Jan. 3, 2007
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Maryland opens 2007 against Iona on January 4 at Comcast Center. Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. The game can be heard on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network and will be televised locally by Comcast SportsNet.
• The Terps carry a mark of 13-2 into the contest, while Iona is 0-11.
• Maryland senior D.J. Strawberry leads the Terps with 15.9 points per game. He is 11th in the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring. Junior forward Dexter Gray, who missed the first eight games of the season, leads the Gaels with 13.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Forward Anthony Bruin averages 11.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest.
• Sunday's game marks the second meeting between the two schools. Maryland leads the all-time series 1-0. The Terps recorded a 74-59 victory over Iona on March 16 in the 2000 NCAA Midwest Region first round at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
Maryland has displayed a balanced offensive attack this season. The Terps boast the third-highest scoring average in the league (81.4 ppg), and have four players averaging double figures.
• Strawberry leads the team with 15.9 points per game. Mike Jones is averaging 13.8 points per game, while James Gist has tallied 11.8 points per game. Ekene Ibekwe is averaging 10.9 points.
• Jones and Strawberry have each paced the Terps in scoring six times this season. Ibekwe has led the Terps in the scoring column on three occasions.
• Maryland has outscored its opponents by an average of 18.5 points per game this season. That is the third highest scoring margin in the ACC behind North Carolina (23.7) and Clemson (19.1).
• The Terrapins lead the ACC in three point field goal percentage. The Terps have connected on 41 percent (104-of-252) of their shots from beyond the arc. Maryland's 104 triples is tied for first in the ACC with Clemson.
Maryland closed out 2006 with a 94-75 victory over Siena on December 31. The Terps held the Saints to just 34 percent (28-of-83) shooting from the floor. Maryland utilized a balanced offensive attack as four players scored in double figures. The Terps finished 2006 with a record of 24-13 and are now 10-0 at Comcast Center this season.
• The Terps tied their season high with 12 steals against the Saints.
• D.J. Strawberry led all scorers with a career-high 23 points. The senior swingman finished 9-of-17 from the field and added seven rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots and three steals in 33 minutes.
• Junior James Gist recorded his fourth double-double in his last five games with 17 points and 13 rebounds. He is averaging 13.6 points and 11.0 rebounds in his last five outings.
• Ekene Ibekwe scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds to move into 22nd place on the school's all-time rebounding list. The senior has 629 career rebounds at Maryland.
The Terps have made a renewed commitment to defense in 2006-07. Maryland has forced its opponents into an average of 18.4 turnovers per game through 15 games this season.
• The Terps are yielding just 28.8 points in the first half and limiting the opposition to 35 percent shooting from the field. Maryland's opponents are shooting just 28 percent (91-of-325) from three-point range.
• The Terps are averaging 8.3 steals per game and have recorded 116 blocked shots through 15 games.
The 2006-07 Terrapins have made their mark on the school's record book in a variety of categories:
• The Terps set school records for most three pointers (17) and three point attempts (37) against UMKC on December 13.
• Maryland's 54 free throw attempts against Hampton was the fourth highest mark in school history. The Terps connected on 39 free throws in that game, which was the fourth best mark in school annals.
• The Terrapins 101-50 victory over UMKC was the 17th largest margin of victory for Maryland.
Four Terrapins are rapidly climbing the school's all-time record book. Seniors D.J. Strawberry, Ekene Ibekwe, and Mike Jones have all made their mark in the Terrapin annals, along with junior James Gist:
• Strawberry ranks eighth in school history with 172 career steals. He was named Honorable Mention All-ACC Defensive Team in 2005-06.
• Ibekwe sits in sixth place on the school's all-time blocked shots list. The Carson, Calif., native has 185 career rejections at Maryland and has averaged 1.7 blocked shots per game.
• With nine rebounds against Siena, Ibekwe moved into 22nd place on the school's all-time rebounding list. The senior forward has 629 career rebounds.
• Senior Mike Jones has distinguished himself as one of the best shooters in the ACC and has rapidly moved up the school's all-time three pointers list. Jones has totaled 165 three-point field goals and sits in fifth place on the school's all-time list. Jones has hoisted 403 shots from beyond the arc, which is the seventh highest total in school history.
• Gist has totaled 119 blocked shots during his three seasons in College Park. He is 11th on the school's all-time list and has averaged 1.4 blocks per game.
