Men's Basketball Set To Open Exhibition Schedule Saturday vs. St. Francis-Xavier

Nov. 4, 2005

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -

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The Maryland men's basktetball team will tip-off its 2005-06 exhibition schedule against St. Francis-Xavier Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Comcast Center. The Terrapin Sports Radio Network will have live coverage of the game beginning with the Terps Pregame Show at 1:00 p.m.

"Voice of the Terps" Johnny Holliday and Chris Knoche call the action on flagship stations WFHS 105.7 FM/WJFK AM-1300 Espn Radio (Baltimore) & WMAL AM-630 (Washington, D.C.); and affiliates WTBO AM-1450 (Cumberland), WFMD AM-930 (Frederick), WARK AM-1490 (Hagerstown), WMSG AM-1050 (Oakland), WQMR 101.1 FM (Ocean City) , WCEM AM_1240 (Cambridge) and WAMD AM-970 (Aberdeen).

Maryland Notables...

Fear the Turtle!

Maryland enters the 2005-06 season as one the most consistent winning programs in the country. The Terps have averaged 23.5 wins per season the last nine years, including eight consecutive 20-win seasons from 1996-2004. Maryland has made 12 straight postseason appearances, including 11 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament from 1993-2004 - a feat that only six schools have accomplished of late.

Experience the Key

The Terps return one of the most experienced teams in the country with four seniors, six juniors (5 returnees) and a sophomore who played in 31 games as a freshman. Maryland's roster has combined to play in 557 career games for the Terps, including a combined 249 starts. Senior forward Nik Caner-Medley leads the way with 95 career games, including a team-high 81 starts in his three-year career. The Terps return 9 of their top 10 scorers from a year ago, which equals 79 percent of their 81.9 ppg average from 2004-05. Maryland also returns 82 percent of its rebounding from last season, when the Terps led the ACC with 43.3 boards per game.

Stiff Competition

Maryland will once again play one of the toughest schedules in the country. The Terps' will play at least 15 teams which made the postseason a year ago, including 11 teams which played in the NCAA Tournament. Maryland will also play in the Maui Invitational, which features five NCAA teams from a year ago, and former national champions UConn, Kansas, Arizona, Michigan State and Arkansas. The Terps open the tourney against No. 7 Gonzaga. Maryland's 16-game ACC slate opens with conference newcomer No. 11 Boston College, which is one of four ACC teams ranked among the Top 21 teams in the ESPN/USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll.

NCAA's Experimental Rules

The Terps' two exhibition contests, as well as Maryland's three games at the Maui Invitational will be played with experimental rules set forth by the NCAA:

Moving the 3-point line back 9 inches behind the current 3-point line to create an experimental distance of 20 feet, 9 inches.

Widening the free-throw lane by 1 foot on each side.

Placing a restricted area arc which is to be three feet from the center of the basket ring.

Men's Basketball Set To Open Exhibition Schedule Saturday vs. St. Francis-Xavier

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