Terps Meet UConn In BB&T Final
12/3/2001 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 3, 2001
Maryland vs. Connecticut Game Notes in PDF Format
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Maryland (No. 5 AP, No. 2 USA Today/ESPN) meets Connecticut in the championship game of the seventh annual BB&T Classic, benefitting the Children's Charities Foundation. Maryland annually co-hosts the weekend tournament with crosstown foe George Washington. GW meets Princeton in a consolation game at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3, followed by the Terrapins and Huskies at 8.
* Maryland returned to its No. 2 ranking when the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll was released late Sunday afternoon. The ranking matches Maryland's preseason ranking in both major polls, and matches the highest ranking in Terrapin history.
* A three-time champion of the BB&T Classic, Maryland bids to become the first back-to-back champion in BB&T history when the Terps defend their 2000 title in Monday's game against UConn. Last year, Maryland beat Michigan in the opening game, 82-51, before topping George Washington 71-63 in the championship. After topping Princeton on Sunday, a fourth straight BB&T victory would establish a new tournament record for consecutive wins. A championship for Maryland would be the Terps' fourth in seven years.
* In Sunday's games, Maryland erased a 15-point lead to outlast Princeton 61-53 in a first-round thriller, and UConn ran past George Washington 84-76.
* In beating the Tigers on Sunday, Maryland registered its greatest comeback in the past five seasons, overcoming its largest deficit since No. 17 Maryland upset No. 12 North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, on Jan. 8, 1997. In that game, Maryland overcame a 12-point halftime deficit and a 22-point Tar Heel lead with 14:24 to play, before winning 85-75.
* Maryland is the fourth team to play in the BB&T Classic with a top five national ranking. Previous top five teams were Kansas (No. 2 AP) in 1997, Maryland (No. 2 AP in 1999) and Stanford (No. 5 AP in 1999).
* The Terrapins advanced to the BB&T finals with yesterday's dramatic comeback win over Princeton. Held to just 23 points in the first half and trailing at the intermission for the first time this season, Maryland outscored the Tigers 38-17 in the second period, including 33 of the game's final 44 points. Lonny Baxter recorded his second double-double of the season, and the 25th of his career, with 19 points and 12 boards. Juan Dixon added 14 points and a BB&T record-tying six steals. Chris Wilcox aided the rebounding effort with 11 rebounds including six on the offensive end.
* Maryland entered the BB&T Classic after a 13-point win at Cole Field House last Tuesday over No. 2-ranked Illinois. The Terps overcame an early 17-10 deficit and outscored the Illini 41-14 over a 16-minute stretch as Maryland commanded a 51-31 lead with 17:01 to play. Illinois mounted a furious rally, but never got closer than eight points the rest of the way. All-America guard Juan Dixon finished with a game-high 25 points while sophomore forward Chris Wilcox completed one of the finest games of his young career with 19 points and six rebounds. Junior Steve Blake engineered the point with 10 points, nine assists and four blocked shots.
TERP STREAKS
* The Terps own a six-game home win streak dating to last season.
* Counting the final month of the 2001 season when the Terps played five NCAA Tournament games and won 10 of their last 12, Maryland has won 15 of its last 18 games.
* Maryland owns the nation's longest non-conference homecourt win streak which spans 80 games and more than 11 years. The Terps' last non-league home defeat was on Dec. 12, 1989 vs. Coppin State. The streak began on Dec. 30, 1989 against Alcorn State.
* Maryland has played 119 consecutive home games at Cole Field House since suffering consecutive home defeats. The last time Maryland lost back-to-back home dates was during the 1992-93 season.
* Maryland has won five straight overall since losing its opener to Arizona.
RECORDS AND RANKINGS
* Maryland is 5-1 after last Tuesday's ACC/Big Ten Challenge victory over Illinois and Sunday's win over Princeton. The Terrapins finished their 2001 season with a 25-11 record and their first trip to the Final Four.
* Perennial Big East power Connecticut is 3-0 with season-opening wins over Vanderbilt and New Hampshire, and Sunday's BB&T first-round win over George Washington.
* Maryland is No. 5 by the Associated Press (Nov. 26) and No. 2 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll. The Terrapins are the only top 25 team in this weekend's BB&T Classic. Other Maryland opponents in this week's rankings (AP, USA Today/ESPN): Duke (1,1), Illinois (2, 6), Arizona (4, 8), Virginia (9, 7), Wake Forest (25, 222). Connecticut and Oklahoma each are receiving votes in both polls.
ON DECK
* Maryland hosts Detroit and Monmouth on Dec. 9 and 11 in their final home games before the holiday break. The Terps are at Oklahoma on Dec. 21, before hosting William & Mary on Dec. 27 and opening ACC play at NC State on Dec. 30.
CONSISTENCY & EXCELLENCE
* Maryland is the only school in the nation that has achieved each of the following:
- Appeared in each of the last eight NCAA Tournaments (Arizona, Cincinnati, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Temple and UCLA).
- Advanced to the Sweet Sixteen at least five times during that eight-year span since 1994 (Arizona, Connecticut, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland).
- Won at least 25 games over each of the past three seasons (Duke, Maryland, Michigan State, Stanford, Cincinnati, Gonzaga).
TERPS' BEST ERA
* Gary Williams and the 2001 Terrapins established the current era as the best in Maryland history.
- The Terps' 78 wins since the 1999 campaign (28-6, 25-10, 25-10) is the best three-year stretch in history.
- Maryland won 99 games from 1998 to 2001 (21-11, 28-6, 25-10, 25-10) to establish the best four-year stretch in history.
- With the West Region championship win over Stanford, the Terps established the best five-year stretch in Maryland history, winning 120 games since 1997 (21-11, 21-11, 28-6, 25-10, 25-10).
