Jan. 14, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
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Maryland (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 23 AP) looks to get back to its winning ways when the Terps return home to face the defending ACC regular-season champs, Wake Forest, Sunday in a nationally-televised game on Fox SportsNet at 7:30 p.m. The Terps are 9-0 at Comcast Center this season and have won 12 straight at home dating back to last year.
Maryland is coming off a tough, 76-52, loss at No. 1 Duke on Wednesday night, while Wake Forest is trying to break a two-game slide after losing in overtime at Clemson on Wednesday night, 74-73.
Maryland, which has four of its five starters scoring in double figures, is led by senior guard Chris McCray (15.1 ppg) and senior forward Nik Caner-Medley (12.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg), who have combined to play in 211 career games. Junior point guard D.J. Strawberry (10.4 ppg, 4.3 apg) directs the Maryland attack, while junior forward Ekene Ibekwe (12.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.4 bpg) and senior center Travis Garrison (9.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg) man the paint.
Wake Forest (11-4, 0-2 ACC) features one of the top inside-out combos in the ACC with center Eric Williams (16.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg) and senior guard Justin Gray (18.4 ppg).
The Terps are making their second straight national TV appearance after facing the Blue Devils on ESPN on Wednesday.
Maryland Notables...
Maryland is 57-54 all-time against Wake Forest dating back to the first meeting in 1953, when the two schools met in the Southern Conference tournament prior to becoming charter members of the Atlantic Coast Conference the next season. The Terps have won 10 of the last 15 meetings with Wake. Maryland lost to the Demon Deacons in their only meeting last year at Wake, 81-66, but has not faced them at home since 2004. Maryland is 33-17 all-time vs. Wake Forest at home. The Terps will not play at Wake for the first time since 1953.
Head coach Gary Williams is on the verge of several monumental milestones. With 345 career wins at Maryland, Williams is just four victories shy of becoming the Terps' all-time winningest basketball coach (Charles "Lefty" Driesell, 1969-86). Williams also has 140 career ACC victories, which is just three shy of passing Frank McGuire for third on the ACC career wins list.
Head coach Gary Williams is the 11th-winningest active coach in NCAA Division I men's basketball with an overall record of 552-310 (.640). With a 345-182 (.655) record at Maryland, he is just four wins shy of becoming Maryland's all-time winningest basketball coach (Charles "Lefty" Driesell, 348-159 from 1969-86).
