COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland will make its 24th appearance in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament when it faces the Houston Cougars Friday in a first-round game in Spokane, Wash.

The game is scheduled to tip-off at 9:40 p.m. ET at Spokane Arena.

The Terrapins (23-8) are seeded fourth in the Midwest Regional. Maryland was the No. 4 seed in that region in 2007. The Terps were also a fourth seed in 1998 and 2004.

Maryland, ranked 20th in the final regular-season Associated Press poll, finished the year tied for first in the Atlantic Coast Conference by winning its last seven regular-season games.

"To make the tournament is significant, and then to be a four-seed off of where we were picked when the season started and with the two losses in Maui," Maryland head coach Gary Williams said. "We had to work hard to get to a four-seed so I'm proud of the team."

Houston, the 13th seed, earned the automatic bid from Conference USA after winning the league tournament title. The Cougars (19-15), seeded seventh in the conference tournament, upset top-seeded UTEP, 81-73, on Saturday.

The Cougars are led by Aubrey Coleman who is averaging 25.6 points per game, which leads the nation.

[Houston head coach] Tom Penders has done a good job wherever he's been and he's been around a little bit," Williams said. "Obviously, he knows how to coach. He's got a great player (in Aubrey Coleman) that's scoring 25 points a game. Any time you have a player that can go off like that, it's a challenge for the other team. I think the big thing this week is for us to have a good week of practice and prepare ourselves."

The Terrapins and Cougars have faced each twice, including once in the NCAA Tournament. The top-seeded Cougars defeated eighth-seeded Maryland, 60-50, in a second-round game on March 19, 1983.

The Terps won the first meeting, upending Houston, 69-68, in the Sugar Bowl Tournament on Dec. 29, 1965.

The winner of the Maryland-Houston game will face either fifth-seeded Michigan State or No. 12 seed New Mexico State on Sunday in Spokane.

The Midwest Regional semifinals will be played the following weekend in St. Louis.

The postseason appearance will be the 17th straight for the Terrapins. Maryland has won nine straight NCAA first-round games, dating back to 1998, and reached at least the Sweet 16 in four of its last nine NCAA appearances.

Maryland won the NCAA Tournament in 2002, defeating Indiana, 64-52, in the 2002 championship game.

Tickets for Maryland's first- and second-round games are priced at $65 per session. Terrapin Club members have priority to purchase tickets which go on sale at 8:30 a.m. Monday through the Maryland Ticket office. (1-800-462-TERP).

Updated March 15 - 3 p.m. ET