Poor shooting and defensive lapses are not issues usually associated with the Maryland women?s basketball team. But that was the case last Saturday when Duke snapped Maryland?s 24-game winning streak with an 81-62 win in a rematch of last year?s national championship game.
The No. 3 Terps look to kick off a new winning streak tonight when they host Atlantic Coast Conference foe Virginia. The Cavaliers (12-5, 2-1) come into College Park on a two-game winning streak, including a 65-63 victory Sunday over Boston College. But the Cavaliers have not fared well against ranked teams this season, having lost to No. 2 North Carolina, 96-62, and to No. 6 Connecticut, 96-60.
Those scores mean nothing to Maryland coach Brenda Frese, who knows that playing Virginia is always a big rivalry game for the Terps (18-1, 2-1). Virginia holds a 40-25 lifetime advantage in the series, but Maryland won both meetings last season by an average of 12 points a contest.
“Maryland-Virginia is a big game no matter what the records are going into it,” Frese said. “Whether you?re at home or on the road, this game is always a battle, and we?ll have to see how we respond coming off our loss to Duke.”
This season?s Virginia team is one of the younger ones in coach Debbie Ryan?s 30 years at the helm. Still, there are a number of talented players on the roster who could pose problems for Maryland.
Freshman guard Monica Wright, who averages 14 points per game, is the likely front-runner for the ACC rookie of the year. She nailed the game-winning three-pointer in overtime against Boston College. Sophomore forward Lyndra Littles leads the Cavaliers by averaging 15.9 points and 8.9 assists, while junior guard Sharnee Zoll adds 11.9 points a game and has 92 assists.
Despite the lopsided loss at Duke, Frese said Maryland is looking at the larger picture of the entire season and the goal of repeating as NCAA champions.
“Our goals didn?t change with the Duke loss, but it did show us there are areas that we can improve upon,” Frese said.
Terps notes
» Maryland senior guard Shay Doron was named one of the top 30 women?s candidates for the 2007 Lowe?s Senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School) Award. The award is presented annually to a NCAA Division I male and female senior basketball player.
» Virginia freshman guard Monica Wright earned her fifth ACC rookie of the week award last week. She scored 17 points in a loss to North Carolina, followed by 15 points in a win over Wake Forest.
