No. 15 Terrapins Open 2004-05 Schedule With Jackson State

Nov. 17, 2004

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland basketball team (No. 15 AP/No. 16 USA Today/ESPN) opens its 2004-05 regular-season schedule against Jackson State of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

The 2004 ACC Champion Terrapins return 11 letterwinners and four starters from what was statistically the youngest team in the nation in 2003-04. ACC Tournament MVP John Gilchrist, who led the Terps in scoring, assists and steals a season ago, has been named to the preseason Naismith, Wooden and Rupp National Player of the Year Award Watch Lists and Dick Vitale's All Rolls Royce Team. Sharpshooter and tenacious defender Chris McCray returns to complete one of the nation's top backcourts, while versatile Nik Caner-Medley and powerful big man Travis Garrison return in the post.

Sophomore forward Ekene Ibekwe rounded out the Terps' starting five in Maryland's two exhibition games -- a 100-85 victory over hot-handed NCAA Division II power Bryant, and an 89-60 win over two-time defending Canadian national champions Carleton University. McCray led five double-figure Terps in scoring across their exhibition schedule, averaging 15.5 points per game while shooting .611 (11-of-18) from the field, .600 from long range and 1.000 from the free throw line. Ibekwe averaged 15.0 ppg and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds, while Garrison (14.0 ppg), Caner-Medley (11.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Gilchrist (10.5 ppg) are in double-digits as well.

Terrapin head coach Gary Williams is the 16th-winningest active coach in America with an overall record of 522-293. His 315 victories at Maryland places him 6th all-time among the winningest ACC Coaches. Williams was inducted into the greater Washington, D.C., Sports Hall of Champions in the offseason and will be given the University of Maryland's highest alumni honor this spring when he is inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame.

The Terps are 12-3 in season openers under Williams (9-0 in home openers) and are 101-2 at home against non-conference foes since the Williams Era began in 1989-90.

Jackson State compiled a 12-17 record in 2003-04 and finished sixth in the SWAC. Seniors Antonio Williams-Parker and Kelly Ross return for Tevester Anderson's Tigers at the guard and forward positions, respectively. Williams-Parker scored 14 in a 62-51 Tiger victory over Spring Hill College in exhibition action this preseason.

No. 15 Terrapins Open 2004-05 Schedule With Jackson State

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