Top-Seeded Terps Open NIT Play Against Manhattan
3/16/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 16, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
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Maryland (19-12, 8-8 ACC) looks for its fourth win in its last five games when the top-seeded Terps host ninth-seeded Manhattan in the first round of the 69th Annual National Invitational Tournament Saturday at 11 a.m. on ESPN (Bob Wischusen, play-by-play; Hubert Davis, color). Maryland is also looking for its ninth 20-win season in the last 10 years and its 30th consecutive home win against a non-conference opponent.
The Terps are the No. 1 seed in the East Region. The winner of Saturday's game advances to play Old Dominion in second-round action on Monday.
Maryland is led by senior forward Nik Caner-Medley (15.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg), who averaged 16.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in ACC play and recently earned Third-team All-ACC honors. Junior point guard D.J. Strawberry (10.3 ppg, 4.0 apg, 1.8 spg) directs the Maryland attack, while junior forward Ekene Ibekwe (10.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.3 bpg) and sophomore center James Gist (8.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 bpg) man the paint. Junior guard Mike Jones (10.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg), who is averaging 13.9 points the last 14 games as a starter, rounds out the Terps' starting five.
Manhattan (19-10, 14-4 MAAC) downed NEC regular-season champion Fairleigh Dickinson, 80-77, in the NIT opening round on Tuesday night. The Jaspers won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season title before being upset in their conference tournament.
