Dec. 27, 2003
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Maryland basketball team (No. 24 AP, No. 25 USA Today/ESPN) looks to win its fourth-consecutive ACC opener and the eighth during the Gary Williams Era when the Terrapins (7-2, 0-0 ACC) take on Florida State (10-1, 0-0 ACC) in the first conference game of the season for both squads. The Terps travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to take on the Seminoles on Sunday, Dec. 28, at 5:30 p.m. at the Leon County Civic Center. For the second-straight season, each of the Terps' 27 regular-season games are scheduled to be televised live - Maryland meets the Noles in a nationally-televised contest on FOX Sports Net, airing in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area on Comcast SportsNet.
The Terrapins have achieved victory in 30 of their last 36 ACC regular-season games since the 2000-01 season, including a 15-1 regular-season championship in 2001-02. Overall the Terps have captured the league's regular-season championship four times, including outright titles in 2002, 1975 and 1980 and a tie for first in 1995. Williams is 125-95 in ACC regular-season play in his 15 seasons at Maryland.
Maryland won a pair of non-conference games at home before the Christmas holiday that followed one of the wildest stretches in recent memory. Before topping Pepperdine and UNC Greensboro, the Terps had played in three overtime games during a nine-day, four-game stretch, earning extra-session victories over then-No. 15 Wisconsin and then-No. 1 Florida. Never before in the history of Maryland basketball had the Terrapins played in as many overtime games in such a brief stretch. Maryland hadn't played in back-to-back overtime games since 1967, hadn't played in three overtime games in a season since 1997-98, and once played in three overtime games during a 15-day stretch in 1984.
The Terps' 85-58 victory over the UNCG Spartans marked the 100th win for Williams over a non-conference opponent at home. Four Terrapins scored in double-figures last Tuesday, led for the fifth time in nine games by sophomore swingman Nik Caner-Medley. Caner-Medley scored 19 points on 8-for-15 shooting and also contributed five rebounds and four assists, while rookie forward Ekene Ibekwe tallied 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting with six rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot in only 15 minutes. Sophomore guard Chris McCray totaled 11 points while Travis Garrison added 10, and point guard John Gilchrist scored nine and dealt eight assists.
Florida State won its first 10 games of the season before falling at Pittsburgh, 63-56, in the Panthers' Holiday Hoops Tournament last Monday. Senior Tim Pickett, who leads the Seminoles in scoring at 14.4 ppg, netted 14 points while fellow-upperclassman Nate Johnson nailed four 3-pointers to finish with 12. Rookie guard Von Wafer totaled 13 points for the Seminoles, whose guards combined for 39 of FSU's 56 points against Pitt.
Maryland owns a 22-6 advantage over FSU in the series, has won five in a row and 15 of the last 16. The Terps have not fallen to the Seminoles in Tallahassee since Jan. 29, 1997.
Terp Streaks & Storylines
Maryland has won 30-of-36 (.833) ACC regular-season games over the last three seasons, including a second place 11-5 mark in 2002-03 and a 15-1 ACC regular-season championship in 2001-02.
The Terrapins bring a new-look squad to the floor for 2003-04, as Maryland's roster features a combined nine freshmen and sophomores, two juniors and lone senior Jamar Smith. Head coach Gary Williams, now in his 15th season at Maryland and his 26th season overall, returned to his alma mater in 1989 and has since guided the Terrapins to 10 straight NCAA Tournament berths - a run that includes seven Sweet Sixteen appearances, Final Four showings in 2001 and 2002, and the 2002 NCAA Championship.
The 2003-04 Maryland squad appears to be the youngest Williams has coached since the 1993-94 season. That year, with a five-man freshman class that included Keith Booth, Joe Smith and current Terp assistant coach Matt Kovarik, the Terps posted an 18-12 record en route to the Terps' first Sweet Sixteen appearance of the Williams era. The 1994 NCAA Tournament appearance was the first of Maryland's current streak of 10 straight.
Williams reached his 500th career victory at NC State on March 2, 2003. His record stands at 509-283, which makes him the 16th-leading active coach in America in terms of victories. Williams totals 25 NCAA Tournament victories - ranking ninth among active coaches - and is 21-9 at Maryland for a .700 winning percentage after once again leading the Terps to the Sweet Sixteen last season.
Williams captured his 300th victory as the head coach of the Terrapins on Dec. 10 at Florida. Williams' record at Maryland currently stands at 302-155. Only six coaches in college basketball history have captured as many victories as the leader of a program in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
With the victory over No. 1 Florida, Williams became the winningest active coach in college basketball in terms of victories over top-ranked opponents. The Terps have posted wins over five No. 1-ranked foes with Williams as their head coach, and his Ohio State team captured a win over top-ranked Iowa in 1987, giving Williams a grand total of six. The win over the Gators marked the third-straight season in which Maryland has beaten a No. 1 squad.
ESPN's Dick Vitale named Williams the nation's "Coach of the Week" last week after the Terps' victory over then-No. 1 Florida. Earlier this season, CBS Sportsline's Gregg Doyel named Williams college basketball's No. 3 active coach in the country.
The 2003-04 Terrapins look to continue a school record this season by earning a berth in the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Maryland is currently one of only six schools in the nation riding a streak of 10-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
For the second consecutive season and the second time in school history, all of Maryland's 29 preseason and regular-season games are scheduled to be aired on live television. The Terps' 2003-04 broadcast slate includes 14 games that will be broadcast nationally, on ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports Net, ABC or CBS. With the exception of the snow-delayed victory over Wake Forest last February 17, every preseason and regular season game of the Terps' 2002-03 season was aired live, and the Terps' Feb. 19 tilt at Duke ranked as ESPN's top-rated college basketball telecast of all of last year.
After a five-week hiatus, Maryland is currently ranked at No. 24 in the AP Poll, released Dec. 22. Including finishing the 2002-03 season ranked No. 17, the Terrapins had been ranked in 77 straight AP Polls, were "receiving votes" for the first five weeks of the 2003-04 season, and appeared back in the poll at No. 25 for the first time this season on Dec. 15. The Terps are No. 25 in the coaches poll.
On Deck
The Terps have two final non-conference games remaining before hitting the bulk of their conference schedule. The Terps play host to Mount St. Mary's at 2 p.m. on Jan. 3 in a game on the Raycom/Jefferson Pilot Network.
Maryland takes on UMES in its final non-conference game of the season on Tuesday, Jan. 6, at Comcast Center. The Terps meet the Hawks at 8 p.m. on the Raycom/Jefferson Pilot Network.
