Maryland Women's Basketball Runs Past Sacred Heart, 90-49
11/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 28, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, MD (November 28, 2003) - The University of Maryland women's basketball team turned an 11-point halftime lead into a 41-point win over Sacred Heart University in the first round of the Terrapin Classic Friday afternoon. The Pioneers shot a meager four-of-29 in the second-half getting outscored 46-16 in the period en route to their worst loss since joining the ranks of Division I.
The Pioneers held an early 15-13 lead at the 12:55 mark of the first half but a quick 13-2 run capped by a Shay Doron jumper gave the Terrapins a nine point lead. SHU would battle back and cut the lead to seven on two Mary Rush (Waterbury, CT) free throws at 1:01 and had a chance to cut it to five after forcing a turnover by Kalika France. The Pioneers squandered the opportunity when France stole the ball from freshman Amanda Pape (Stamford, CT) at midcourt and converted on the other end. After a Nicolle Rubino (Port Jefferson Station, NY) miss, Maryland would hold for the last shot of the half. France fired up a three that caromed off the rim with two seconds to play but center Crystal Washington was waiting to put it back at the buzzer for an 11-point lead at the break.
Sacred Heart got on the board quickly in the second half on a Pape lay-up cutting the lead to nine. That's as close as the Pioneers would get as Maryland ripped off a 23-8 run over the next eight minutes that saw SHU shoot just one-for-eight while turning the ball over five times. Shannon Quinlivan's (Albany, NY) three stopped the bleeding but it was too late as the Terps built a 26-point lead on the way to a lopsided victory. The 41-point loss is the worst loss Sacred Heart has suffered since making the jump to Division I in 1999-2000. The last time SHU dropped a game by 40 or more points was in 1994-95 when they fell at St. Anselm, 95-44.
The Pioneers had no answer for the Terrapins inside game, getting outscored 42-14 in the paint. Forwards Chrissy Fisher, Crystal Washington and Delvona Oliver all found double digits. Oliver came off the bench to score 18 on eight-of-11 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds to notch a double double. Washington finished seven-for-11 from the floor for 15 points. She also grabbed eight rebounds, four offensive, and blocked three shots. Fisher netted 13 with five boards in the win. Leading all scorers was Doron, who shot nine-of-12 and had 22 to pace the Terps.
Sacred Heart was woeful offensively, shooting 23.1% (15-65) from the field, 28.6% (4-14) from three and 62.5% (15-24) from the free throw line. Rubino led all Pioneers with 11 points but struggled mightily shooting just four-of-18 and committing six turnovers. Pape was held to seven points but along with Rubino led the team with six rebounds apiece.
One bright spot for the Pioneers was the 12-minute appearance of junior Allie Bagnell (Newtown, PA). Bagnell who missed much of last year after suffering a knee injury, has been working her way back into the lineup after knee surgery. Bagnell had two points, two rebounds and a steal during her time on the court.
The Pioneers, now 2-1 on the year, will return to action tomorrow afternoon when the play Louisiana-Lafayette in the consolation game starting at 12:30 pm. Maryland, now 3-0, will face Maryland -Eastern Shore in the championship game at 3 pm.
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