College, Park, Md. (January 2, 2006)--Like they have done to every one of their opponents so far this season, with the exception of top-ranked Tennessee, the sixth-ranked Maryland Terrapins eventually overpowered Manhattan Women's Basketball on Monday night at the Comcast Center. Despite falling by a score of 82-49 the Lady Jaspers did not make it easy on the Terps, as they held Maryland to its lowest first-half shooting output in its first 14 games.
The Lady Jaspers held Maryland, who entered the game with a 52.3 percent team shooting percentage for the season, to a 25 percent shooting clip in the first half. Not even top-ranked Tennessee, who is responsible for Maryland's only loss of the season, held the Terps to under 30 percent shooting in a half.
On the offensive end, freshman forward Kymesha
Alston led Manhattan in the early going by scoring 10 first-half points on 4-6 shooting from the field. Trailing 10-0, Alston put the Lady J's on the scoreboard with a layup 4:48 into the game. Alston's second bucket of the game at the 12:48 mark cut the Terps' lead to 14-7.
Sophomore guard
Gabrielle Cottrell hit one of her two first-half three-pointers with 6:46 on the clock to cut the Maryland lead to 21-16.
Maryland's Ashleigh Newman, however, answered right back with a three-pointer of her own on the Terps' ensuing possession. Despite being held to seven field goals, Maryland was able to hurt Manhattan at the free throw line in the first half by netting 16 of its 18 attempts in the period. As a result, Maryland took a 33-24 lead into the break.
Cottrell opened the scoring in the second-half as her three from beyond the right arc cut the Maryland lead to 33-27 18 seconds into the half. On Maryland's ensuing possession, Marissa Coleman drew a foul from Alston and hit both of her free throw attempts, as the high octane Terps kicked their offense into high gear and spent a good amount of the second half at the charity stripe. For the game, the Terps nailed 33 of 35 free throws.
Alston led the Lady J's with 13 points on 5-9 shooting, while sophomore guard
Joann Nwafili added nine points and six rebounds. Forward Jade Perry led the Terps with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Manhattan Women's Basketball resumes MAAC play on January 5, when they host Rider at Draddy Gym.
