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No. 18 Virginia Beats Maryland for the 16th Straight Time
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February 8, 1999
By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) – Virginia wasn’t about to let another lead slipaway.
Erin Stovall scored 19 points, including a clutch 3-pointer down thestretch, as No. 18 Virginia defeated Maryland for the 16th straight time Mondaynight, 69-55.
Virginia (16-6, 9-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) never trailed in the secondhalf but led by only three points until Stovall hit a 20-footer to start agame-ending 11-0 run.
In their previous game, the Cavaliers blew an 18-point lead in the secondhalf of a loss to Duke. This time, Virginia turned it on at the end.
“We buckled down,” Cavaliers coach Debbie Ryan said. “We really steppedit up at the end and I think they were hurrying the ball and fouling toomuch.”
After Stovall’s basket, Renee Robinson and Monick Foote made one of two foulshots and Stovall hit a pair from the line to make it 65-55 with 1:52 left.
Foote and DeMya Walker had 13 points apiece for the Cavaliers, who avoidedtheir first losing streak of the season.
Deedee Warley had 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Terrapins (5-17, 2-10)and Kelley Gibson scored 16 but had eight turnovers. Despite committing 24turnovers, Maryland had a chance to win before going scoreless in the final3:51.
“I think we just lost our composure,” Maryland coach Chris Weller said.”Of course, Virginia had a lot to do with it. That’s a very athletic, verygood team.”
Virginia opened the second half with an 8-2 run to go up 35-27 and led 45-35before Warley scored seven points in a 14-7 spurt that cut the margin to three.
The Terrapins remained close under Stovall’s long-range jumper made it 61-55with 3:13 to play.
The Cavaliers closed the first half with a 9-0 run over the final 3:54 toturn a seven-point deficit into a 27-25 lead. Svetlana Volnaya started thesurge with a 3-pointer and Walker followed with two foul shots and a layup.
Despite committing 11 turnovers in the opening nine minutes, the Terrapinsgot three baskets from Warley to take a 10-8 lead. A three-point play byMaryland’s Marche Strickland made it 19-14, and minutes later Gibson hit a12-foot jumper for a short-lived 25-18 lead.