Maryland-Wisconsin AP Preview
3/16/2002 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 16, 2002
GAME: No. 8 Wisconsin (19-12) vs. No. 1 Maryland (30-4).
REGIONAL: East, Second Round.
TIME: Sunday, 5 p.m. EST.
SITE: MCI Center, Washington.
Playing in front of what accounts to a home crowd, Juan Dixon can become
Maryland's all-time leading scorer and lead the top-seeded Terrapins
into
the East Regional semifinals when they face No. 8 seed Wisconsin.
Dixon, a first-team All-American, sparked Maryland to an easy opening-round win, scoring 29 points in an 85-70 victory over Siena. He made 10-of-17 from the field - including 5-of-8 from 3-point range - and hit all four of his free throws.
"This is my last time going through this, and I want to tell myself that I went out being aggressive," said Dixon, who came within two points of the school record for the most scored in an NCAA tournament game.
Friday's performance gave the ACC player of the year 2,143 points in his Terrapins' career, six shy of the late Len Bias' school record.
"Once he gets his confidence, he can't be stopped," said forward Byron Mouton, part of a Maryland starting frontcourt which combined for just 27 points and 17 rebounds while the backcourt dominated.
Complementing Dixon at the other starting guard spot was Steve Blake, who had 11 points and 11 assists.
While guard play keyed the win, the Terrapins also were helped by a home-court advantage which they will enjoy for a second straight game. Their first two rounds are being played at the MCI Center, only 20 minutes from College Park.
"The crowd gave us the extra boost we needed," said Mouton, whose Terps played at the MCI Center twice during the regular season.
While Maryland is trying to make the Final Four for the second straight season, Wisconsin is looking to duplicate its feat from 2000, when it reached the Final Four as a No. 8 seed.
The Badgers got off to a good start in that quest, with five players scoring in double figures en route to an 80-70 opening-round victory over St. John's on Friday.
Kirk Penney, who led the way with 19 points, could be matched up against Dixon in a battle of these teams' top scorers.
"They have a great shooter in Kirk Penney and I think they are going to run him off a lot of screens," Dixon said.
However, it is balance on offense - again typified in the first round - that keyed Wisconsin gaining a share of the Big Ten's regular-season championship.
"As long as I've been coaching I've always wanted four, five, six guys in double figures," Badgers coach Bo Ryan said. "I like coaching teams that play that way."
The winner faces Tulsa or Kentucky in the regional semifinals.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Wisconsin - F Charlie Wills (9.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg), F Dave Mader (3.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg), G Travon Davis (7.5 ppg, 4.0 apg), G Penney (15.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg), G Devin Harris (12.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg). Maryland - F Chris Wilcox (11.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg), F Mouton (11.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg), C Lonny Baxter (15.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg), G Dixon (19.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg), G Blake (8.4 ppg, 3.3 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Wisconsin - defeated St. John's 80-70, first round, at-large bid, Big Ten Conference. Maryland - defeated Siena 85-70, first round, at-large bid, Atlantic Coast Conference.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Wisconsin - 10-6, 8 years. Maryland - 27-18, 20 years.
