Feb. 17, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
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Maryland (15-9, 5-6 ACC) looks for its first series sweep of the season when it hosts Georgia Tech Saturday at 4 p.m. in the first of two final home games. The Terps will play three of their final four regular-season contests on the road.
Maryland is coming off a tough, 89-77 loss at Clemson on Tuesday. Senior forward Nik Caner-Medley led the Terps with his third double-double of the season, registering 21 points and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes of action. Junior guard Mike Jones added 19 points in 25 minutes, while junior point guard Parrish Brown came off the bench to provide five points and a career-best six assists in 21 minutes.
The Terps are led by Caner-Medley (15.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg), who is averaging 17.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in ACC play. Junior point guard D.J. Strawberry (10.6 ppg, 3.9 apg) directs the Maryland attack, while junior forward Ekene Ibekwe (10.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and James Gist (8.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg) man the paint. Junior shooting guard Mike Jones (9.8 ppg), who is averaging 14.6 points the last seven games as a starter, rounds out the Terps' starting five.
Georgia Tech (10-13, 3-9 ACC) enters the contest having lost nine of its last 10 games following an 82-75 defeat at North Carolina on Wednesday. Tech led the Tar Heels by as much as 20 in the first half. Sophomore guard Anthony Morrow paced the Yellow Jackets with 22 points, while sophomore guard Zam Fredrick came off the bench to add 15. Tech hit 9-of-10 three's in the first half, but went 0-for-7 from long distance in the second half.
Maryland Notables...
Head coach Gary Williams is going for his 350th career win at Maryland...Travis Garrison ranks ninth all-time at Maryland with 128 career blocks...James Gist is averaging 10.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks the last five games...Nik Caner-Medley ranks 15th all-time at Maryland with 1,458 points and 22nd with 618 career rebounds...Mike Jones is tied for ninth all-time at Maryland (Caner-Medley) with 109 career 3-pointers...Ekene Ibekwe ranks eighth in the Terps' record book with 129 career blocks...D.J. Strawberry needs just one steal to move into a tie for 16th at Maryland alongside Duane Simpkins with 120 steals for his career.
Maryland trails the all-time series with Georgia Tech, 33-30, but has won seven of the last 11 meetings. Maryland won the first meeting this season in Atlanta, 86-74, behind 33 points and nine rebounds from Caner-Medley. The Terps matched a school record in the game, connecting on 41-of-45 free throws. Last year marked the first time since 1979 that the Terps and Jackets did not play at least twice in a season. Maryland has won 10 of the last 11 meetings with Georgia Tech in College Park.
Head coach Gary Williams is the 11th-winningest active coach in NCAA Division I men's basketball with an overall record of 556-315 (.638). He ranks second among active ACC coaches with 349 wins at Maryland (4th overall) and also ranks second (3rd overall) among active league coaches with 144 ACC victories. Williams is the Terps' all-time winningest coach.
