Postgame Notes - University of Maryland Athletics

March 13, 2004

Maryland overcame a 19-point halftime deficit (26-45) to gain an 85-82 victory over NC State in today's second semifinal game. This was the greatest halftime deficit overcome to gain victory in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The previous record was held by Wake Forest, who overcame a 22-34 halftime deficit against Clemson in the quarterfinals of the 1987 ACC Tournament in Landover, MD to win 69-62. Maryland shattered the record for deficit overcome to gain victory in a semifinal with its 19 point comeback today. The previous best was 8 points set three times. In 1962 Clemson overcame an 8-point halftime deficit against Duke; 1969, North Carolina overcame an eight-point halftime deficit against Wake Forest, and in 1995 Wake Forest overcame the same eight point deficit in beating Virginia.

Today marked just the fifth time in 51 years that both semifinal game winners overcame a halftime deficit. Duke trailed Georgia Tech by 36-34 earlier today at halftime. The other years both finalists overcame a halftime deficit in the semifinals were 1962, 1986, 1990, and 1998.

Maryland's greatest deficit in the game was 21 points at 24-45 just before halftime.

Maryland scored 59 points in the second half its highest scoring half of the season. The Terps scored 57 in the second half against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Jan. 6, 2004 at the Comcast Center.

The 59 points scored by Maryland tied for the second highest point total for one half in the history of the tournament. The highest is 63 points by NC State in the second half vs. Virginia in 1965 quarterfinals. Today's Maryland performance marked the fourth time a team had scored 59 points in a half.

John Gilchrist led the second half scoring with 23 points and a career high 30 points for the game. It was the most points scored by a Maryland player in a game all year. Gilchrist's previous career high was 27 points at Georgia Tech on Jan. 17, 2004.

Gilchrist's second half stat line included 9-9 from the field, 4-4 on three-point shots, four rebounds, five assists and two steals in 19 minutes. Gilchrist missed his last shot of the second half, so he enters the championship game with Duke with a streak of nine consecutive made field goals.

Jamar Smith scored 23 points in Maryland's victory, including 16 points in the second half on 6-9 field goal shooting. Smith's point total tied for his second highest of the season. He had 25 in a win over Wisconsin in December and 23 in a loss to West Virginia. It was his high total against an ACC team.

Maryland's 56.4 percent field goal percentage was its best of the season. The previous best was 54.4 against North Carolina on Jan. 14. It was Maryland's best field goal percentage in an ACC Tournament game since it defeated NC State 71-49 at the 1989 ACC Tournament. Maryland shot 56.8 percent (25-44) in its win as the number-eight seed against a #1 seeded N.C State team.

This will be Maryland's first trip to the ACC Tournament finals since 2000 when the Terps lost to Duke. Maryland's last ACC Tournament championship took place in 1984 when it defeated Duke in Greensboro.

Duke holds a 9-6 lead in the series with Maryland in the ACC Tournament. Maryland is 2-6 in the Championship game, including a 1-2 record in the finals against Duke. Duke defeated Maryland for the title in 1980 and 2000, while Maryland defeated Duke to win the championship in 1984. The two teams are 1-1 in Greensboro in the ACC finals. In 1980 it was #6 seed Duke over #1 seed Maryland. The seeds are reversed in 2004.

The number-six seed is 4-2 in the championship game and has won the last four times it has reached the finals. Maryland is the #6 seed in this tournament.

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