Feb. 1, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
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Maryland (No. 23 ESPN/USA Today) begins a stretch of three games in six days when it hosts defending national champion North Carolina Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN. It is the third of four straight national TV games for the Terps, who play at No. 14 NC State Sunday at 2 p.m. (FSN). Maryland has won three straight ACC games and is 11-0 at Comcast Center this season.
The Terps are coming off a tough, 91-85, loss at Temple on Saturday, while the Tar Heels defeated Arizona, 86-69, Saturday at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill.
Maryland, which leads the ACC and ranks sixth nationally in scoring with 82.7 ppg, will be led by senior forward Nik Caner-Medley (15.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg), who has averaged 28.7 points and 9.0 rebounds the last three games. Junior point guard D.J. Strawberry (9.8 ppg, 4.4 apg) directs the Maryland attack, while junior forward Ekene Ibekwe (11.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.3 bpg) and sophomore center James Gist (8.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg) man the paint. Junior shooting guard Mike Jones (8.8 ppg), who is averaging 17.5 points the last two games, rounds out the Terps' starting five.
North Carolina (12-5, 3-3 ACC) is led by freshman forward Tyler Hansbrough, who leads the Heels with 18.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Junior forward Reyshawn Terry is averaging 12.9 points per game, while senior forward David Noel is averaging 11.5 points and 6.6 rebounds.
Maryland Notables...
Head coach Gary Williams has reached another career milestone. With 348 career wins at Maryland, Williams has tied Charles "Lefty" Driesell (1969-86) as the Terps' all-time winningest basketball coach. He is just one victory shy of claiming sole possession of first place on the Maryland all-time wins list. Williams also has 143 career ACC victories, which ranks third on the ACC career wins list.
Maryland trails the all-time series with North Carolina, 111-53, but the Terps have won five of the last nine meetings and six of the last eight games in College Park. Head coach Gary Williams is 8-6 against the Tar Heels at home, including a 2-1 mark at Comcast Center. Williams (555) and UNC head coach Roy Williams (481) have combined for 1,036 wins and seven Final Four apperances. (more series info on page 3 of notes)
Senior forward Nik Caner-Medley is averaging 31.5 points and 9.5 rebounds the last two games, and has led the Terps in scoring in seven of the last 10 contests. He had 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists at Temple for his first double-double of the season...Mike Jones has hit 13-21 (61.9%) 3-pointers the last four games and has hit 13 straight free throws.
Head coach Gary Williams is the 11th-winningest active coach in NCAA Division I men's basketball with an overall record of 555-311 (.641). He ranks second among active ACC coaches with 348 wins at Maryland (4th overall) and also ranks second (3rd overall) among active league coaches with 143 ACC victories.
