Feb. 24, 2009

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland (17-9, 6-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) comes off a big victory on Saturday to continue its tough stretch of late-season games by playing host to No. 7 Duke in Wednesday night's nationally televised matchup. The Terrapins defeated then-third-ranked North Carolina on Saturday, 88-85 in overtime, recovering from a 16-point second half deficit and a nine-point deficit in the final 1:40. The win snapped UNC's 10-game winning streak.

* Junior guard Greivis Vasquez posted the first triple-double by a Terrapin since 1987 by scoring a career-high 35 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists. Vasquez scored the Terrapins' first 16 points of the game against UNC and scored eight of the Terps' dozen points in overtime. He improved his career-high in points from 28 to 35 with the performance against the Tar Heels. The last time a Terrapin posted a triple-double was in 1987, when Derrick Lewis had a pair of triple-doubles in points, rebounds and blocks. Vasquez's triple-double marked the first time a Maryland player had a triple-double in points, rebounds and assists.

* Sophomore swingman Cliff Tucker helped spark the second-half rally against North Carolina with outstanding shooting in the second half. Tucker had 17 of his career-high 22 points in the second half and ended the game matching Vasquez with five 3-pointers. The five 3's were the most by any Terrapin in a game this season. Tucker had 18 points against the Tar Heels in the first matchup between the teams in Chapel Hill on Feb. 3.

* Maryland's win over North Carolina was the Terps' second over a Top-5 team this season. The Terrapins beat then-No. 5 Michigan State, 80-62, on Thanksgiving Night (Nov. 27) in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic. In head coach Gary Williams' 20 seasons at Maryland, the Terrapins have defeated 20 Top-5 opponents. Williams has led the Terps to victories over first, second or third-ranked teams in eight of the last 10 seasons.

* The Terrapins come into the Duke game having won three of their last four games and four of the last six. Maryland is 14-2 so far this season at Comcast Center.

* Duke comes to Comcast Center with a 22-5 record overall and an 8-4 mark in the ACC. The Blue Devils are tied with Clemson and Florida State for second place in the league standings, 1-1/2 games behind North Carolina. The Blue Devils have won two straight games, including a 101-91 victory over then-eighth-ranked Wake Forest on Sunday night.

* Junior Gerald Henderson comes into the game as Duke's leading scorer, averaging 16.3 points per game. Henderson has been even more productive in a dozen ACC games, averaging 20.2 points per game. Sophomore forward Kyle Singler is averaging 16.1 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds per game for the Blue Devils, while junior guard Jon Scheyer is the third Duke player in double figures at 13.9 points per game. Scheyer leads the Devils with 48 3-pointers, 77 assists and 123 free throws this season.

Maryland Head Coach Gary Williams Quotes - Tuesday, 2/24

On not spending too much time looking at video of Saturday's win over North Carolina:
"I think if we're any good we remember what happened without looking at the video. In terms of the X's and O's and things like that, it wasn't about that. It was about us being a better team now and being able to handle situations better."

On playing big late-season games at home:
"Obviously, you'd rather play at home. This time of year you have to be able to play wherever you are. Having played Carolina twice and now Duke twice, they're four really good games, but also games that year in and year out are going to be a nationally ranked team. You hope you're good enough to play with those teams. Playing at home is an advantage, but that doesn't win the game for you. The way we play will decide whether we win or not."

On having another game against a very challenging opponent in Duke:
"We want to play well down the stretch. That was our goal - to play well and to get better as the season went on. I think we have, and now we have another chance to prove it. When you play really good teams and ranked team, there's no hiding it. You have to play well or you're not going to win the game. This is another test for us just like Carolina was a test."

On having a rematch with Duke:
"If you look at Duke, they've changed a lot since we played them. They have a different lineup and are playing a little differently. If you lose the first game, you'd like another shot. But that doesn't mean you're going to win the game because they know they beat you the first game, so they have some confidence coming in. At the same time, I think we're a team that's been improving, and we'll have another chance to show that tomorrow night."

On guard Eric Hayes:
"I'm proud of Eric. He played great against Carolina. I liked it even more when he threw the ball up towards the ceiling. I turned and said, `was that Eric?' It was a great thing for him to be able to show that excitement of winning that game."

On guard/forward Cliff Tucker's ability to reemerge as a major contributor:
"It speaks well for Cliff as a person that he was able to take not playing a lot and not playing in some games. Lonny Baxter did that his freshman year. I think he did not play for four straight games, and then Obinna Ekezie went down with an Achilles' injury the day before we played NC State. Lonny went in there and scored 12 points and had seven rebounds. I've seen it before, but Cliff is competing...In terms of his athletic ability and his upside, he's going to be a very good player in this league for the next couple years."