Crystal Langhorne calls teammate Marissa Coleman the most versatile player in the country. Coleman responds by calling Langhorne the best low-post player in the country.
Someone apparently agrees with both of those statements. The two Maryland forwardsmade the cut for the Midseason Wooden All-American Team and are among the 20 finalists for the John R. Wooden Award. The award is given annually to the nation?s top women?s basketball player. The midseason list is based on the players? performances and overall team records through the first half of the season.
Both Langhorne, a junior, and Coleman, a sophomore, played key roles in last year?s national championship run and are playing just as well this season. No. 6 Maryland was 22-3 going into last night?s game against Virginia Tech, which ended too late for this edition.
Langhorne leads the nation in field-goal percentage for the second straight year (72.9) and leads the team in scoring (14.6 points per game) and rebounding (7.6) average. Coleman is second on the team with scoring (12.6) and rebounding (6.8). Her versatility was on full display Dec. 2 when she recorded Maryland?s first-ever triple-double in a win against UC-Santa Barbara.
“Crystal is an obvious leader, and for her to lead the country in field-goal percentage when she gets double- and triple-teamed every game says a lot about her,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. “Marissa?s versatility and her being 6-1 make her a matchup nightmare. She dedicated herself to improving her conditioning in the offseason, and now she is reaping the rewards.”
Langhorne said Coleman?s biggest asset to the team is her ability to adjust to any situation the defense gives her.
“She is the glue that keeps us together,” Langhorne said. “If she is guarded by someone bigger, she drives past them. If it?s someone smaller on her, she just posts them up.”
Coleman responded to her teammate?s praise by pointing out how Langhorne?s presence under the basket makes things easier for the rest of the Terps.
“It all starts with Crystal on offense,” Coleman said. “If a team tries to double-team her, that means the game is opened up for us.”
WOODEN AWARD NOTES
» In March, the John R. Wooden Award committee will cut the list down to an official voting ballot of about 15 players.
» More than 200 voters, including members of national media and women?s college basketball experts, will vote for the five-member All-American team and Wooden Award honor as the most outstanding female collegiate basketball player in the nation.
» The top five male and female Wooden Award finalists will be invited to the award presentation, which takes place April 7 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
