Nov. 10, 2005

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland basketball squad will begin the 2005-06 season as the No. 21/24 ranked team in the nation, with the release of the Associated Press (AP) Preseason Top-25 Poll this week. The Terps were ranked No. 24 in the season's inaugural poll, marking the fifth time in six seasons that Maryland has earned Top-25 recognition from AP in the preseason.

Maryland was voted No. 21 in the preseason USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll on Oct. 28. The Terrapins have been ranked in every preseason coaches' poll since 1997.

Last year, Maryland advanced to the postseason for the 12th straight year and reached the semifinals of the NIT in New York.

In all, the Terps could play nine regular-season games against eight opponents ranked in the preseason Top 25. The ACC has four teams ranked among the nation's Top 21, including preseason No. 1 Duke, which the Terps will face twice this season. Last year, Maryland won both games against the Blue Devils.

The Terps take on arch-rival Duke in Durham on Jan. 11 and host the Blue Devils on Feb. 11 in College Park. Maryland hosts No. 11 Boston College at the Comcast Center on Dec. 11 in the Eagles' inaugural ACC contest. The Terps also face No. 11/18 Wake Forest at the Comcast Center on Jan. 15.

Maryland could face four Top 25 opponents in its first five regular-season games. After opening the season against 2004 NCAA participant Fairleigh Dickinson, The Terps play No. 7/8 Gonzaga in the first round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational. Other possible opponents in the Maui field include No. 2/3 UConn, No. 4/5 Michigan State and No. 9/10 Arizona. In all, the Maui Invitational includes six former national champions (Kansas, Arkansas, UConn, Arizona, Michigan State and the Terps).

The Terps also play No. 24/21 George Washington in the BB&T Classic on Dec. 5 at MCI Center.

Maryland concludes its exhibition schedule against Virginia Union Friday at 8 p.m. at the Comcast Center. All the action can be heard live on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network beginning with the Terps Pregame Show at 7 p.m.

Associated Press Preseason Top-25 Poll
     School           2004-05    Points   Final 04-05
                      Record               Ranking
1.   Duke (61)         27-6     17857        3
2.   Texas (6)         20-11    1652         --
3.   Connecticut       23-8     1578         13
4.   Michigan St. (4)  26-7     1572         15
5.   Villanova (1)     24-8     1413         19
6.   Oklahoma          25-8     1378         17
7.   Louisville        33-5     1319          4
8.   Gonzaga           26-5     1275         10
9.   Kentucky          28-6     1255          7
10.  Arizona           30-7     1212          9
11.  Boston College    25-5     1093         14
12.  Memphis           22-16    920          --
13.  Stanford          18-13    842          --
14.  West Virginia     24-11    652          --
15.  Alabama           24-8     621          21
16.  Syracuse          27-7     586          11
17.  Illinois          37-2     563           1
18.  Wake Forest       27-6     524           5
19.  UCLA              18-11    499          --
20.  Iowa              21-12    395          --
21.  George Washington 22-8     304          --
22.  Nevada            25-7     291          --
23.  Indiana           15-14    273          --
24.  Maryland          19-13    258          --
25.  Iowa State        19-12    251          --
Others receiving votes (with 2004-05 records): Washington 144, Texas Tech 142, Kansas 96, N.C.State 74, Ohio St. 74, Wisconsin 56, LSU 54, Georgetown 46, Charlotte 44, North Carolina 38, Michigan 24, N. Iowa 21, Miami 16, Oklahoma St. 16, Old Dominion 13, Florida 6, Bucknell 5, Ohio 4, Arkansas 3, S. Illinois 3, Cincinnati 2, Utah St. 2, Wis.-Milwaukee 2, California 1, Hawaii 1, Houston1, Notre Dame 1.