Feb. 7, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
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Maryland (14-7, 4-4 ACC) plays its third game in six days when the Terps host the upstart Virginia Cavaliers Tuesday at 7 p.m. on FSN South. After playing three of the last four games on the road, the Terps will play three of the next four contests at Comcast Center as the second half of the ACC schedule begins.
Maryland is coming off a hard-fought, 62-58, loss at No. 15 NC State on Sunday, while the Cavaliers scraped out a 75-73 win over Wake Forest at home on Saturday.
The Terps will be led by senior forward Nik Caner-Medley (15.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg), who has averaged 22.2 points and 8.4 rebounds the last five games. Junior point guard D.J. Strawberry (10.2 ppg, 4.1 apg) directs the Maryland attack, while junior forward Ekene Ibekwe (10.83 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.2 bpg) and sophomore center James Gist (8.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.4 bpg) man the paint. Junior shooting guard Mike Jones (9.0 ppg), who is averaging 14.3 points and 4.8 rebounds the last four games as a starter, rounds out the Terps' starting five.
Virginia (11-8, 5-4 ACC) is led by sophmore point guard Sean Singletary, who is averaging a team-best 18.1 points and 5.1 assists per game. Junior guard J.R. Reynolds adds 15.3 ppg, while junior forward Jason Cain is averaging 8.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest. The Cavaliers allow just 64.7 ppg and are one of the top rebounding teams in the ACC (38.1 rpg).
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 leads the all-time series with Virginia, 99-63, dating back to the first meeting in 1923-24. The Terps have won four straight over the Cavaliers and seven of the last 10 meetings. Dating back to 1996, Maryland has won 15 of the last 20 meetings with UVA and is 11-1 in the last 12 games in College Park (2-1 at Comcast Center). The Terps have swept the season series with Virginia three of the last four years, including 2004-05: 92-89 (2OT) at Virginia & 82-68 at home.
Nik Caner-Medley has led the Terps in scoring in eight of the last 12 contests (18.4 ppg) and has been the Terps' top rebounder in five of the last seven games (8.4 rpg)...Mike Jones has hit 17-33 (51.5%) 3-pointers the last six games...James Gist has scored in double figures in five of the last six games (9.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg).
Head coach Gary Williams is the 11th-winningest active coach in NCAA Division I men's basketball with an overall record of 555-313 (.639). 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.
