Kristi Toliver

Kristi Toliver is a quiet, thoughtful soul content to strum her guitar and go to class like any other college senior. Unless you put a basketball into her hands. Then, the Maryland point guard becomes something else entirely - Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant distilled into a 5-foot-7 female form, the kind of kid who knew from birth she would make the biggest shots in the biggest games. "She's just ruthless," says Dena Evans, one of her basketball mentors. "She can take the heart out of a team with one shot."

Brad Miller of Timonium holed a shot from the fairway on the 383-yard first playoff hole to claim the final available place in U.S. Amateur sectional qualifying at Piney Branch Golf Club in Hampstead. Miller and Mike O'Neil of Cockeysville were part of a four-way playoff after tying at 140 for 36 holes over the 6,800-yard Carroll County course. O'Neil went out on the first hole. The top two spots went to Jonathan Randolph (137) of Brandon, Miss., and Denny McCarthy (138)

Good morning -- Kristi Toliver -- If you saw this move coming, would it have been a sixth sense?

Former Maryland women's basketball star Kristi Toliver made it on to "Pardon the Interruption" last week, but it wasn't for the kind of sharp shooting or the slick passing she showed while leading the Terps to the national title in 2006. It was for an elbow Toliver, now with theLos Angeles Sparks, delivered in a WNBA game. Last Tuesday, Toliver hit Mercury guard Ketia Swanier in the eye with her elbow, causing blood to squirt from Swanier’s eye. Swainer hasn’t played since the incident, which came in a Phoenix victory . Toliver was given a flagrant foul, but was not suspended.

Boston College@Maryland women 7 p.m. [Comcast SportsNet-Plus] Everybody sing: Oh yes, it's Senior Night/And the feeling's right/Oh yes, it's Senior Night/Oh, what a night. Marissa Coleman (left) and Kristi Toliver are being honored, and the Terps hope the offense will flow as freely as the tears as they seek the top seed for the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.

Women's College Basketball Virginia @No. 4 Maryland 7 P.M. [CSN+] You may have to check around the dial to find it, but if you haven't seen the Maryland women play yet, it's worth trying to track down the game. No. 4 Maryland (24-2, 8-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) had to go to overtime to finally overtake Virginia Tech in its last game and tonight takes on a pretty good Virginia club (17-5, 5-1). The Terps have a strong balanced lineup of Kristi Toliver, Crystal Langhorne, Marissa Coleman, Laura Harper and Marah Strickland (Towson Catholic)

[1] Maryland (29-4) vs. [9] Utah (23-9) WHEN: 7 p.m. WHERE: Comcast Center, College Park TV: ESPN2 WINNER FACES: Vanderbilt-Kansas State winner Saturday in Raleigh, N.C. THE GAME: In its 82-53 first-round victory over Dartmouth, Maryland held a 52-34 rebounding edge and scored 20 points off fast breaks. Those two abilities are what make the Terrapins especially dangerous, according to Utah coach Elaine Elliott. "Maryland's transition game is really more like you're not ready to defend that soon, and they're ready to shoot and go at you that soon," she said.

Maryland's 2006 national championship victory over Atlantic Coast Conference rival Duke was named the best women's basketball game in the past 10 years by Sports Illustrated. The Terps rallied and forced overtime when Kristi Toliver made a 3-pointer over the outstretched hand of 6-foot-7 center Alison Bales . Toliver made two free throws with 35 seconds left in overtime, then got two free throws from fellow freshman Marissa Coleman to cap off the 78-75 victory. Maryland's comeback from 13 points down with less than 15 minutes remaining tied for the second largest in championship game history.

Pro basketball Former Terps star Toliver to join Turkish team Samsun Los Angeles Sparks guard Kristi Toliver (Maryland) has agreed to join Turkish club Samsun. Toliver, a backup on the Sparks, averaged 8.6points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.7 minutes per game this past season, her second in the WNBA. She hit the game-tying 3-pointer against Duke at the end of regulation in the 2006 NCAA title game won by the Terps and averaged 15points and 5.4 assists in four seasons in College Park.

The visiting Los Angeles Sparks lost, 79-76, to the Connecticut Sun despite a team-high 19 points off the bench from guard Kristi Toliver (Maryland). Tina Charles had 22 points and 23 rebounds for the Sun, who got 17 from Renee Montgomery and 16 each from Asjha Jones and Kara Lawson. The game was tied with a little over two minutes remaining, but Montgomery hit a driving layup with 35.8 seconds left and made two free throws with time running down to seal the game. Toliver shot 7-for-17 from the field, including 4-for-7 on 3-point attempts.

The visiting Los Angeles Sparks lost, 79-76, to the Connecticut Sun despite a team-high 19 points off the bench from guard Kristi Toliver (Maryland). Tina Charles had 22 points and 23 rebounds for the Sun, who got 17 from Renee Montgomery and 16 each from Asjha Jones and Kara Lawson. The game was tied with a little over two minutes remaining, but Montgomery hit a driving layup with 35.8 seconds left and made two free throws with time running down to seal the game. Toliver shot 7-for-17 from the field, including 4-for-7 on 3-point attempts.

Pro basketball Former Terps star Toliver to join Turkish team Samsun Los Angeles Sparks guard Kristi Toliver (Maryland) has agreed to join Turkish club Samsun. Toliver, a backup on the Sparks, averaged 8.6points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.7 minutes per game this past season, her second in the WNBA. She hit the game-tying 3-pointer against Duke at the end of regulation in the 2006 NCAA title game won by the Terps and averaged 15points and 5.4 assists in four seasons in College Park.

College softball Gravdahl helps Salisbury eliminate Frostburg, 8-2 Freshman Michelle Gravdahl (Long Reach) went 3-for-3 as Salisbury (25-3) scored seven first-inning runs and rolled to an 8-2 victory over Frostburg State (30-16) on Saturday morning, eliminating the Bobcats from the NCAA Division III regional in Newport News, Va. Sea Gulls seniors Jen Cahall (Elkton) and Kelly Waskewicz each went 2-for-3. Sophomore Erika Brittingham earned the win, allowing six hits while striking out seven in seven innings.

Maryland women@Virginia 7:30 p.m [ESPN2] The Terps lost at Virginia, 89-81, last season with Kristi Toliver, Marissa Coleman, Dee Liles and Marah Strickland. It certainly won't be easy to win against the No. 21 Cavaliers without them, especially coming on the heels of a 73-45 loss to North Carolina State on Thursday.

Maryland's 2006 national championship victory over Atlantic Coast Conference rival Duke was named the best women's basketball game in the past 10 years by Sports Illustrated. The Terps rallied and forced overtime when Kristi Toliver made a 3-pointer over the outstretched hand of 6-foot-7 center Alison Bales . Toliver made two free throws with 35 seconds left in overtime, then got two free throws from fellow freshman Marissa Coleman to cap off the 78-75 victory. Maryland's comeback from 13 points down with less than 15 minutes remaining tied for the second largest in championship game history.

COLLEGE PARK - - Tianna Hawkins was a little nervous as she sat on the bench at the start of Maryland's first exhibition game on Wednesday night. But once the freshman forward took the floor against Bowie State, she looked calm and confident. Hawkins made her first six shots and scored a game-high 20 points in the Terrapins' 90-48 victory over the Bulldogs at Comcast Center. Hawkins, a Washington Post All-Met player from Riverdale Baptist, is one of six newcomers on Maryland's 10-player roster.

College Park -- Jeff Walz can work the big room, even one as big as Comcast Center. As associate head coach of the Maryland women's basketball team, Walz's bluntly comedic repertoire is on display almost daily, usually to a select audience of players during practice. Maryland women@Boston College Tomorrow, 3 p.m., Comcast SportsNet (3:30 p.m.) Play to remember Maryland associate head coach Jeff Walz has a reputation for X's and O's and thinking ahead. In last year's win over Duke in the national title game, Walz designed the play that led to Kristi Toliver (right)

WNBA Toliver leads Sky past Fever, helps Chicago near playoffs Kristi Toliver (Maryland) came off the bench to score 19 points, Candice Dupree and Mistie Bass had 15 points each and the host Chicago Sky beat the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Fever for the first time in four meetings this season, 86-79, on Thursday night. "Anytime you can get that kind of contribution from the bench and then your starters come along [and] finish the game for you, that's a huge thing," said Chicago coach Steven Key, whose team closed in on a postseason berth.