Jan. 23, 2004
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Maryland basketball team (10-5, 1-3 ACC) begins a stretch of three-of-four games on the road in the ACC as the Terrapins travel to Clemson to take on the Tigers (8-8, 1-4 ACC). The teams meet on Sunday, Jan. 25, at Littlejohn Coliseum at 6:30 p.m. - please note that the game time has been changed from previously released schedules. For the second-straight season, each of the Terps' 27 regular-season games are scheduled to be televised live - Maryland meets Clemson in a nationally-televised contest on FOX Sports Net, which will be carried in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., area on Comcast SportsNet.
The Terrapins have achieved victory in 31 of their last 40 (.775) 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 126-98 in ACC regular-season play in his 15 seasons at Maryland.
The Terps, who are receiving votes in both the AP and USA Today/ESPN polls, enter the game looking to rebound from two straight losses to Top 15 ACC opponents. After defeating then-No. 9 North Carolina at Comcast Center (Jan. 14), the Terps fell on the road to then-No. 12 Georgia Tech (Jan. 17) and at home to No. 1 Duke (Jan. 21), 68-60 last Wednesday. The young Terrapins were trailing by as many as 14 in the first half before cutting the Duke lead to six at the break, and after falling behind by 14 again in the second half, battled to within three in the game's final minute. Sophomore swingman Nik Caner-Medley scored 13 of his team-high 21 points in the second half (13 of the team's final 16 points) and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Maryland's comeback effort. Senior center Jamar Smith shook off a tough shooting night in Atlanta by contributing 12 points to the Terrapin effort on Wednesday, and second-year floor general John Gilchrist scored 10, dished seven assists and grabbed six rebounds. Led by rookie forward Ekene Ibekwe's three rejections, the ACC's top shot-blocking team (7.9 bpg) swatted a season-high 11 shots against the Blue Devils, and took advantage of their trips to the line by making 7-of-9 attempts - a season-high 77 percent.
Clemson heads into Sunday's game with an 8-8 record (1-4 ACC), falling in their last two games at Virginia and at NC State after posting a 53-48 victory over Florida State at home (Jan. 13). The Tigers, who have played the fourth-toughest schedule in the ACC according to the latest RPI report, also posted a big win over Boston College, 72-62, on Dec. 30. Junior Sharrod Ford leads the Tigers with 11.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 2.4 bpg, while fellow junior Chey Christie averages 10.7 ppg and shoots 38 percent from 3-point range. First year head coach Oliver Purnell has a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Maryland on his resume from 1985-86 to 1987-88 under then-Terrapin head coach Lefty Driesell.
The Terrapins lead in the all-time series by a 82-42 margin, and have won the last 11 contests in the series dating to Jan. 24, 1998. The Terps have won the last five-straight at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Terp Streaks & Storylines
Maryland has won 31-of-40 (.775) ACC regular-season games over the last four seasons, including a second place 11-5 mark in 2002-03 and a 15-1 ACC regular-season championship in 2001-02.
Maryland has faced six ranked opponents during the 2003-04 season to date - the most of any team in the ACC - posting a league-high tying three victories against Top 25 foes. In addition to No. 9/11 North Carolina (Jan. 14), The Terps defeated a pair of ranked opponents during non-conference play in No. 15/13 Wisconsin (Dec. 2) and No. 1/1 Florida (Dec. 10). The win over UNC was Maryland's 53rd victory vs. the Top 25 since Gary Williams took over the program in the 1989-90 season.
Maryland's roster features a combined nine freshmen and sophomores, two juniors and lone senior Jamar Smith. 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. The 1993-94 Terps' posted an 8-8 ACC record.
Williams reached his 500th career victory at NC State on March 2, 2003. His record stands at 512-286, 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 305-158. 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 on Dec. 10, Williams became the winningest active coach in college basketball in terms of wins over top-ranked opponents. The Terps have posted victories 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.
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.
Maryland is receiving votes in both the AP and USA Today/ESPN coaches polls. Including finishing the 2002-03 season ranked No. 17, the Terrapins had been ranked in 77 straight AP Polls. Maryland has been "receiving votes" in both polls all season long, and the young squad has been ranked as high as No. 24.
On Deck
The Terrapins play in their second-straight ACC road game when they travel to Winston-Salem, N.C., to take on No. 20 Wake Forest. The Terps take on the Demon Deacons on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Maryland returns home on SuperBowl Sunday for a matchup with NC State. The Terrapins meet up with the Wolfpack on Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. in a nationally-televised matchup on FOX Sports Net.
