Last season I, like many others  had high hopes, after being crowned the NCAA champions in 2006 and returning all five starters to last year’s team, I was ready for the Maryland Terrapins to become the roc-throwing dynasty of the 2G. However, after a disappointing 2^nd round NCAA Tournament exit that came at the hands of a revenge seeking Mississippi State, the idea of back-to-back chips had vanished. So I began to wonder-- how would Jordan-like guard Kristi Toliver, paint dominator center Crystal Langhorne and company bounce back? How would Coach Brenda Frese get her team back on that level? As this season began to taper off and the lady Terps began to face top-ranked opponents before peacoats and Timberlands could be dusted off, they were letting it be known that the fire had returned. And after Sunday’s 110-46 victory over the Clemson Tigers, No. 4 Maryland is showing signs that the road to Tampa might just have to go through them.

     In the Terps ACC home opener, forward Laura Harper led the way tying a career high 27 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Crystal Langhorne finished with 25 points on 10-of-12 field goal shooting. The Terps were playing on all cylinders as they won their second ACC match-up. In Thursday’s win over Wake Forest, Maryland held the Demon Deacons to 13 first half points, the lowest for an opponent in the program’s history. This season the Terps have stepped up to every challenge, even in their only loss of the season against then No. 6 Rutgers.

     So who or what has sparked the team’s resurgence? One could say the idea of adding two additional members to the team as coach Frese is expecting twins in April. But on the hardwood, the duo play of Harper and Langhorne in the paint and the passing of Toliver are factors. Harper is that player that puts all she’s got into every game she plays. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen Harper get knocked down onto the floor, jump up pound her chest or let out a yell as she gets the bucket and the foul or even just the foul. Harper’s performance this season is a replica in that of the ’05-'06 season when she was MVP of the championship game.

     Langorne who missed the first six games of the season due to an ankle injury , has been nothing but intimating down low as she has led the team in rebounding in four of the last five games. Langhorne has that turnaround shot when she’s deep enough in the lane, it can’t be contested. "I really like where they are right now. They are doing a tremendous job with their leadership and their vocal spirit. They've been playing in sync for four years and they want to play with the best of their ability every time they step out onto the floor,” said Coach Frese of her veteran duo.

    Her absence however, did provide opportunity for backup Jade Perry to give opponents a taste of Frese’s bench, as the same with three point striker freshman Kat Lyons. I call Lyons the Laurie Koehn of College Park, as she is like the Washington Mystic player, one who enters the game with one true mission—shoot the (clutch) three. In the 89-43 win over Wake, Lyons returned home to her southern roots shooting 3-of-3 from the arc for nine points. The crowd and the Terrapin sideline get  hyped when Lyons checks in the game, even before she touches the ball.

     While Lyons does lead the team in three point shooting percentage at 72.2 percent, Kristi Toliver’s range still haunts opponents, especially when it comes to the Duke Blue Devils, who Toliver shot the unforgettable three point dagger over center Alison Bales to send the championship game into overtime. In the game against Wake Forest, Toliver surpassed Tiffany Brown’s record of 172 three pointers made over the span of her career at Maryland from 1997-2000. Toliver has sank 176 threes thus far. I will admit that while her range is sick, during some games this season as well as last, her need to attempt certain shots and neglect her wide open teammates were problematic. My cousin Jay when at a game this season didn’t compare her to Michael Jordan like others have, instead he mirrored her with the famous NBA star who had issues trusting his teammates (yes, I’m going to say it--Kobe Bryant).
 
     In a few games this season Toliver has almost reached double figures in a category that was neither assists nor rebounds. Despite her 151:70 assist to turnover ratio thus far, Toliver, like Bryant will continue to shoot regardless (and pass). The 64 point blowout against the Tigers was a game in which Toliver’s ability to set up shop for her teammates was a  positive as she scored 19 points and dished out 10 assists, including a sweet look to Langhorne who finished the play with that good ole turnaround hook to give the Terps a 61-30 lead. Despite her handle on the ball, whether for her own shot, Toliver is in the words of analyst Stacey Dales, “the best point guard in America.”

     Toliver was the one who saved the day for the Terps two years ago, but together they are making a comeback. The question looking ahead to March and the possibility of another run doesn’t really revolve around the players, but the coach. Coach Frese missed one game this season, which honestly was a scary sight to see as the Terps struggled on both ends of the court against Middle Tennessee as assistant Daron Park was on the sidelines. Frese is very confident in her coaching staff, and as long as the ladies of College Park continue to play with their killer instinct and teamwork, no one can stand in their way of being championship contenders. Not even their next two opponents Boston College, whom they play Thursday in Massacusetts, ACC rival Duke who the Terps Monday night in College Park.  

     So if you’re a fan of women’s basketball and are still wondering if the (18-1) Maryland Terrapins are capable of beating the likes of Tennessee, North Carolina or UConn, note you’ve been warned.