1999-2000 Men's Basketball Season Outlook
7/27/1999 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Terps Play For School-Record Seventh Consecutive NCAA Bid
Maryland enters the 1999-2000 season looking to play in a school-record
seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Terps have competed in each
NCAA Tournament since 1994 and have advanced to the "Sweet 16" round in
four of the last six seasons. The Terps' current six-season streak is
the longest in school history.
Maryland Is...
...One of only 10 teams in the nation and one of only two teams in the
ACC that has participated in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments.
Only Arizona, Cincinnati, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina,
Purdue, Temple and UCLA join the Terps as teams that have competed in
each of the last five NCAA men's basketball tournaments.
In The Sweet 16...
...The Terps are one of only five teams in the nation to advance to the
regional semifinal round at least four times since the 1993-94 season.
The Terps advanced to the regional semifinals in 1994, 1995, 1998 and
1999. Only Arizona, Connecticut, Kentucky and Kansas join the Terps.
In the ACC Tournament...
.Maryland is the only team in the ACC that has advanced to the ACC
Tournament semifinals in each of the last five seasons. It marks the
first time since the 1972-76 seasons that Maryland has made five
consecutive ACC Tournament semifinal appearances. The Terps have never
played in the ACC Tournament semifinals in six consecutive seasons.
One Isn't Really That Lonely
Terence Morris, who averaged a career-high 15.3 points and a career-high
7.1 rebounds per game last season, is the only returning All-ACC
first-team selection from the 1998-99 season. Starting with North
Carolina's Len Rosenbluth in 1957, Morris is the 13th player in ACC
history to be the lone All-ACC first team representative returning from
one year to the next. The lone returnee has earned All-ACC honors in
the second year each time with nine of the players earning first-team
honors. Most recently, Duke's Trajan Langdon returned by himself after
earning first-team honors in 1998 and was also a first-team selection in
1999. Only once in ACC history, 1986, have all five members of the
first team finished their eligibility.
Junior All-America Candidate Terence Morris...
.Was the only conference player to finish among the league's top 10 in
field goal percentage (third), blocked shots (third), free throw
percentage (fourth), rebounds (eighth), scoring (10th) and steals (10th)
during the 1998-99 season.
.Became the fourth sophomore in school history to earn All-ACC first-team honors last season. Most recently, Joe Smith was an all-conference first-team selection in 1995. Tom McMillen in 1972 and John Lucas in 1974 were the other Terp sophomores to earn All-ACC first-team honors.
Remember This About Lonny Baxter
Sophomore center Lonny Baxter started 10 games last season and averaged
8.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals in an average of 20.6 minutes of
play in that role. Baxter started in place of a healthy Obinna Ekezie
against Virginia on Feb. 6 and was a starter in 10 of the final 11 games
of the season. The only start that Baxter did not make in the final six
weeks of the season was on senior day against Clemson. Baxter started
both of Maryland's games in the ACC Tournament and all three in the NCAA
Tournament. The Terps were 8-2 with Baxter in the starting lineup.
Tale of Two Seasons PPG RPG Baxter as a Starter 8.9 4.6 Baxter as a Non-Starter 6.8 3.6 Improvement as a Starter +2.1 +1.0
Dixon Leads ACC Frosh In Steals
Redshirt sophomore guard Juan Dixon led all ACC freshmen in steals (50)
and steals per game (1.5) during the 1998-99 season. His 50 steals
ranks as the second best single-season effort by a Maryland freshman
behind only Johnny Rhodes' 71 in 1993.
Dixon Establishes Maryland First
Redshirt sophomore Juan Dixon became the first freshman in school
history to lead the Terps in free throw percentage (.830). He hit a
single-game career-high seven free throws in a career-high eight
attempts in Maryland's victory over DePaul on Dec. 7. Dixon hit a
season-high seven consecutive free throws against both the Blue Demons
and over two games against Stanford and Princeton. Former Terp All-ACC
performer Duane Simpkins (1993-96) led the team in free- throw shooting
percentage each season from 1994-96. He is the only player to lead the
team from the free throw line three times in school history.
Tournament Time Was Miller Time
Sophomore forward Danny Miller, who was one of five ACC freshmen to play
in at least 34 games during the 1998-99 season, will look to move into a
starter's role this season. Miller may have been at his best in the
Terps' five postseason games as he averaged 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and
20.2 minutes played as Maryland advanced to the semifinals of the ACC
Tournament and to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament. Miller opened
the nation's eyes with a six-point performance in No. 2 Maryland's
victory over No. 5 Stanford in the first round of the BB&T Classic in
Washington, D.C. He hit 3-pointers on successive possessions to help the
Terps recover from a 20-12 disadvantage to a slim, 20-18 disadvantage.
Maryland won the game, 62-60.
First 24 Last 10 NCAA's
Pts./Game 3.9 5.1 5.7
Rebs./Game 2.0 2.3 2.0
Mins./Game 13.4 16.9 21.0
Keep An Eye On
Gary Williams: One Win Shy Of 400
As he enters the 1999-2000 season head coach Gary Williams needs only
one victory to reach 400 for his career. He enters the season, his
22nd, with a career record of 399-245 for a winning percentage of 61.9.
Williams guided the Terps to a school-record 28 victories during the
1998-99 season. In addition, Williams needs only eight wins to earn his
200th as Maryland's head coach.
Gary Williams' Career Record School Games W L Pct. American 114 72 42 63.2 Boston College 121 76 45 62.8 Ohio St. 100 59 41 59.0 Maryland 309 192 117 62.1 Totals 644 399 245 61.9
The Terps: Owners of Nation's Longest Home Court Streak
Maryland has won a nation's best 64 consecutive non-conference home
games entering the 1999-2000 season. The Terps' current streak began on
Dec. 30, 1989 with a victory over Alcorn State. The last time the Terps
were not successful vs. a non-conference team in Cole Field House was
Dec. 12, 1989 against Coppin State. The 1989-90 season was Gary
Williams' first as the head coach of the Terps.
Rank No. School Date Streak Began 1. 64 Maryland Dec. 30, 1989 2. 55 North Carolina Feb. 21, 1989 3. 41 Washington St. Nov. 28, 1990 4. 40 New Mexico Nov. 17, 1995 5. 39 Penn State Dec. 5, 1992 6. 38 Clemson March 17, 1994
Terence Morris: Among Blocked Shot Leaders
Junior All-America candidate Terence Morris needs only 20 blocked shots
to enter the top five on Maryland's career blocked shots list. He is
currently one of only six players in school history with 100 or more
blocked shots.
Career Blocked Shots Needs to Pass 1. 339 Derrick Lewis (2.7 bpg, 1984-88) +234 2. 239 Cedric Lewis (2.5 bpg, 1987-90) +134 3. 190 Joe Smith (3.0 bpg, 1994-1995) +85 4. 182 Larry Gibson (1.8 bpg, 1975-79) +77 5. 125 Obinna Ekezie (1.1 bpg, 1996-99) +20 6. 106 Terence Morris (1.6 bpg, 1998-Pr.)
