-ranked North Carolina’s bid at an undefeated season by pulling out a 98-95 victory in overtime after Ashleigh Newman tied the game in regulation with a three-pointer as time expired.
“The last time we went down there, we won,” Maryland senior center Laura Harper said. “This is going to be the toughest competition we’ve gotten in a while and a test to see where we are as a team.”
rsnyder@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
9:10 AM MST on Sat., Dec. 22, 2007 re: "Terps hanging with most opponents"
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7:06 AM MST on Thu., Nov. 29, 2007
re: "Terps top Illinois, 69-61"
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Examiner Reader said:
My unsolicited advice to coach Williams would be to consider recruiting a few guys who can shoot the basketball instead of just athletes who can run the floor. Maryland has become viewed as team that can only make dunks and layups.
101 agree | 107 disagree
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Don said:
Geeez finally a sports TEAM in Maryland that won a game!!!!!
87 agree | 100 disagree
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