The once-invincible armor of the Maryland women’s basketball team has suffered some serious damage this week.
The defending national champion Terps look to halt a two-game losing streak when they host Boston College (11-11, 1-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) Sunday afternoon at Comcast Center.
No. 4 Maryland (21-3, 5-3) comes into the game three days after Georgia Tech stunned them, 77-72, Thursday night in Atlanta. The losing streak is the Terps’ first since losing to Virginia and Virginia Tech on Feb. 20 and Feb. 24, 2005.
In Thursday’s loss, Maryland trailed by as many as 14 points to Georgia Tech in the second half before eventually pulling within 60-55 with 6:05 remaining. However, the Terps never got any closer.
Boston College has lost seven of its last eight games, including 82-60 to visiting No. 2 North Carolina Thursday.
For Maryland, beating the Eagles will be critical if it wants to remain in contention for the ACC regular-season title. The Terps are in a three-way tie with N.C. State and Georgia Tech for fourth place in the conference. North Carolina (24-0 overall) is atop the standings at 8-0.
“Obviously, a lot of teams have extra motivation when they play us, and we have to be prepared for the motivational factor,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said prior to the Georgia Tech game.
Boston College may have struggled this year, but the Eagles are no strangers to success. Last season, they went 21-12 and advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing to Utah, 57-54. Maryland beat the Utes in the next round, 75-65, in overtime.
Junior forward Kathrin Ress leads Boston College in scoring (17.2 points per game) and rebounds (8.5). Freshman forward Elisabeth Engell averages nine points, while junior guard Sarah Marshall contributes about 5.6 assists per game for the Eagles, who opened the year with four straight wins.
MARYLAND NOTES
» Much like in last Sunday’s loss against North Carolina, first-half turnovers hurt Maryland at Georgia Tech. In both games, the Terps committed 14 first-half turnovers. On Thursday, that led to 17 Yellow Jacket points.
» Sophomore forward Marissa Coleman led Maryland with 17 points in Thursday’s loss. Junior forward Crystal Langhorne and sophomore guard Kristi Toliver added 13 points each, and junior guard Sa’de Wiley-Gatewood scored 12 for Maryland, who had beaten Georgia Tech four straight times.
