Terps Host Tech In Search Of Best Maryland Start In ACC League History
2/12/2002 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 12, 2002
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Maryland (No. 3 AP, No. 3 USA Today/ESPN) takes a 9-1 ACC mark and an 11-of-12 game win streak into Wednesday's conference battle with Georgia Tech. Tipoff from Cole Field House is 7:30 p.m., and will be aired to a national television audience on ESPN2.
* Maryland is 19-3 overall and 9-1 in the ACC after six consecutive wins. The Terps' 9-1 conference record matches the best in school history. Most recently, the Terrapins defeated North Carolina 92-77 last Sunday, behind double-figure scoring from Juan Dixon (18), Lonny Baxter (16), Byron Mouton (16), Drew Nicholas (14) and Chris Wilcox (13).
* Georgia Tech is 10-14 overall and 3-8 in the ACC, having won three of its last four games. Most recently, the Yellow Jackets fell 95-63 to Duke.
TERP NOTES & STORYLINES
* A Maryland victory will keep the Terps on a first-place pace in the ACC standings with top-ranked Duke. It also will mark the Terps' sixth consecutive 20-win season.
* Wednesday's game is the first of four Maryland home games over the final six games of the regular season.
* Maryland has won six straight games, 11 of 12, 19 of its last 21, and 29 of its past 34. Maryland's five losses in the stretch have come to Arizona, Duke (3) and Oklahoma - all on the road.
* Maryland owns its best 22-game record in school history, having become the sixth Terrapin team to begin 19-3. Maryland's best 22-game seasons: 1972, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1999 and 2002. The Terps of 2002 can become just the fourth to begin 20-3 (1975, 1976, 1980).
* Maryland can run its league record to a record 10-1 start after 11 games. The Terps' 1980 squad won the ACC regular season title with an 11-3 mark, after beginning 9-1. The 1980 and 2002 teams are the only Terp squads in history ever to be 9-1 in the ACC.
* Maryland is bidding for its first ACC regular season title since 1980 (11-3) and just the third in school history. Maryland's only other regular season crown was in 1975 (10-2).
* The Terps are bidding to remain undefeated at home during their final season at Cole Field House, winning each of 11 games so far this season. The last time a Maryland team was undefeated at home was in 1994-95 (16-0).
* The Terps own a 14-game home win streak dating to last season, the longest overall homecourt streak since a 21-game streak between the 1993-94 (1), '94-95 (16) and '95-96 (4) seasons.
* The Terrapins have won seven straight home games against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets have not won at Cole Field House since Feb. 5, 1994, 83-71. * Maryland is 5-1 in ACC road games this season, with upcoming road bouts scheduled at Clemson and Florida State to end the regular season. Maryland's best road mark in ACC history was 6-2 in 1999.
* Maryland remained in the top five in both major polls this week, for the 11th week this season. Maryland opened the year at No. 2 by the AP, and has spent a total of four weeks at No. 2 this season.
* Senior honors candidates Lonny Baxter and Juan Dixon have each been named finalists for the John R. Wooden Player of the Year Award, the James Naismith Player of the Year Award, and the nation's Senior CLASS Award which is presented to the country's top senior.
TERP STREAKS
* Maryland has won 11 of its last 12 games, and 19 of its last 21 this season - losing only road games to top-ranked Duke and No. 5 Oklahoma during the stretch.
* The Terrapins have won 13 of their last 14 ACC regular season games dating to last season.
* The Terps own a 14-game home win streak dating to last season, including 11 home wins to begin 2001-02. Maryland's 11 straight home wins this season represent the Terps' longest season-opening home streak going undefeated (16-0) at Cole in 1994-95.
* Maryland has played 127 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 owns the nation's longest non-conference homecourt win streak which spans 84 games and over 12 years. The streak began on Dec. 30, 1989 against Alcorn State. The Terps' last non-league home defeat was on Dec. 12, 1989 vs. Coppin State. The streak will continue at the Comcast Center in 2002-03.
ON DECK
* The Terps return to College Park to host top-ranked Duke on Feb. 17 (1 p.m., CBS).
* Maryland travels to Clemson on Wednesday, Feb. 20 (9 p.m., RJ), and returns to Cole Field House on Sunday, Feb. 24 against Wake Forest (2 p.m., RJ/ESPN2).
* The Terrapins close the regular seasonat Florida State on Wednesday, Feb. 27 (9 p.m., RJ), and at home against Virginia on Sunday, March 3 (8 p.m., FOX Sports Net).
