Oct. 30, 2006

Complete Release in PDF Format

• The University of Maryland raises the curtain on the 2006-07 season when the Terrapins host California (Pa.) in an exhibition contest on Wednesday, November 1. Wednesday's contest marks the first of two exhibition games for the Terps, as they will also host Carleton University on Saturday, November 4 at 8:00 p.m.

• The game can be heard on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network. 105.7 FREE FM (WHFS) and ESPN Radio 1300 AM (WJFK-AM) in Baltimore serve as the network's flagshp stations, with many more affiliates accross the state picking up the game.

• Maryland's two exhibition games will be played with an experimental rule set forth by the NCAA: • Eliminating the first lane space nearest the basket on each side of the lane during free throw attempts. Players will use the current second, third, and fourth marked lane spaces on each side of the lane.

• The Terps return one of the most experienced teams in the land. Maryland boasts six seniors who have combined for 469 career games and 148 starts. The Terrapins have four returnees (James Gist, Ekene Ibekwe, Mike Jones, and D.J. Strawberry) who started at least 15 games. The Terrapins return 58 percent of their scoring and 63 percent of their rebounding from last season.

• Maryland enters the 2006-07 season as one of the most consistent winning programs in the country. The Terps have averaged 22.8 wins since the 1994-95 season, including eight consecutive 20-win seasons from 1996-2004. Maryland has made 13 consecutive postseason appearances, including 11 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament from 1993-2004, a feat only six other schools have accomplished of late.

• The Terps will face one of the toughest schedules in the country this season. Maryland will square off against 13 opponents who participated in postseason play last year. The schedule also puts the Terps in the national spotlight, as 13 games will be televised nationally.

• Head coach Gary Williams is the ninth-winningest active coach in NCAA Division I men's basketball with an overall record of 560-318 (.638). He ranks second among active ACC coaches with 353 wins at Maryland (4th overall) and also ranks second among active league coaches (3rd overall) with 147 ACC victories. Williams is the Terps' all-time winningest coach.

• Williams welcomed a familiar face back to College Park this summer when he added Chuck Driesell to the Terrapins coaching staff. Driesell lettered at Maryland from 1981-85 and brings 16 years of collegiate coaching experience to the Terrapins.

• While Maryland's two exhibition games are not being televised, the Terps will be regulars on television throughout the season. Maryland's 2006-07 broadcast schedule includes 13 games which will broadcast nationally on ESPN, ESPN2, Fox SportsNet or ABC. The Terps will open the season with an appearance on ESPNU when they face Hampton on November 7. Maryland will be televised on Comcast Sports Net eight times during the season, and will be featured on the FSN ACC Game of the Week four times. The ACC Tournament will once again be broadcast live by ESPN, ESPN2 and Raycom/Lincoln Financial Network.

• In addition to the experienced-laden returnees, coach Williams has brought five newcomers into the fold for 2006-07 season. Junior Bambale Osby joins the program after spending 2005-06 at Paris Junior College in Texas. Osby spent his freshman campaign with New Mexico and is originally from Richmond, Va. In addition to Osby, four freshmen have been added to the mix this season. Guards Eric Hayes and Greivis Vasquez are expected to see plenty of action in the backcourt this season after decorated prep careers. They will be joined by forwards Jerome Burney and Landon Milbourne. The four freshmen posted a combined record of 117-5 last season as high school seniors.

• Four Terrapins enter the 2006-07 season poised to climb the school's all-time record book. Seniors D.J. Strawberry, Ekene Ibekwe, and Mike Jones have all made their mark in the Terrapin annals, along with junior James Gist:
• Strawberry ranks 14th in school history with 133 career steals. He was named Honorable Mention All-ACC Defensive Team in 2005-06.
• Ibekwe sits in seventh place on the school's all-time blocked shots list. The Carson, Calif., native has 142 career rejections at Maryland and has averaged 1.6 blocked shots per game.
• Ibekwe enters his senior season needing 47 rebounds to move into the top 30 of the all-time rebounding list at Maryland. He has tallied 525 rebounds through three seasons with the Terps.
• Senior Mike Jones has distinguished himself as one of the best shooters in the ACC and has rapidly moved up the school's all-time three pointers list. Jones has totalled 122 three-point field goals and sits in seventh place on the school's all-time list. Jones has hoisted 311 shots from beyond the arc, which is the 12th highest total in school history.