UW-Green Bay Falls 65-55 to Maryland in NCAA Tournament

March 21, 2005

College Park, Md. - The UW-Green Bay women's basketball team (27-4) could not overcome a 26-point night by Maryland guard Shay Doron, which included 18 points in the second half, as the Phoenix dropped its 2005 NCAA tournament first round game to the Terrapins Sunday afternoon, 65-55. Senior forward Tiffany Mor tallied a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds while classmate Abby Scharlow tallied 21 points in their final contest for UW-Green Bay.

Along with Doron's 26 points, Maryland (22-9) got 16 points and 10 rebounds from Crystal Langhorne and shot 48 percent in the second half to outscore the Phoenix 41-31 in the final stanza. The Terps' defense shut down the Phoenix from long range, as UW-Green Bay shot just 1-11 from downtown, including 0-6 in the second half.

After trailing 11-2 to start the contest, the Phoenix rallied back to cut its deficit to two five times in the first half before a long rebound by Tricia Grassell with two minutes to go in the first half set up a fast break layup by Mor to tie the contest at 24 apiece. UW-Green Bay twice had a chance to take the lead heading into the break, but the Terrapins held the Phoenix in check to send the game to the half tied.

UW-Green Bay, which shot just 29 percent in the first half, responded at the start of the second by taking its first lead of the game on a layup by Scharlow with 19:28 to go. It would mark the first of 10 lead changes in the stanza, as the Phoenix lead peaked at three three times, including UW-Green Bay's 39-36 lead with 14:17 to play on a natural three-point play by Scharlow. The senior guard tallied 11 of UW-Green Bay's first 11 points in the second half and notched 17 of her 21 in the final half.

But following a Nicole Soulis jumper with just under nine minutes to play, Maryland ripped off a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to take a 56-45 lead. Doron tallied seven straight points during the span, as the Phoenix went without Mor for most of the stretch after the senior forward picked up her fourth foul.

UW-Green Bay battled back with two quick buckets, but the Phoenix got just three field goals over the final four minutes as Maryland converted on 5-8 free throws in the final minute to hold off the late rally.

The Phoenix was plagued by fouls, as UW-Green Bay was whistled for a season-high 21 fouls, including four in the first two minutes of the contest. Mor and Scharlow both fouled out of the game, which were just the second and third disqualifications by a Phoenix player on the season.

The contest marks the final games for a quartet of Phoenix seniors: Mor, Scharlow, Grassell and Mary Kulenkamp. Grassell and Kulenkamp became the first players in UW-Green Bay history to suit up for four NCAA tournaments.

The Terrapins advanced to face #2 seed Ohio State Tuesday, March 22 at the Comcast Center on the University of Maryland campus.

Story Provided by Sheila Blackman, UW-Green Bay Sports Information