The Terrapins have many big wins in Coach Brenda Frese?s six years in College Park, but none in the regular season may have been bigger than an 85-70 win over Duke on Monday night.
The emotion after the game in the Comcast Center was evident as Frese and the players gathered on the court after the game and thanked the 15,531 fans for witnessing the Terrapins? first win over the Blue Devils at home since 1998. But still, Frese was quick to put the victory by fourth-ranked Maryland (20-1, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) into perspective.
“It?s a process,” Frese said. “I definitely thought we approached [Duke] no differently than we approached any other game we played all season. It was business as usual, it just happened that Duke was coming into the building for this game.”
Now, the Terrapins face another surging team: Virginia (13-4, 2-0). The Terrapins travel to John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville to face the Cavaliers on Friday night at 7.
Virginia has won seven straight following a 70-57 victory over Virginia Tech on Sunday. The Cavaliers, who average nearly 74 points per game, have three players who average double figures in scoring: sophomore guard Monica Wright (17.6 ppg), junior forward Lyndra Littles (15.9) and junior center Aisha Mohammed (12.6), who also averages 9.1 rebounds per game.
Maryland has won nine straight, and is 4-0 in the ACC for the first time since the 1991-92 season when the Terrapins started 10-0. They also have beaten five ranked teams this winter. Last season, Maryland won both meetings against Virginia, coming away with a 95-68 win at College Park and an 83-74 victory in Charlottesville.
The Terrapins, however, are aware that they can be upset at any time, much like Maryland was last Feb. 1 when it lost at Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets (15-2, 2-1) visit the Comcast Center at 2 p.m. Sunday.
But still, the Terrapins savored Monday?s win for a few hours before focusing on their biggest goals of the season: winning the ACC title for the first time since 1989 and second national title in three years.
“Anytime we play Duke or any ACC team, the physicality of the game steps up when there?s a lot on the line,” Maryland senior forward Laura Harper said. “Pride, obviously, is a big thing with the rivalry. We wanted to end this streak [against Duke]. And, as much as you don?t want to say it, that?s something that was important to us, and it feels so good to say as a senior now that we did it.”
No. 4 TERRAPINS (20-1, 4-0 ACC) VS. VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (13-4, 2-0)
» Tipoff: Friday, 7 p.m.
» Where: John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, Va.
» TV: CSN
