March 5, 2005

Box Score | Postgame Quotes

By DAVID DROSCHAK
TheACC.com

GREENSBORO -- After two tough games under the glass, Maryland freshman star Crystal Langhorne now has to get ready for a physical Duke team in the ACC Tournament semifinals.

"Tonight I'm taking an ice bath to get ready," said Langhorne, who had 23 points and 16 rebounds in a 63-56 victory over third-seeded North Carolina State in the quarterfinals Saturday night.

Langhorne's stellar game comes on the heels of a 24-point, 16-rebound effort in Maryland's tourney opener against Clemson.

"My teammates have a lot of confidence in me and so do my coaches," said the ACC rookie of the year. "Now I know it's one-and-done, so you really can't take it like a regular-season game. But I'm trying not to get too nervous for these tournament games."

Maryland coach Brenda Frese now expects a big game out of Langhorne each night out.

"I guess I don't look at it any different than I did in the regular season," Frese said. "Crystal has been steady every game she comes out to play. She is progressing and is just solid as a rock."

That was true again against the Wolfpack (21-7), who didn't really have an answer for Langhorne or Jade Perry, who added 11 points and six rebounds in the paint in 27 minutes.

N.C. State trailed by four at the break in a close game throughout and closed to within one twice down the stretch. However, both times the sixth-seeded Terrapins (21-8) had an offensive answer.

After closing to 55-54 with 3:26 left, Perry scored on a follow shot, then three possessions later, Shay Doron hit a tough runner in the lane to keep Maryland on top by three.

The Wolfpack had a chance to tie it with 25 seconds left, but Kendra Bell's 3-pointer from the baseline sailed long and never drew iron. Kalika France followed the miss with a layup and Maryland closed it out from the foul line.

"I saw that I was open and I shot it too long," Bell said. "It happens."

That's where N.C. State coach Kay Yow said her team lost the game, going just 16-of-27 from the stripe.

"Just look at all the other stats -- we could have easily won this game," Yow said of her team's free-throw woes.

True, but Yow also admitted N.C. State fouled way too much. Three starters ended the game with four fouls each, while another reserve also had four.

That's an area Yow said her team will work on in the week leading up to NCAA Tournament bids.

"We want to get back to playing our aggressive defense without fouling as much," she said.