maryland
maryland

Dec. 3, 1997

Maryland to Host Hampton

MARYLAND (3-2, 1-0) vs. HAMPTON (2-2, 0-0)
Thursday, December 4, 1997 - 7:30 p.m.
Cole Field House - College Park, Md.

MARYLAND: The Terps enter tonight's game with a three game win streak having defeated Georgia Tech, Harvard and Holy Cross. In their last three games, the Terps have averaged 79 points per game compared to a 62 point average in its first two. In Maryland's last three games, the Terps lowest shooting percentage was 49.2 percent (31-63) against Harvard. The Terps shot a season-high 52.4 percent (33-63) against Holy Cross in their 82-74 win in the championship game of the ECAC Holiday Festival.

HAMPTON: The Lady Pirates enter tonight's game with a 2-2 record. In its game, Liberty defeated Hampton, 84-69, on Tuesday night. Guard Nisha Wilson leads the Lady Pirates in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game.

THE SERIES: Tonight's game marks the first-ever meeting between the Terps and the Lady Pirates. Maryland has played 114 opponents all-time and has compiled a record of 88-26 in first-time games. At Cole Field House, the Terps are 38-6 all-time in first meetings.

Sephanie Cross

ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: For her MVP performance in the ECAC Holiday Festival last weekend, Stephanie Cross was named ACC Co-Player of the Week.

FESTIVAL HONORS: Stephanie Cross scored a season-high 26 points on 13-of-20 shooting against Holy Cross in the championship game of the ECAC Holiday Festival last weekend and was named the tournament MVP. Cross averaged 23.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in the two games. Chase was selected to the all-tournament team after scoring 37 points (18.5 ppg) and recording 10 assists (5.0 apg). 

PROBABLE MARYLAND STARTERS
Pos #  Player           Cl.   Ht.   1997-98 Statistics
F  00  Stephanie Cross  Sr.   6-1   18.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg
F  33  Sonia Chase      Sr.   5-11  18.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg
C  55  Branka Bogunovic So.   6-8   5.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg
G  45  Kelley Gibson    Jr.R  5-11  7.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
G   3  Tiffany Brown    So.   5-6   7.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg
TOP RESERVES
F/C 34 Kalisa Davis     Sr.   6-2   12.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg
F   43 Meghan McIntyre  Fr.   6-1   5.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg

TERPS BY THE NUMBERS

3 The Terps rank third in the ACC in scoring defense giving up an average of 60.2 points per game.

10.6 The number of steals the Terps average per game - second-best in the ACC.

16 Stephanie Cross became the 16th Terp in school history to score 1,000 career points. Her seven points against Rutgers in the season opener pushed her over the 1,000 point plateau.

71.1 Maryland's winning percentage against non-conference teams since the 1977-78 season.

77.3 Chris Weller's all-time winning percentage in the month of December (99-29). In 22 years, Weller has had a losing record in the month of December one time (3-4 in 1990-91). Last season, the Terps were 7-0 in the month of December.

243 The number of non-conference games Chris Weller has won since the 1977-78 season.

645 The number of games Chris Weller has coached at the University of Maryland.

1.000 Maryland's all-time winning percentage against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (28-0). Hampton is a member of the MEAC.

RECAP: Maryland captured the third annual ECAC Holiday Festival championship in Worcester, Mass., last weekend. In the first round, Maryland defeated Harvard, 81-61, led by Sonia Chase's career-high 25 points. Maryland took the lead at the 16:04 mark of the first-half and never trailed there after, taking a 39-31 halftime lead. Maryland extended its lead to 12 points in the first minute of the second-half and went on to outscore Harvard 42-30 in the second period. Stephanie Cross recorded her first double-double of the season with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

In the championship game against host Holy Cross, Maryland led the entire first-half, building a 10 point margin at the 7:21 mark, its biggest lead of the game, but led by only three points, 34-31, at intermission. Holy Cross held a four point advantage, 48-44, at the 14:06 mark in the second-half but the Terps took the lead for good, 61-58, with 6:14 remaining and went on to the eight point victory. Maryland shot a season-high 52.4 percent from the field and 84.2 percent from the free throw line against the Crusaders.

MARYLAND'S ALL-TIME NON-CONFERENCE RECORD:
Maryland's record against non-conference opponents since the 1977-78 season (when conference play began in the Atlantic Coast Conference) is 243-98. Since the 1991-92 season, when nine teams began conference play (16 games), the Terps' best non-conference season record is 12-3 in 1991-92. Maryland recorded a 22-3 non-conference mark (27-4 overall) in the 1977-78 season when six conference games were played.

UPCOMING MILESTONES: Several Terps are moving up the all-time list in career statistics. Listed below is the player and category and where they stand all-time.

IN TONIGHT'S GAME LOOK FOR:

  • Stephanie Cross to move into 15th-place in scoring (needs 25)
  • Stephanie Cross to move into 12th-place in rebounds (needs 5)
  • Kelley Gibson to move into fourth-place in three-point field goals (needs 2)
  • Sonia Chase to move into ninth-place in assists (needs 2)
  • Sonia Chase to move into third-place in steals (needs 5) 
    Category      Place      Player      Number
Points       14th   Debbie Lytle (1979-83)     1,189
             15th   Jane Zivalich (1975-79)    1,113
             16th   Stephanie Cross (1994 -    1,089
Rebounds     11th   Debbie Stewart (1976-79)   583
             12th   Jane Zivalich (1975-79)    574
                    Belinda Pearman (1980-84)  574
             13th   Stephanie Cross (1994-     570
3PT FGs Made 1st    Carla Holmes (1988-91)     75
             2nd    Tiffany Brown (1996-       55
             3rd    Lillian Purvis (1994-97)   39
             4th    Limor Mizarachi (1991-92)  32
             5th    Kelley Gibson (1994-       31
3PT FG Att   1st    Carla Holmes (1988-91)     199
             2nd       Tiffany Brown (1996-    175
             3rd      Lillian Purvis (1994-97) 130
             4th      Kelley Gibson (1994-     125
Assists      8th      Jasmina Perazic (1979-83)342
             9th      Karon Ferguson (1991-95) 294
             10th      Sonia Chase (1994-      293
Steals       3rd      Myra Waters (1978-82)    241
             4th      Sonia Chase (1994-       237
Games Started 9th      Myra Waters (1978-82)   85
             10th      Sonia Chase (1994-      82

    CHASE BY THE NUMBERS

    Sonia Chase
  • 1.5 to 1 In 89 career games, Sonia Chase has an assist to turnover ratio of 1.5 to 1 (293 to 192).
  • 2 Sonia Chase is the second leading scorer in the ACC with a 18.8 points per game average.
  • 2.7 to 1 In five games this season, Sonia Chase has dished out 24 assists and committed only nine turnovers, including zero in 34 minutes of play against Georgia Tech on Nov. 22.
  • 4.8 Sonia Chase is averaging a career-high 4.8 assists per game.
  • 7 Sonia Chase's 45.1 field goal percentage is seventh-best in the ACC.
  • 8 Sonia Chase has scored in double figures in eight consecutive games.
  • 17 Sonia Chase leads the ACC in steals with 17.
  • 18.8 Sonia Chase entered the 1997-98 season with a career scoring average of 9.5 points per game. After five games, she is averaging 18.8 points per game.
  • 24 Sonia Chase is second in the ACC in assists with 24.
  • 25 Sonia Chase scored a career-high 25 points against Harvard in the ECAC Holiday Festival.
  • 71.4 Sonia Chase leads the Terps in free throw shooting (20-28).
  • 94 The most points scored by Chase in a five game stretch.
  • 2,901 Total minutes played by Sonia Chase in 89 career games (32.6 average per game).

    MARYLAND HITS 50% MARK: The Terps hit the 50 percent field goal shooting mark for the first time this season against Georgia Tech on Nov. 22. Last season, Maryland converted 50 percent or more of its field goals in 10 contests, including a streak of four consecutive games. In 28 games last season, Maryland's field goal percentage was higher than its opponents in 18 games. Maryland shot a season-high 52.4 percent against Holy Cross in the championship game of the ECAC Holiday Festival last Sunday.

    SHOOTING UP 17%: In its last three games, the Terps shooting percentage has improved 17 percent from its first two games of the season. Against Rutgers and Loyola, the Terps converted 37-of-110 field goals (33.6 percent). In the last three games, Maryland has converted 96-of-190 field goals (50.5 percent). Overall, Maryland is outshooting its opponents 44.3 percent to 39.9 percent.

    WHEN LESS IS BETTER: Maryland committed only 10 turnovers against Georgia Tech on Nov. 22, its lowest since Dec. 2, 1995 against Rutgers, when the Terps turned the ball over nine times. For the season, Maryland has committed 22 fewer turnovers than its opposition (88 to 110).

    NEARLY ONE TO ONE: Maryland's assist to turnover ratio through five games is nearly one to one. The Terps have accumulated 84 assists and turned over the ball over 88 times. Maryland's opposition has 73 assists to 110 turnovers.

    HIDING FROM THE ZEBRAS: In their last two games, the Terps have committed a total of 20 team fouls. In the ECAC Holiday Festival last weekend, the Terps were whistled for a foul 10 times in each game compared to the opposition's 38.

    ON THE CHASE: Senior co-captain Sonia Chase has produced career-high numbers this season. After five games, the Baltimore native is averaging career-highs in scoring (18.8) and assists (4.8). Compared to last season's scoring average after five games, Chase's average is up 10.4 points per game. Chase's 94 total points this season is the highest five game point total in her career. Her previous five game-high total of 78 points came against Duke (12), Clemson (14), Florida State (21), Iona (14) and North Carolina (17) in the 1994-95 season. Dating back to last season, Chase has scored in double digits in Maryland's last eight games. In those eight games, she is averaging 17.0 points per game.

    CHASING SONIA: Sonia Chase leads the ACC this season in steals with 17, for a 3.4 steals per game average. Chase currently ranks 20th all-time in the ACC in career steals with 237 and 10th in steals per game with 2.7. She led the ACC in thefts in 1996 with 90.

    DOUBLE DIGITS: Senior co-captain Stephanie Cross scored 21 points against Harvard and a season-high 26 points against Holy Cross in the ECAC Holiday Festival last weekend. Cross has scored 20 or more points in Maryland's last three games and has broke the 20 point barrier in 13 career games. Cross has scored in double digits in 69 percent of her career games (60 double digit games in 87 games). Cross' career-long double digit streak is 10 games which occurred last season. Cross also recorded her first double-double of the season against Harvard (21 points, 12 rebounds) and has recorded 10 career double-double games. 

    TERP CAREER HIGHS
P/R/A -Points/Rebounds/Assists
#00 STEPHANIE CROSS
P: 27 vs. Southern Cal., 12/29/95
R: 17 vs. Southern Cal., 12/29/95
A: 5 (3 times) last vs. Holy Cross, 11/30/97
#3 TIFFANY BROWN
P: 24 vs. Georgia Tech, 2/19/97
R: 10 vs. Morgan State, 11/25/96
A: 8 vs. Harvard, 11/29/97
 
#12 MICHELLE MILLER
P:       0
R:      1 vs. Georgia Tech, 11/22/97
A:      0
#32 ANTONIETA GABRIEL
P: 1 vs. Rutgers, 11/15/97
R: 3 vs. Loyola (Md.), 11/19/97
A: 2 vs. Loyola (Md.), 11/19/97
# 33 SONIA CHASE
P:      25 vs. Harvard, 11/29/97
R: 22 vs. Mt. St. Mary's, 11/23/94
A: 9 (2 times) last vs. Georgia Tech,1/4/96
#34 KALISA DAVIS
P: 22 vs. Clemson, 2/22/97
R: 11 (3 times) last vs. Towson,12/21/96
A: 4 vs. Howard, 12/5/95
#35 RACHEL CIMMIER
P: 22 vs. UCLA, 12/30/95
R: 10 vs. Coppin State, 12/7/94
A: 4 vs. NC State, 1/27/96
#43 MEGHAN McINTYRE
P: 9 vs. Holy Cross, 11/30/97
R: 12 vs. Rutgers, 11/15/97
A:      0
#45 KELLEY GIBSON
P: 28 vs. Clemson, 2/10/96
R: 11 vs. Georgia Tech, 11/22/97
A: 8 vs. Holy Cross, 11/30/97,Wake Forest, 1/31/96
#55 BRANKA BOGUNOVIC
P: 16 vs. Georgia Tech, 11/22/97
R: 14 vs. Loyola (Md.), 11/19/97 
A: 1 vs. Harvard, 11/29/97

    RIGHT WHERE SHE LEFT OFF: Senior forward/center Kalisa Davis led the Terps in field goal shooting last season, hitting 58.7 percent from the field. In two games this season, Davis is shooting 68.8 percent (11-of-16) and is averaging 12.5 points per game. In 72 career games, Davis has converted 50 percent or more of her field goals in 43 games, including her last 10. In those last 10 games, she has converted 56-of-78 field goals for a shooting percentage of 71.8.

    DOUBLE-DOUBLE TERPS: Three Terps have recorded a double-double performance this season. Kelley Gibson recorded her first career double-double performance against Georgia Tech on Nov. 22 when she scored 10 points and collected a career-high 11 rebounds. Sonia Chase's performance came against Loyola with 16 points and 10 rebounds for her fifth career double-double. Stephanie Cross' 10th career double-double came against Harvard when she scored 21 points and collected 12 rebounds.

    ALL-ACC MEDIA PRE-SEASON SELECTIONS: As voted by media attending Operation Basketball in Greensboro, N.C., seniors Stephanie Cross and Sonia Chase were all-conference second-team selections. Chase is currently the ACC's second leading scorer with an average of 18.8 points per game and Cross is right behind with an average of 18.4. 

    AROUND THE ACC: As of 12/1/97
Field Goal Pct.  Rank  Player            FG  FGA  PCT.
                 4th   Stephanie Cross   41  75   .547
                 7th   Sonia Chase       37  82   .451      
Free Throw Pct.  Rank  Player            FT  FTA  PCT.
                 9th   Sonia Chase       20  28   .714      
Assists          Rank  Player            NO. AVG.
                 2nd   Sonia Chase       24  4.8
                 5th   Kelley Gibson     22  4.4
                 T7th  Tiffany Brown     20  4.0            
Rebounds         Rank  Player            NO. AVG.
                 T9th  Sonia Chase       33  6.6            
Steals           Rank  Player            NO. AVG.
                 1st   Sonia Chase       17  3.4

    UP NEXT: Maryland returns to action on Sunday, Dec. 7, against the Lady Lions of Penn State at Cole Field House. Tip-off is 7:00 p.m. 

    1997-98 TERPS' RECORD WHEN:
Overall Record                    3-2
ACC Record                        1-0
Home Record Overall               1-1
Road Record Overall               1-1
Neutral Site Record               1-0
ACC Home Record                   1-0
ACC Road Record                   0-0
Led at half-time                  3-1
Trailed at half-time              0-1
Tied at half-time                 0-0
Shot 50% of better                2-0
Shot less than 50%                1-0
Shot less than 45%                0-0
Shot less than 40%                0-2
Had higher FG% than opponent      3-0
Had lower FG% than opponent       0-2
More rebounds than opponent       1-1
Fewer rebounds than opponent      2-1
Rebounds equal                    0-0
Had fewer turnovers than opponent 2-1
Had more turnovers than opponent  1-1
Turnovers equal                   0-0
Shot more FTs than opponent       3-0
Shot fewer FTs than opponent      0-2
Scored between 40-50 points       0-2
Scored between 50-60 points       0-0
Scored between 60-70 points       0-0
Scored between 70-80 points       1-0
Scored between 80-90 points       2-0
Scored between 90-100 points      0-0
Record in November                3-2
Record on Sunday                  1-0
Record on Monday                  0-0
Record on Tuesday                 0-0
Record on Wednesday               0-1
Record on Thursday                0-0
Record on Friday                  0-0
Record on Saturday                2-1

    HEAD COACH CHRIS WELLER
    Chris Weller is in her 23rd season at the helm of the Maryland basketball program. She has registered a 435-210 career-mark at her alma mater while accomplishing a myriad of astounding goals. She became only the fifth coach to earn at least 400 victories at a single institution as the Terrapins defeated a tough NC State team 83-80 on January 28, 1995. The nationally respected coach has directed her squads to an unprecedented eight Atlantic Coast Championships. In addition to her achievements in the conference, Weller has also led her teams to 15 National Tournament appearances, advancing to 10 Sweet 16's, eight Final Eight's and three Final Fours.

    Weller has been honored many times by the press and coaching fraternity including Naismith National Coach of the Year and Basketball Writer's Association of America Coach of the Year, both in 1992. Along with being recognized as the American Sports Foundation's Coach of the Year in 1989, she has twice been selected ACC Coach of the Year (1989, 1992) by her peers. Weller has been head coach of the U.S. Select Team in 1986, 1992 and 1994.

    A 1966 Maryland graduate, Weller was a four-year varsity letterwinner in basketball and also participated on the swimming and lacrosse teams. Following graduation, she taught and coached at John F. Kennedy High School in nearby Silver Spring, Md.

    A popular speaker and teacher of the game, Weller returned to Maryland for her master's degree in 1973 and became an assistant for two seasons under Dottie McKnight. In 1975, Weller was elevated to head coach at her alma mater.

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