Terps Go After Fourth Straight ACC Win Against Defending National Champs
2/1/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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.
