Terps Start Stretch Run With No. 2 Duke on Saturday
2/10/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 10, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
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Maryland (15-7, 5-4 ACC) enters the stretch run in fifth place in the ACC, just a half-game back of Miami and Boston College (for third) as the Terps host No. 2 Duke Saturday at 1 p.m. in a nationally-televised game on CBS.
Maryland is coming off a thrilling, 76-65, come-from-behind win over Virginia on Tuesday. Junior forward Ekene Ibekwe led the Terps with 14 points and a career-best 15 rebounds, while junior guard D.J. Strawberry added a career-best 19 points as Maryland overcame a 14-point deficit. The Terps hit 21-of-24 free throws and scored 46 second-half points.
The Terps are led by senior forward Nik Caner-Medley (15.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg), who has averaged 20.2 points and 7.5 rebounds the last six games. Junior point guard D.J. Strawberry (10.6 ppg, 4.1 apg) directs the Maryland attack, while junior forward Ekene Ibekwe (11.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and sophomore center James Gist (8.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.4 bpg) man the paint. Junior shooting guard Mike Jones (9.3 ppg), who is averaging 14.4 points the last five games as a starter, rounds out the Terps' starting five.
No. 2 Duke (22-1, 10-0 ACC) enters the game on a five-game winning streak following an 87-83 win at North Carolina on Tuesday. Senior guard J.J. Redick leads the ACC in scoring with 28.4 points per game and is six 3-pointers shy of the NCAA all-time record (413, Curtis Staples-Virginia). Senior center Shelden Williams is averaging 20.4 points and 10.6 rebounds the last five games and leads the ACC with 11 double-doubles.
