Terrapins Host Duke In College Park On Saturday Night

Transcription

1 Contact: Kevin Messenger (phone) (fax) Men s Basketball Notes January 24, 2001 Terrapins Host Duke In College Park On Saturday Night COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Gary Williams and his Maryland basketball team welcome No. 2-ranked Duke to Cole Field House on Saturday night in an attempt to further their own win streak and end a pair of the Devils. Game Facts and Coverage Gm. 19 Duke at Maryland Date: Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001 Time: 8:00 p.m. Site: Cole Field House (14,500) TV: Live national telecast by ESPN. (Mike Patrick, play-by-play; Brad Daugherty, color) Radio: All Maryland games are carried live on the Maryland/Learfield Radio Network. Flagship stations are WBAL (1090- AM) in Baltimore and WMAL (630-AM) in Washington, D.C. Pregame show 30 minutes prior to tipoff. (Johnny Holliday, play-by-play; Chris Knoche, color) umterps.com: Maryland sports news on the World Wide Web, including up-todate Terrapin game notes, player profiles and statistics in PDF format. No. 8 Maryland, 14-4 overall and 5-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, has won three straight, 13 of its last 14 games overall, and 14 of its last 16 ACC regular season matchups. The Terrapins have jumped back into the Top 10 of both national polls and welcome the Blue Devils this week as Cole plays host to its third Top 15 showdown in as many weeks. Duke visits College Park having won three straight games against the Terps at Cole, and carrying a league record 22-game ACC road win streak. Maryland seniors and tri-captains Terence Morris, Mike Mardesich and LaRon Cephas hope for their first home court victory against the rival Blue Devils. The Terrapins have five days to prepare for Duke, after a road win at NC State last Sunday. It was Maryland s fourth straight road win, matching the school s longest road win streak since Maryland s 5-1 start in the ACC also matches the best six-game league start in school history, equaled four other times in the Gary Williams Era. Against the Wolfpack, Williams saw Morris and a deep bench more than compensate for the temporary absence of scoring leader Juan Dixon, whose bruised tailbone limited him to just 11 first half minutes. Morris registered his third double-double of the season contributing gamehighs of 20 points and 10 rebounds to go with four assists while bench help from Mardesich, Danny Miller, Drew Nicholas and Tahj Holden combined for 22 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. The Terps stretched their lead to as many as 21 points and flirted with their largest road win ever against NC State (18 points in 1976). Terrapin Streaks And Quick Notes Maryland has won three straight games overall, and 13 of its past 14. Maryland has won four straight road games, matching the most consecutive road wins the Terps have ever posted since winning six straight in The Terps have won 14 of their last 16 ACC regular season games, and 16 of 19 since beginning 0-3 in the ACC last season. Maryland has won eight of its last nine ACC road contests. The Terrapins own 12 straight victories over unranked opponents. Maryland has led at the intermission in each of 18 games this season. The Terrapins have scored 80 or more points in 10 of their last 12 games. The Terrapins own the nation s longest non-conference home winning streak at 76 games. Maryland s last Maryland Terrapins Roster Head Coach: Gary Williams (Maryland 68) / 12th year at Maryland ( , ACC) / 23rd year overall ( ) Probable Starters (G-GS) Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown PPG RPG Notes G/F 1 Byron Mouton (18-14) Jr. Rayne, La Terps are 13-1 since Mouton entered the lineup F 44 Terence Morris (18-18) Sr. Frederick, Md Averaging 18.5 pts and 10.5 rebs in ACC games C 35 Lonny Baxter (18-18) Jr. Silver Spring, Md Averaging 16.5 pts and 9.0 rebs in ACC games G 3 Juan Dixon (18-18) Jr. Baltimore, Md Played 11 min at NC State with bruised tailbone G 25 Steve Blake (18-18) So. Miami Lakes, Fla assists per game leads the ACC Terp Reserves (G-GS) Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown PPG RPG Notes G 12 Drew Nicholas (18-0) So. Hempstead, N.Y Backup point guard and three-point specialist F 15 Danny Miller (18-4) Jr. Mt. Holly, N.J points and 7 assists at NC State C 33 Mike Mardesich (18-0) Sr. Boston, Mass Has played in 119 consecutive Maryland games F 45 Tahj Holden (9-0) So. Red Bank, N.J Played in two games since foot injury on Dec. 7 F 54 Chris Wilcox (17-0) Fr. Raleigh, N.C Outstanding freshman has played in 17 of 18 gms G 11 Calvin McCall (7-0) So. Miami, Fla One rebound in brief action at NC State F 21 LaRon Cephas (10-0) Sr. Wilmington, Del Senior co-captain saw brief action at NC State G 4 Earl Badu (0-0) Jr. Baltimore, Md Played at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore C 40 Matt Slaninka (0-0) Fr. Hyattsville, Md Played at DeMatha HS in Hyattsville MARYLAND (14-4, 5-1 ACC) N20 1 [6/6] v. Louisville-ESPN... W N21 1 [6/6] v. [8/8] Illinois-ESPN... L N22 1 [6/6] v. Dayton... L N29 2 [13/14] v. [23/23] Wisconsin-ESPN... L ot D2 3 [13/14] v. Michigan-WDCA... W D3 3 [13/14] v. Geo. Washington-WDCA... W D6 [19/17] Stony Brook... W D9 [19/17] at Penn-HTS... W D13 [20/19] Md.-Baltimore County... W D23 [20/19] Norfolk State-HTS... W D27 [18/19] Chicago State... W D30 [18/19] Md.-Eastern Shore-HTS... W J2 * [17/17] at Clemson-RJ... W J6 * [17/17] Georgia Tech-RJ... W J10 * [14/16] [9/11] North Carolina-ESPN.. L J14 * [14/16] at Florida State-RJ... W J17 * [12/14] [10/8] Wake Forest-ESPN... W J21 * [12/14] at NC State-ABC... W J27 * Duke-ESPN... 8 p.m. J31 * at Virginia-ESPN... 9 p.m. F4 * Clemson-RJ... 1 p.m. F6 * at Georgia Tech-HTS... 7 p.m. F10 * at North Carolina-CBS... 1 p.m. F14 * Florida State-RJ... 9 p.m. F17 * at Wake Forest-RJ/ESPN2... 1:30 p.m. F20 * NC State-RJ... 8 p.m. F24 Oklahoma-ABC... 3:30 p.m. F27 * at Duke-RJ... 8 p.m. M3 * Virginia-CBS... 2 p.m. M at ACC Tournament-RJ/ESPN.. TBA [ ] indicate gametime AP and USA Today/ESPN rankings * Atlantic Coast Conference game 1 Maui Invitational at Lahaina, Hawaii 2 ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Milwaukee, Wisc. (Bradley Center) 3 BB&T Classic at Washington, D.C. (MCI Center) 4 ACC Tournament at Atlanta, Ga. (Georgia Dome) ACC Standings ACC Overall Teams W L Pct. W L Pct. Duke No. Carolina MARYLAND Wake Forest Ga. Tech Virginia NC State Clemson Florida State Thursday, January 25 NC State at Florida State (ESPN2), 7:00 Saturday, January 27 Florida State at Georgia Tech (RSN), Noon Wake Forest at Cincinnati (ABC), 1:00 Virginia at Clemson (RJ), 4:00 Duke at Maryland (ESPN), 8:00 Sunday, January 28 North Carolina at NC State (RJ/ESPN2), 1:30 Wednesday, January 31 Clemson at Florida State, 7:00 NC State at Wake Forest (ESPN), 7:00 Maryland at Virginia (ESPN), 9:00

2 MARYLAND vs. Duke HEAD COACH GARY WILLIAMS A three-time National Coach of the Year finalist and the 10th-winningest coach in Atlantic Coast Conference history, Gary Williams (Maryland 68) is in his 12th season as head coach of his alma mater. He has transformed the Maryland program into one of the nation s most formidable, and has built a following that has consistently resulted in sellout crowds at Cole Field House. A former Terrapins point guard, Williams was a starter under coach Bud Millikan during the 1965, 1966 and 1967 seasons. He was the team captain as a senior. As the Maryland coach, Williams has produced more than 20 wins in five of his last six seasons. Williams is the 29th-winningest active coach in America with 438 wins. Williams, at Maryland, boasts a overall record which includes four years at American ( ), four at Boston College ( ) and three at Ohio State ( ). In his 23rd season as a Division I head coach, Williams has coached in 10 NCAA Tournaments and guided six different teams to the NCAA Sweet 16. He has guided teams to the NCAA Tournament at each of his four coaching stops, and is the only coach in America to direct programs in each of the ACC, Big Ten and Big East conferences. Williams is one of six 400-win coaches who now engineer the programs at their respective alma maters (Jerry Tarkanian, Fresno State; Lou Henson, New Mexico State; Gale Catlett, West Virginia; Larry Hunter, Ohio). He notched his 400th win with a season-opening win over San Francisco on Nov. 17, He recorded his 200th victory at Maryland during a win over No. 23 Kentucky one month later. Williams, in the ACC, needs six ACC victories to become the ninth coach overall and the second from Maryland (Lefty Driesell) ever to reach 100 wins in the league. ACC Coaching Victories All Games 1. Dean Smith, North Carolina Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Bobby Cremins, Georgia Tech Charles Lefty Driesell, Maryland Terry Holland, Virginia Norman Sloan, NC State Frank McGuire, UNC & USC Dave Odom, Wake Forest Gary Williams, Maryland Carl Tacy, Wake Forest ACC Coaching Victories ACC Games 1. Dean Smith, North Carolina Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Frank McGuire, UNC & USC Bobby Cremins, Georgia Tech Charles Lefty Driesell, Maryland Terry Holland, Virginia Vic Bubas, Duke Norman Sloan, NC State Bud Millikan, Maryland Dave Odom, Wake Forest Gary Williams, Maryland non-league loss at Cole Field House was over a decade ago: Dec. 12, 1989 vs. Coppin State. Maryland has played 110 home games since suffering consecutive losses. The last time Maryland lost two straight at Cole Field House was during the season. Maryland s Cole Field House record over the last four seasons is 47-5 ( to present). The Terps are currently 7-1 at home this season, and were 15-1 in , 13-1 in and 12-2 in Records Maryland is 14-4 overall and 5-1 in the ACC. The Terps have won 13 of their last 14 games after last week s win over Wake Forest and a victory at NC State. Duke is 18-1 overall and 6-0 in the ACC, following a win over Wake Forest on Wednesday. The Blue Devils have won eight straight games including a win at Georgia Tech last Saturday. Rankings Maryland is No. 8 and 10, respectively, in the most recent AP and USA Today/ESPN polls. Duke is No. 2 in both polls. Next Games The Terrapins conclude the first half of the ACC schedule when visiting Virginia on Wednesday, Jan. 31 (9 p.m., ESPN). Maryland opens the second half of the ACC round-robin schedule when the Terps host Clemson on Sunday, Feb. 4 (1 p.m., RJ). RJ (Raycom/Jefferson Pilot) games are televised locally on WDCA (UPN-20 in Washington), WNUV (WB-54 in Baltimore) and WHAG (NBC-25 in Hagerstown). Williams Weekly Media Among his many other obligations with his team, the community and the media, Maryland coach Gary Williams takes time weekly for various interview shows on radio, TV and the Internet. WBAL s Steve Melewski hosts the Gary Williams Radio Show, which airs Thursday nights on stations throughout the Maryland/Learfield Network from 7:05 to 8 p.m. The Gary Williams TV Show, hosted by Johnny Holliday, airs weekly throughout the ACC season at 11:30 a.m. every Saturday on HTS, with replays on Tuesday afternoons at 3 p.m. Tri-Captains Maryland has named tri-captains for the current season seniors LaRon Cephas, Mike Mardesich and Terence Morris. Pronunciation Guide 21 LaRon Cephas (F)... luh-ron SEE-fuss 45 Tahj Holden (F)... Tahj (rhymes with mirage) 33 Mike Mardesich (C)... MAHR-duh-sitch 1 Byron Mouton (G/F)... MOO-tahn 40 Matt Slaninka (C)...SLAN-uh-kuh Every Monday, Williams appears for 30 minutes beginning at noon in a live chat session on ESPN.com. Throughout the ACC season, Williams takes part in the ACC s weekly media teleconference on Tuesdays at 11:40 a.m. Series Profile Duke Saturday, January 27, :00 p.m. ESPN Location: Durham, N.C. Home Court: Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314) Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski (Army 69) At school: (21st season) Overall: (26th season) Series Profile (Duke leads, 92-52) Last Maryland Win at Maryland:... Jan. 26, 1997 (74-70) Last Maryland Win at Duke:... Feb. 9, 2000 (98-87) Last Maryland Win in ACC Tournament:. March 8, 1996 (82-69) Last Duke Win at Maryland:... Jan. 9, 2000 (80-70) Last Duke Win at Duke:... Feb. 3, 1999 (95-77) Last Duke Win in ACC Tournament:... March 12, 2000 (81-68) Williams (at Md.) vs. Duke: Terps at Home: Terps on the Road: Terps at Neutral Sites: Terps Since : Last 10 Games:... Duke leads, 7-3 Current Streak:... Duke won 1 Longest Maryland Win Streak:... 7 Longest Duke Win Streak Largest Margin of Victory: (64-31 on Jan. 7, 1959) Largest Margin in Loss: (92-56 (Dec. 9, 1962) Most Maryland Points Scored: (Feb. 10, 1990) Most Duke Points Scored: (Feb. 10, 1990) Notes: In 144 previous meetings between Duke and Maryland, the Blue Devils have won The Devils have won seven of the last eight games with the Terps, though last season s Maryland win at Cameron Indoor Stadium ended a series of lengthy Duke win streaks in the ACC (31), at home (46) and overall (18)... Juan Dixon paced all scorers with 31 points, followed by Lonny Baxter with 22 and Terence Morris with Duke s Battier finished with 28 as the No. 23 Terps toppled No. 3 Duke for the first time in Durham since Earlier last season, senior Chris Carrawell scored 20 points and Maryland shot just 34 percent as No. 8 Duke defeated the No. 12 Terps The teams met again in the ACC Tournament championship, with top-rated Duke an victor behind 23 points from Jason Williams... Dixon led Maryland with 19 points... In three games last season, Duke shot 43, 53 and 48 percent from the floor to overcome a narrow Maryland rebounding advantage in each game... The difference for Maryland in the game at Cameron last season, was its 53.9 percent shooting clip... The Terps shot 34 percent in the loss at Cole, and 39 percent in the ACC Tourney defeat... Maryland has not beaten Duke on its own home floor since 1997, almost four years ago to the day, on Jan Terrapin seniors are seeking their first Cole Field House victory over the Blue Devils.

3 TERPNOTES Top 10 Terrapins Maryland re-entered the AP Top 10 this week, landing at No. 8, and one of four ACC teams in the top nine. Maryland is No. 10 by ESPN/USA Today. It is Maryland s fourth week among the AP Top 10 this season, though its first since Nov. 20 leading into the Maui Invitational. Maryland began the season at No. 5 and slipped to No. 6 for two weeks before playing a game. Overall, Maryland is in the AP Top 10 for the 144th week in its history. Hot Time In The ACC Led by second-ranked Duke, the ACC has four teams in the Top 10 and five teams in the Top 15 in this week s Associated Press men s basketball ranking. Duke (17-1) is ranked second, followed by North Carolina (15-2) at sixth, Maryland (14-4) at eighth, Wake Forest (14-3) at ninth, and Virginia (13-3) at 12th. Prior to this season, the last time four ACC teams were in the AP Top 10 was Feb. 10, 1997, when Wake Forest was second, Duke was sixth, Clemson seventh and Maryland 10th. Until the past three weeks, the most recent time that the ACC had five teams in the AP Top 15 was one week later on Feb. 17, 1997, when Wake Forest was fourth, Duke sixth, Clemson eighth, North Carolina 12th and Maryland 14th. Starting In The ACC Maryland s 5-1 start in the ACC matches the school s best six-game start in league play. Maryland has been 5-1 in the ACC on several occasions including four times during the Williams Era. Maryland s best ACC starts under Gary Williams: 5-1 in 1994, 6-1 in 1997, 7-1 in both 1995 and In ACC Since an 0-3 beginning in the ACC last season, Maryland has won 16 of its last 19 conference games. Terps At Cole This Season In eight home games, Maryland is 7-1 while averaging points with an average margin of Top 10 Wins At Cole Against Duke, Maryland aims for its second Cole Field House victory over a Top 10 opponent this season, and its second in as many weeks. The Terps win over Wake Forest on Jan. 17 was Maryland s first home victory over a Top 10 team since besting No. 1-ranked North Carolina in overtime, 89-83, in Prior to the victory over UNC in 1998, then- No. 7 Maryland topped No. 10 Duke at Cole Field House, 74-70, exactly four years ago this weekend: Jan. 26, The First Time... Should Maryland defeat Duke on Saturday, it would mark the first time in Cole Field House history that the Terrapins had beaten Top 10 teams in consecutive home games. MEN S BASKETBALL January 27, 2001 / Duke The Last Time... The last time that Maryland defeated two Top 15 teams in back-to-back home games was in 1995: #5 Maryland def. #15 Virginia, #8 Maryland def. #1 No. Carolina, The last time that Maryland defeated two Top 10 teams at home in the same season was in 1979: Maryland def. #1 Notre Dame, Maryland def. #5 Duke, Top 10 Showdowns Maryland most recently took part in a showdown of Top 10 teams in , when it participated in six. Here is a look at Top 10 battles in the Gary Williams Era at Maryland: ** #8 St. John s 76, #5 Maryland at #2 Duke 97, #7 Maryland #5 Maryland 89, at #7 No. Carolina #2 Duke 82, at #4 Maryland at #5 Kentucky 103, #2 Maryland #2 Maryland 62, #5 Stanford at #10 Clemson 80, #7 Maryland #2 Wake Forest 74, at #5 Maryland at #7 Maryland 74, #10 Duke ** #8 Connecticut 99, #10 Maryland * #2 No. Carolina 97, #10 Maryland at #8 Maryland 86, #1 No. Carolina at #1 No. Carolina 100, #7 Maryland 90 + BB&T Classic; * ACC Tournament; ** NCAA Tournament Cole s Big Game Flavor Cole Field House has seen its share of big games over the years, including a pair of Final Fours (1966 and 1970), but even in the regular season, Cole has played host to numerous games which feature the nation s AP No. 1 or No. 2 ranked teams. Saturday s game marks the 21st time since 1970 that an opponent enters Cole with a No. 1 or 2 label. Since 1970, Maryland has also defended a No. 2 ranking 20 times on the Cole hardwood. Terrapin victories over No. 1 or No. 2 teams since 1970: Date Result Maryland def. #1 No. Carolina, (ot) #8 Maryland def. #1 No. Carolina, Maryland def. #2 Duke, (ot) Maryland def. #1 Virginia, (ot) Maryland def. #1 Notre Dame, Maryland def. #2 So. Carolina, Streak-Busters? In last year s Terrapin win at Duke, Maryland snapped Blue Devil streaks for consecutive wins overall (18), in the ACC (31) and at home (46). On Saturday, Duke enters Cole Field House with three straight road wins over the Terps, eight straight wins overall and an league-record 22 consecutive ACC road victories. TERPS BY THE NUMBERS 2.7 Blcoks by Terence Morris through five ACC games. 3 Maryland-native all-stars Lonny Baxter (Silver Spring), Juan Dixon (Baltimore) and Terence Morris (Frederick) all are recent first team All-ACC selections and national player of the year candidates. 3 Only Lefty Driesell-coached teams of 74, 75 and 76 finished second or better in the ACC standings in three straight years. Williams and the Terps can match that mark in Juan Dixon leads the ACC in steals per game. 5 Consecutive years without change on the Terps coaching staff. The staff Williams (12th season), Hahn (12th), Dickerson (5th), Patsos (10th). Also reflecting its continuity are trainer J.J. Bush (29th season), equipment mgr. John Bowie (12th) and dir. of basketball operations Troy Wainwright (5th). 6.7 Steve Blake leads the ACC in assists per game. 6.8 Maryland leads the ACC in blocked shots per game. 18 Consecutive games that Maryland has led its opponent at halftime. 20 Consecutive games that Terence Morris has recorded at least one blocked shot. 33, 53 of 54 Juan Dixon has converted 33 consecutive free throws, and 53 of of his last 54. His first FT attempt at Clemson ended a previous string of 20 straight Average wins in seven straight NCAA Tournament seasons under Gary Williams. Maryland boasts 20- win seasons in five of the last seven years, and a.500 or better ACC record in seven straight Though scoring just two points in 11 minutes at NC State, Juan Dixon still averages 20.5 points in ACC games. 29 Consecutive weeks in the AP Top Lonny Baxter and Terence Morris combined to shoot 56.7 percent in two games last week (30 of 53). 76 Nation s-longest non-conference home court win streak which lasts more than a decade. Terps last non-league home defeat was Dec. 12, 1989 vs. Coppin State. The streak began on Dec. 30, 1989 against Alcorn State. 110 Maryland home games without consecutive losses, dating to its last home losing streak in

4 MARYLAND BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK QUOTING GARY WILLIAMS Following are excerpts from Gary Williams weekly Monday chat session on ESPN.com. His next chat takes place at noon on Monday, Jan. 29. On the strength of the ACC: The ACC is very deep this year. There are at least six teams that deserve consideration for the NCAA Tournament. It will be interesting at the end of the regular season to see how many teams actually do make the tournament since only three made it the last two years. On Juan Dixon s availability to play on Saturday against Duke: With proper rest and treatment, it looks like Juan will be able to play Saturday against Duke. It is a bruise and so bruises usually heal quickly. On the ACC Tournament moving to Atlanta this season: For the future of the ACC, and the tournament, I think it is very important that it is moved around the conference. This year Mondays at Noon it is in Atlanta, but then it goes back to North Carolina for the following three years. But after that, every other year it will be outside the state of North Carolina, starting with Washington, D.C. (MCI Center) in On playing Duke: Anytime you play a very good team like Duke, you want to make sure that your team plays at the top of its game. Obviously, there are some things that we have to work on that are specific to Duke, but overall, we have to make sure our offenses and defenses are in great shape for Saturday. On Mike Mardesich: Mike played very well for us, especially in the first half when we needed it at NC State. Mike hasn't always been consistent, but he has won some big games for us during his career. Plus, everyday in practice, he's a 7-foot, 260-pound guy who makes Terence Morris and Lonny Baxter work very hard, and that is very important to the development of our team as time goes on. On the Comcast Center: The Comcast Center will be on campus which is very important to maintain the great crowds that we have at Cole Field House. Also, the seating has been arranged so that the students have the best seats all the way around the court, so it should be as loud as the crowd at Cole. It will be a state of the art building, and a lot more comfortable for the fans than it is currently possible to do at Cole Field House. On team chemistry: A team is always changing during the course of the season. There are ups and downs, players sometimes don't get along as well at times as at other times. There are always variables in any season on any team, the idea is to stay focused and keep the idea of having the best basketball team as your primary goal. On the team s biggest test: The biggest test for any team in our league this year is to be ready to play each game. It is difficult to be prepared the same way for each game, but to win on a consistent basis that's what we have to do. I think now that our players understand how hard they have to work to get to that level, each time they play. Local Flavor / Terps & Hoyas Maryland, at No. 8, has moved its way back into the AP Top 10 this week after beginning the season at No. 5. D.C.-area foe Georgetown, meanwhile, is No. 10 this week to mark the Hoyas first appearance in the Top 10 since It is the first time since Jan. 7, 1995 that both local clubs were represented in the Top 10. Ironically, the Terps were then No. 8 and the Hoyas No. 10. Terps On The Road Maryland has won four straight road games this season all four games it has played on opponent hardwood (not counting neutral site games). Maryland s current streak matches the most consecutive road wins that the Terps have ever posted since winning six straight in Maryland also won four consecutive road games in , , , and At The Intermission Through 18 games, Maryland has never trailed at halftime this season. Devils, Frogs and Terps The Terps are the third-highest scoring team in the nation, according to NCAA statistics through games of January 22. Maryland s 89.9-point average trails Duke (94.2) and TCU (93.5). Maryland s 123 points against Norfolk State remains the fourth-highest point total by any team in the country this season, tied with Georgetown s 123 points vs. Howard. Here is a look at where the Terps fall in various national statistical categories: NCAA Scoring Offense G Pts. Avg. 1. Duke 18 1, TCU 19 1, Maryland 18 1, Virginia 16 1, NCAA Scoring Margin Off. Def. Margin 1. Duke Stanford Michigan State Florida Maryland Wake Forest Terrapin Tidbits Miscellaneous notes on Maryland scoring, scoring defense and ball control: Maryland has scored at least 80 points in 10 of its last 12 games. The Terps have won 13 of their last 14 games while scoring over 100 points in five of them. Maryland s string of four straight century mark outings established a new record. Opponents have been held below the Terps season average for scoring defense in Maryland s last three games: Florida State (55), Wake Forest (71) and NC State (61). Maryland s four top rebounding efforts come in four straight games prior to the win at NC State: 45 vs. North Carolina, 46 vs. Georgia Tech, 47 vs. Wake Forest, 54 vs. Florida State. Through six ACC games, the Terps have not yielded more than 15 turnovers. Tough Terps Get Tougher Maryland s win over Wake Forest last week proved the Terps ability to play a physical game and win the battles inside the paint. Guided by the play of Lonny Baxter and Terence Morris, and bolstered by the inside presence of reserves Chris Wilcox, Tahj Holden and Mike Mardesich, Maryland manhandled Wake with a season-high 24 offensive rebounds. The Terps 47 total rebounds against the Deacs marked Maryland s fourth straight game with 45 or more caroms. They reflect Maryland s four best rebounding figures of the season. Baxter (8) and Morris (4) combined for 12 offensive boards between them. Wake had 11 as a team. Holden Returns Reserve big man Tahj Holden saw his first action since Dec. 6 when he entered the lineup in the final minute of the first half against Wake Forest. He suffered a broken fifth metatarsel on his left foot, during practice the day after a nonleague win over Stony Brook (Dec. 6). He underwent surgery on the morning of Dec. 9 to place a screw in the foot. He saw 11 minutes of play against Wake Forest, and 13 against NC State. Holden averages 13 minutes of play through nine games this season, posting 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds and most importantly, a physical and aggressive defensive presence. Teamwork, Balance, Depth From top to bottom, Maryland has utilized at least nine regular players who have made steady contributions. The Terps are at least two, and as many as four players deep at every position on the floor. With the return of Tahj Holden to the active lineup, Maryland should see 10 players receive regular action. Last season, five players averaged over 27 minutes per game. This season, just one, Juan Dixon, averages over as many (28.7, compared to his team-leading average of 34.0 last year). This season s bench has contributed 24.9 points per game, as compared to 12 points last season. Minutes* Points Starters Bench Starters 26.2 (2,359) 71.1 (1,280) Bench 24.9 (448) * Minutes average is per player With Juan Dixon injured most of the game at NC State, reserves Danny Miller and Drew Nicholas combined for 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds to help secure a tough road victory without him. Against Georgia Tech, all nine players scored at least four points. All nine had gotten into the scoring column just 11 minutes into the game. Eight different players average at least 5.0 points per game, including reserve center Mike Mardesich who averages 5.0, well above his previous career average of 3.8 and his junior average of 2.7.

5 MARYLAND BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK Maryland s 20.7 assists per game lead the ACC. The Terps 1.48 assist/turnover ratio is second in the conference and their turnover margin is third. Four different Terrapins average over 2.3 assists per game. Sophomore point guard Steve Blake leads the ACC with 6.9 per contest. One of America s deepest and most athletic teams in The Terrapins return all five starters from their team a year ago, plus their top three reserves, a blue chip freshman and the runner-up for honors as the 1998 Conference USA Rookie of the Year. Measuring Sticks Now 18 games into the season, here are a few tendencies which tell the story. Maryland s Record When: Outrebounding the opponent Rebounds are tied Outrebounded by the opponent Shooting more free throws Shooting fewer free throws ,000-Point Trio Maryland s trio of Lonny Baxter, Terence Morris and Juan Dixon have reached rare distinction as they have become just the fourth Terp trio ever to boast 1,000 points on the same team. The Terps join Central Connecticut and Hofstra as the only teams in the country with three active 1,000-point scorers. All three current players have reached the plateau during their junior seasons. The latest to reach the milestone, Baxter is the 37th player overall, and the 16th sophomore or junior ever to reach the milestone. Maryland s 1,000-point trios: : Lonny Baxter, Juan Dixon, Terence Morris : Keith Booth, Exree Hipp, Johnny Rhodes, Duane Simpkins : Exree Hipp, Johnny Rhodes, Joe Smith : Ernest Graham, Albert King, Greg Manning, Buck Williams. A 1,000-Point Quartet? Maryland is on the verge of becoming the 38th Division I team to boast four 1,000-point scorers active in the same year. A fourth player, junior transfer Byron Mouton, is currently within 61 points of reaching 1,000, himself. He scored 728 points through his freshman and sophomore seasons at Tulane. No other team in the country currently boasts four active players with 1,000 career points, though two teams (Samford and Akron) ended the 2000 campaign with four 1,000 pointers. The 2001 Terps would become the sixth ACC team ever to boast four 1,000-point scorers active on the same team. Maryland would boast three of those six ACC teams (1996 Maryland, 1993 Florida State, 1986 Duke, 1982 Wake Forest, 1981 Maryland). If Joe Smith had stayed for his junior season, the 1996 Maryland team likely would have joined the 1993 FSU squad as the only ACC schools ever to field five active 1,000-point scorers on the same team. Games to Reach 1,000 Career Total Terence Morris 81 1,549 Juan Dixon 78 1,212 Lonny Baxter 81 1,072 Byron Mouton [72+] In One Game Juan Dixon s 30 points against Wake Forest made him one of just six Terps ever to score 30 points or more in four different games. With three 30-point games last season, he is also one of six players to reach the mark three times in one season. Teammate Lonny Baxter has reached the 30-point mark on two occasions including a career-high 32 points this year against Norfolk State. Player 30-Point Gms (Career) High Walt Williams Joe Smith 7 40 Len Bias 6 41 John Lucas 5 34 Juan Dixon 4 33 Tom McMillen 4 35 Albert King 3 38 Player 30-Point Gms (Season) Walt Williams ( ) 11 Len Bias ( ) 6 Joe Smith ( ) 5 Juan Dixon ( ) 3 Tom McMillen ( ) 3 Walt Williams ( ) 3 All-America Marylanders Among the Terrapins five returning starters is a trio of All-America candidates who each has earned first team All-ACC honors within the past two years. Each of the three also has been tabbed as a preseason candidate for the Naismith and Wooden national player of the year awards. The key stat for Maryland fans: all three are Maryland natives Lonny Baxter (Silver Spring, Md.), Juan Dixon (Baltimore, Md.) and Terence Morris (Frederick, Md.). Points And Steals Specialist Until leaving the NC State game with a bruised tailbone with just 11 minutes and two points to his credit, junior shooting guard Juan Dixon had scored 19 or more points in 11 straight games and 12 of 13 including season-highs of 28 points against Georgia Tech and 30 against Wake Forest. A slasher and creative scorer, Dixon leads the Terps in scoring, with 18.4 points. He is fourth in the ACC overall, and fifth in the league with 20.5 points through six ACC games. He leads the team and the ACC with 52 steals, 2.9 per game. He posted a career-high eight steals against Georgia Tech. Dixon needs just two more steals to become the 20th player in ACC history to reach 200 for his career. He has made 53 of his last 54 free throws, with a current string of 33 in-a-row. He missed his first free throw in the ACC opener at Clemson, to end a string of 20 consecutive free throws, and hasn t missed since. TERPS SIGN A PAIR TO LETTERS OF INTENT Maryland head basketball coach Gary Williams has announced the signing of a pair of Eastern basketball stars to national letters-of-intent. MICHAEL GRINNON, a senior at St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, N.Y., will attend Maryland beginning in fall As will junior college transfer RYAN RANDLE of Allegany College in Cumberland, Md. Randle, who will attend Maryland as a junior next season, hails from Texas where he attended Duncanville High School. Grinnon, a 6-6, 195-pound shooting guard who is considered to be fundamentally sound, averaged 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and four steals last season at St. Dominic, a traditional Long Island powerhouse. He s a great outside shooter, said Williams. He really knows how to play the game. He has had a great summer and fall going into his senior year of high school. Grinnon played for the Lightning at the annual Charlie Weber Tournament, held Sept at Maryland s Cole Field House, and also competed at fall tournaments at Rutgers and Connecticut. Described by one recruiting publication as a very cerebral type of player, Grinnon is an outstanding student and a member of the National Honor Society. Ryan will be a good player for us, said Williams. We have followed him at Allegany and since we ll lose Terence [Morris], Mike [Mardesich] and LaRon [Cephas] after this season, we needed a good big man who is also athletic. Randle, 6-9 and 250 pounds, is in his sophomore season at Allegany, the same school from which the Terrapins successfully recruited All-American Steve Francis. He will attend Maryland for his final two seasons. At Allegany, he helped lead his team to a 28-2 record as a freshman. He averaged 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and led the team with 31 blocked shots. Coming off the bench, he also added 43 assists and 27 steals to display the ball-handling skills that set him apart from an ordinary big man. Said Randle s coach at Allegany, Bob Kirk, Even though he didn t start for us last year, he was the best player on the team. We ve never had anyone who is as capable a player except for Steve Francis.

6 MARYLAND BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK IN THE POLLS Maryland is one of four ACC teams in the AP Top 10, and five in the Top 15. This is the second week since Feb. 17, 1997 that five ACC teams have been in the Top 15. Maryland s preseason No. 5 ranking by the Associated Press is the highest by a Gary Williams-coached team. AP Rankings January 22, 2001 (Record)... Pts. LW 1. Stanford (68) (17-0)... 1, Duke (2) (17-1)... 1, Michigan St. (15-1)... 1, Kansas (15-1)... 1, North Carolina (15-2)... 1, Tennessee (17-2)... 1, Illinois (15-4)... 1, Maryland (14-4)... 1, Wake Forest (14-3)... 1, Georgetown (16-1)... 1, Syracuse (15-2)... 1, Arizona (12-5) Virginia (13-3) Florida (11-4) Wisconsin (11-4) Seton Hall (12-5) Iowa St. (15-3) Alabama (14-3) Mississippi (15-3) Texas (15-3) NR 21. Iowa (14-4) Fresno St. (16-2) NR 23. Boston College (13-2) Connecticut (13-5) USC (13-4) Others Receiving Votes: Oklahoma 139, Kentucky 68, Missouri 54, Minnesota 53, Oklahoma St. 47, Utah St. 38, Georgia 36, Coll. of Charleston 34, Xavier 31, Cincinnati 30, Notre Dame 22, So. Mississippi 15, St. Joseph s (Pa.) 14, Georgia Tech 11, Purdue 10, Arkansas 9, Pittsburgh 9, Vanderbilt 7, Mississippi St. 5, UCLA 5, Gonzaga 3, Texas-El Paso 2, Holy Cross 1, New Mexico 1. USA Today/ESPN Rankings January 21, 2001 (Record)... Pts. LW 1. Stanford (27) (17-0) Duke (4) (17-1) Michigan St. (15-1) Kansas (15-1) Tennessee (17-2) North Carolina (15-2) Illinois (15-4) (tie) Syracuse (15-2) (tie) Wake Forest (14-3) Maryland (14-4) Georgetown (16-1) Virginia (13-3) Arizona (12-5) Florida (11-4) Alabama (14-3) Wisconsin (11-4) Iowa (14-4) Iowa St. (15-3) Seton Hall (12-5) Connecticut (13-5) Mississippi (15-3) USC (13-4) Texas (15-3) Oklahoma (13-4) Boston College (13-2) Others Receiving Votes: Fresno St. 32, Utah St. 32, Minnesota 13, Missouri 11, Xavier 11, Kentucky 9, BYU 7, Cincinnati 7, Purdue 7, South Florida 7, UCLA 3, Georgia 2, Gonzaga 2, Notre Dame 2, Oklahoma St. 2, Vanderbilt 2, Coll. of Charleston 1, Georgia Tech 1. Maryland s leading free throw shooter, he made a career-high 11 FTs against Georgia Tech and was perfect on 11 attempts. He was 10-for- 10 against Wake Forest. He was an all-tournament selection at the BB&T Classic, averaging 16 points in two games. Dixon led the Terps with 18.0 points and was second in the ACC in scoring last season. He led the ACC with 2.7 steals per contest, and was third in the circuit while shooting better than 44 percent from 3-point range through 16 league games. Mr. All-Around Terence Morris currently leads the team in blocks (2.4) and rebounds (7.3), and is third in scoring (14.2). Through six ACC games, Morris averages a double-double with 18.5 points and 10.5 boards. He has scored in double figures in seven of his last eight games. He has doubledoubles in three of his last five games. Against Wake Forest and NC State last week, he combined to shoot 58.4 percent from the floor (14 of 24), 62.5 percent from 3-point range (5 of 8) and 87.5 percent from the free throw line (7 of 8). On Saturday in Raleigh, with scoring leader Juan Dixon sidelined with a sore tailbone, Morris became the Terps go-to man, shooting 63.6 percent (7-11) against NC State and burying three 3-pointers. Morris recorded his third doubledouble of the season, also pulling down a gamehigh 10 boards while contributing four assists, two blocks and a steal. Morris pulled down a season-high 14 rebounds at Florida State. Against North Carolina, Morris was one point from becoming the first player since Keith Rankings Watch Terps and Opponents In The Polls Maryland AP High/Low 5/20 Maryland USA High/Low 6/19 Maryland Sagarin High/Low 9/42 Associated Press N N N D D D D J J J J SCHOOL ps Duke North Carolina Illinois Maryland Wake Forest Virginia Wisconsin Oklahoma rv Georgia Tech rv rv - rv rv Dayton rv rv rv 24 rv rv rv rv NC State rv rv rv - - rv USA Today/ESPN N N D D D D D J J J SCHOOL ps Duke North Carolina Illinois Wake Forest Virginia 25 rv Maryland Wisconsin Oklahoma Georgia Tech rv - rv rv - rv rv Dayton rv rv rv rv rv rv rv rv rv rv - NC State rv - rv rv rv - rv rv rv - - Sagarin Ratings N N D D D D D J J J J SCHOOL ps Duke Wake Forest Illinois North Carolina Maryland Virginia Wisconsin Georgia Tech Oklahoma NC State Dayton Booth against Wake Forest in 1997 to lead Maryland in scoring (21), rebounds (12) and assists (5). He matched his career scoring high at Clemson, netting 26 points on 8 of 16 shooting against the Tigers. He was also perfect on a season-high seven free throw attempts, and led the team with eight rebounds. He has had multiple blocks in 14 out of 18 games this season including a season-best four on three occasions (Wake Forest, North Carolina, Norfolk State). He has had at least one block in every game, and in 20 straight games dating to last season. He has had multiple blocked shots in 56 of 86 games in the last three seasons, and three or more blocks in 37 of those games. Morris is the third Maryland player and the 16th in ACC history to record more than 200 career blocks. He now has 221 and is 13th on the ACC career chart. He is the 12th player in Maryland history to score at least 1,500 points in his career. Morris completed his junior season with career averages: 15.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.6 steals. His versatility has helped the Terps lead the ACC in blocks and steals in back-to-back seasons, and he has earned honorable mention All-America honors in three consecutive seasons. Inside Muscle Lonny Baxter is second on the team in points (17.1) and rebounds (7.3). Against Wake Forest, he scored 18 points with a season-high 15 boards, one off of his career best. It was his third double-double of the season, and the 15th of his career. Against NC State last Sunday, he contributed

7 MARYLAND BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK points with six rebounds. Baxter s career-high 32 points came on 12 of 14 shooting against Norfolk State. Baxter hit his first seven shots, and scored 17 points in the first six minutes of the second half. He has scored in double figures in 23 of the last 25 games, dating to last season. Baxter led the ACC with 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in a sophomore campaign which also saw him produce 15.6 points and a league-leading 12 double-doubles. Swat That! Maryland led the ACC and set a school record with 6.7 blocked shots per game in This season, the Terps are at it again with an ACCleading average of 6.8 through 18 games. Including 11 blocks against UMBC, the Terps have double-figure blocked shots three times this season. Maryland has at least six blocked shots in 11 of 18 games. Four different players (Lonny Baxter, Tahj Holden, Mike Mardesich, Terence Morris) have had at least three blocks in a game this season. Morris has had multiple blocks in 14 of 18 games, and at least one block in every game. Lonny Baxter has recorded at least one block in 15 of 18 games. Maryland blocked a Maui Invitational record 13 blocked shots in its loss to Dayton. The Terps were led by Baxter s tournament record of six by an individual. Impact Newcomer The Terps are 13-1 with Byron Mouton among the starting five, helping prompt The Sporting News to call him the ACC s Impact Newcomer of the Year through the first half of the season. Mouton had eight points and a season high seven rebounds at NC State. The explosive and crowd-pleasing Mouton had his best day as a Terp against UMES, sparking Maryland with a season-high 28 points on 9 of 11 shooting while adding four steals, three rebounds and two assists. He also was perfect on eight free throw attempts. He has scored in double figures in 10 of 18 games this season. In a three-game span from Dec. 3-9, Mouton scored 17, 19 and 20 points, averaging 18.7 points and 71.4 percent shooting in those three games. He has led the Terps in scoring four times, including a 17-point effort against GW in the championship game of the BB&T Classic. He was named to the all-tournament team at the BB&T Classic, alongside junior teammate Juan Dixon. Engineering The Point Sophomore Steve Blake has asserted himself as one of the best veteran point guards in the country. Currently leading the ACC with 6.7 assists per game. Blake posted a near triple-double against Norfolk State, pulling down a career-high eight rebounds with nine assists and 10 points. In just 23 minutes against Stony Brook, Blake dished a career-high 13 assists, recording the most by a Terrapin since Steve Francis recorded 13 against Virginia in Three nights later at Penn, he drilled a timely 3-pointer and a pair of driving jumpers to help the Terps stave off a furious Quaker rally in the final minutes. All 10 of his points came in the game s final 3:55. He boasts at least five assists in 15 of 19 games dating to last season. Mardesich Closing In On Marks Senior co-captain Mike Mardesich is closing in on Maryland records for career games played (119) and consecutive games played (119). The 7-foot reserve center needs 13 more games this year to surpass the existing record of 131 games, by Len Bias ( ). He needs to play eight more games in succession in order to eclipse the existing mark of 126 consecutive games played by Keith Booth ( ). Right behind Mardesich is fellow co-captain Terence Morris who has played in 118 games overall. He missed last season s game at Clemson to end his consecutive games streak at 83. Class Victories Maryland s senior class of Mike Mardesich, Terence Morris and LaRon Cephas has won 88 games. Mardesich has played in every victory, Morris in 87. The Terps senior class has registered 40 ACC victories. More Terp Notables... Mike Mardesich has scored 55 points (6.1) with 30 rebounds (3.3) in his last nine games. His career average before this season was just 3.8 points per game; his season average in was 2.7. Mardesich scored 11 points against Norfolk State and added a career-high 15 points against Chicago State to mark the first time in his career that the seven-footer has scored in double figures in consecutive games. Drew Nicholas has not only assumed backup point guard chores this season as a sophomore, he has become one of the Terps most deadly long-range shooters. Nicholas is second on the team in 3-pointers (22) and assists (57/3.2). Nicholas has hit 48.9 percent of his 3- point attempts this season, at one point ranking second in the ACC and among the top 10 nationally. In the loss to Dayton, Nicholas hit four of five 3-point shots to finish with 12 points, five assists and a pair of steals. Nicholas has hit at least one 3-point basket in 15 of 18 games this season. Junior Danny Miller has taken to his new role off the bench, and has responded in his last 10 games by averaging 6.8 points (68) and 4.2 rebounds (42) compared to averages of 3.0 and 2.0 through the Terps first eight games. Miller contributed a season-high seven assists on the road at NC State. He has scored at least six points in eight of his last nine games. He scored more than six just once in his first eight games. 3-Point Goals Maryland boasts a 182-game streak with at least one 3-pointer, dating to March 18, Terps On ACC Career Lists Terence Morris is third on the Terps career chart for blocked shots, and 13th on the ACC career chart. Juan Dixon is third on the Maryland career chart for steals, and needs just two more steals MARYLAND ON SUPER BOWL WEEKEND Maryland is 6-5 on Super Bowl Weekend under Gary Williams, and 4-1 under Williams at Cole Field House. Saturday s game marks the first time in four years that Maryland has played at home on Super Bowl Weekend. The last time the Terps were at home during the big weekend, Maryland beat Duke on Super Bowl Sunday in The last time that Maryland beat Duke at Cole Field House, in fact, was on Super Bowl Sunday in No. 7 Maryland beat No. 10 Duke behind balanced scoring and 48 percent shooting. Laron Profit netted 16 points for the Terps, and Keith Booth and Sarunas Jasikevicius each pitched in 15. Following the win to raise its record to 17-2, Maryland rose to No. 5 in the AP poll for its highest ranking of the season. Duke s No. 2 ranking by the Associated Press matches the highest of any Maryland opponent on Super Bowl Weekend. The Blue Devils were also No. 2 in 1986 and 1994 meetings in Durham. Maryland hosted No. 2 North Carolina in The Terps, themselves, were ranked No. 2 in 1973 and 1976 on Super Bowl Weekend. Saturday s game with Duke marks the 10th time that Maryland and Duke have met on Super Bowl Weekend. During the first of those 10, Vince Lombardi stalked the sidelines for the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I while Gary Williams was the Terrapins captain and point guard. Duke beat the Terps 72-69, in overtime. Maryland and Duke met five straight seasons on Super Bowl Weekend between 1993 and Since the AFL-NFL merger, the NFC has won all eight Super Bowls played on the same weekend as a Maryland-Duke basketball game. The only time Baltimore has played in a Super Bowl when Maryland played on Super Bowl weekend was when the then-nfl Baltimore Colts fell to Joe Namath and the N.Y. Jets in Super Bowl III. During Baltimore s next Super Bowl, the Terrapins did not play. Maryland is 2-0 on Super Bowl Weekend when the Super Bowl has been held in Tampa. In 1984 when the Redskins lost to the L.A. Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII, No. 7 Maryland won on the road at Old Dominion, 69-58, behind 10 of 12 shooting and 24 points from sophomore Len Bias. In 1991 when the N.Y. Giants escaped with a win over Buffalo in Super Bowl XXV, the Terps defeated NC State in their highest scoring game on Super Bowl Weekend.