Feb. 24, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
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Maryland (16-10, 6-7 ACC) looks to even its conference record at 7-7 when it travels to Chapel Hill to take on No. 21 North Carolina in a nationally-televised game (FSN) Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Tim Brando and Mike Gminski have the call, with Jen Hildreth providing courtside commentary.
The Terps are coming off a 71-60 loss at Florida State on Wednesday. Nik Caner-Medley paced Maryland with 19 points, while Ekene Ibekwe added 15 points and eight rebounds in the loss. D.J. Strawberry also grabbed a career-best eight boards to go with six points and five assists.
The Terps are led by Nik Caner-Medley (15.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg), who is averaging 16.6 points and 6.8 rebounds in ACC play. Junior point guard D.J. Strawberry (10.5 ppg, 4.0 apg) directs the Maryland attack, while junior forward Ekene Ibekwe (11.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and sophomore center James Gist (8.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.3 bpg) man the paint. Junior shooting guard Mike Jones (9.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg), who is averaging 13.9 points the last nine games as a starter, rounds out the Terps' starting five.
North Carolina (18-6, 9-4 ACC) enters the game having won four straight and seven of its last eight games following a 95-71 victory at NC State Wednesday night. Senior forward David Noel paced the Tar Heels with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while junior forward Reyshawn Terry added 20 and freshman center Tyler Hansbrough scored 17. Carolina is 6-1 on the road in ACC play, but just 3-3 in league games at home. Noel is averaging 16.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in his last three games, while Terry is averaging 18.7 points and 7.4 boards in his last seven outings.
Maryland Notables...
The latest RPI lists the Terps's schedule as the 14th toughest in the country...Nik Caner-Medley, who was voted NABC Second-Team All-District 5 this week, has played at least 37 minutes in eight of the last nine games...Mike Jones has scored in double figures in seven of the last nine games...Travis Garrison is just three rebounds shy of 600 for his career...Ekene Ibekwe has averaged 12.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks the last five games...D.J. Strawberry has averaged 5.7 rebounds the last three games.
Maryland trails the all-time series with North Carolina, 112-53, but the Terps and Tar Heels have split the last 10 meetings. UNC won the first meeting this season, 77-62, on Feb. 2 at Comcast Center. Terps' head coach Gary Williams (557) and UNC head coach Roy Williams (487) have combined for 1,044 wins, seven Final Four's and two national championships.
Head coach Gary Williams is the 11th-winningest active coach in NCAA Division I men's basketball with an overall record of 557-316 (.638). He ranks second among active ACC coaches with 350 wins at Maryland (4th overall) and also ranks second among active league coaches (3rd overall) with 145 ACC victories. Williams is the Terps' all-time winningest coach.
