Nov. 25, 2002

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The 8th Annual BB&T Classic, the two-day four game college basketball tournament, takes place at MCI Center on Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8 and features reigning NCAA national champion Maryland with local co-host George Washington welcoming Texas and Notre Dame. The games showcase some of the top guards in the country.

Saturday's double-header beginning at 1 p.m. features the GW Colonials playing Texas, who advanced to the Sweet 16 last year, and the Maryland Terrapins meeting Notre Dame. The consolation game on Sunday, December 8 will begin at 1 p.m. followed by the championship game at approximately 3:30 p.m.

Tickets for all four-tournament games are $75, $50, $40 and $20 and are on sale now at Ticketmaster outlets or by phone at 202-432-SEAT or online at ticketmaster.com.

TOP GUARDS IN ACTION ... including Maryland's Steve Blake, Notre Dame's Chris Thomas, Texas' TJ Ford and George Washington's TJ Thompson. Blake, Thomas and Ford have been named to the Naismith Award Player of the Year Preseason Top 30.

Four-year starting guard Steve Blake leads Maryland. Last season, Blake posted an Atlantic Coast Conference-best 7.9 assists per game with 8.0 points per game. He is the most experienced point guard in the country, with 13 NCAA Tournament starts under his belt and the 2002 national title. Blake entered his senior season needing 249 assists to become just the fourth player in NCAA history with 1,000 career assists. His 751 assists after three seasons is the second-highest figure ever in the ACC, and are the most among all active players nationally.

Notre Dame's sophomore guard Chris Thomas was named 2001-02 National Freshman of the Year by Basketball Times and Basketball News. He was the Irish's second leading scorer last season, averaging 15.6 points per game. As a freshman, Thomas set school records for assists (252) and steals (72). He became the first player in Notre Dame history to be named to the Big East Championship All-Tournament Team.

The Longhorns' starting lineup features T.J. Ford, the 2001-02 consensus Big 12 Conference Freshman on the Year. Last season, Ford became the first freshman in NCAA history to lead the nation in assists with 8.27 assists per game. He also led the team in steals (72) and minutes (32.4), was third in scoring with 10.8 points per game, and was forth in rebounding, with 3.8 rebounds per game.

The Colonels' T.J. Thompson is expected to make an impact in his second year as a starting guard. Thompson was named to the 2001-02 Atlantic-10 All-Rookie Team, and led the George Washington roster in assists (117) and steals (36).