Nov. 18, 1997
Terps Look to Win 53rd Consecutive Non-Conference Home Game
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All-ACC candidate LaRon Profit. (File photo)
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NO. 23 MARYLAND TERRAPINS (0-1, 0-0 ACC)
VS.
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON KNIGHTS (0-0, 0-0 NEC)
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18, 1997; 7:30 P.M.
COLE FIELD HOUSE/14,500
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND
LEARFIELD/MARYLAND RADIO NETWORK
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Laron Profit
Career Steals
98 (current)
+ 17 (needs)
115 (to move into 10th place all-time in school history)
Laron Profit
Career Points
568 (current)
+ 432 (needs)
1,000 (to become the 33rd player in school history to score 1,000 career points)
Terrell Stokes
Career Assists
231 (current)
+ 116 (needs)
347 (to move past Ernie Graham into 10th place all-time in school history)
Terrell Stokes
Career Steals
84 (current)
+31 (needs)
115 (to move into 10th place all-time in school history)
Sarunas Jasikevicius
Career Three-Pt. Shots Made
77 (current)
+ 23 (needs)
100 (to become the sixth player to hit 100 or more career three-point shots).
"Sarunas Jasikevicius got more quality playing time last year because he developed all of the other skills needed to be a productive shooting guard. His defense got better, good enough to draw tough assignments like Virginia's Curtis Staples or Florida State's James Collins. His passing got creative, without being overly risky, as he thrilled the Cole Field House crowd with many of his alley-oop lobs to teammates. He was also second on the team to Stokes with 98 assists."
Tim Peeler, 1997 Blue Ribbon College basketball Yearbook
TERPS PLAY HOST TO FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON IN HOME OPENER: Maryland plays host to Fairleigh Dickinson of the Northeast Conference in the 1997-98 home opener tonight at Cole Field House. The Terps have won 20 consecutive home openers dating back to the first game of the 1977-78 season. The last time the Terps were not successful in a home opener came against Notre Dame to open the 1976-77 season. The Irish took an 80-79 overtime decision in Cole. It was the Terps' only loss in their first 11 games of the season. Maryland has played Fairleigh Dickinson three times previously and holds a 3-0 series advantage.
TERPS RANKED NO. 23 BY ESPN/USA TODAY POLL: Maryland enters tonight's game versus Fairleigh Dickinson ranked 23rd in the ESPN/USA Today poll. It marks the third time in the last four years that the Terps have been ranked in the pre-season coaches poll. Maryland was tabbed 14th to begin the 1994-95 season and 19th to begin the 1995-96 season.
TERPS LOOK FOR 53RD CONSECUTIVE NON-ACC VICTORY IN COLE: Maryland is looking to extend its non-conference winning streak to 53 consecutive games as it plays host to Fairleigh Dickinson tonight. The Terps current streak is the second longest in the nation; Oklahoma State has won 67 consecutive non-conference games at Henry Iba Arena in Stillwater. Maryland has not lost to a non-ACC opponent in Cole since December 12, 1989.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Look for Maryland to shoot for its 53rd consecutive non-conference home game and its ninth consecutive home opener under Head Coach Gary Williams.
ESPN/USA Today Pre-Season Top-25
1) Arizona 727
2. North Carolina 672
2) Duke 672
4) Kansas 666
5) UCLA 563
6) Purdue 561
7) Clemson 554
8) South Carolina 512
9) Kentucky 505
10) New Mexico 432
11) Xavier 372
12) Stanford 362
13) Connecticut 322
14) Utah 273
15) Fresno State 244
16) Iowa 243
17) UNC Charlotte 216
18) Indiana 197
19) Louisville 180
20) Michigan 145
21) Oklahoma 142
22) Georgia 107
23) MARYLAND 104
24) Texas 97
25) Rhode Island 89
Dick Vitale's Pre-Season Top-25
1) Duke
2) Arizona
3) North Carolina
4) Kansas
5) UCLA
6) Clemson
7) Kentucky
8) South Carolina
9) Purdue
10) Fresno State
11) New Mexico
12) Stanford
13) MARYLAND
14) Utah
15) Xavier
16) Indiana
17) Iowa
18) Connecticut
19) Michigan
20) Oklahoma
21) Texas
22) Rhodes Island
23) Georgia
24) Florida State
25) St. John's
TERPS NEARLY UNBEATABLE IN COLE IN NON-CONFERENCE GAMES: Maryland has won 55 of 56 non-conference home games during the Gary Williams era. The Terps won the first three non-conference games of Williams's career during the 1989-90 season and have not lost to a non-ACC opponent in Cole since December 12, 1989 against Coppin State. In winning 55 of 56 non-conference games in Cole, the Terps have a winning percentage of 98.2 percent under Williams.
TERPS IN HOME OPENERS UNDER WILLIAMS: Maryland is undefeated, 8-0, in home season openers under Head Coach Gary Williams.
1989-90 vs. Delaware State W, 87-53
1990-91 vs. Towson Univ. W, 93-69
1991-92 vs. Mount St. Mary's W, 83-53
1992-93 vs. UMBC W, 103-80
1993-94 vs. Cornell W, 92-41
1994-95 vs. Loyola (Md.) W, 92-62
1995-96 vs. Howard W, 88-71
1996-97 vs. Howard W, 93-55
A MARYLAND VICTORY TONIGHT WOULD...
- Mark the ninth consecutive home opening victory for the Gary Williams coached Terps.
- Mark the 21st consecutive home opening victory for the Maryland basketball program.
PROBABLE STARTERS FOR MARYLAND....
F #25 Rodney Elliott (14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg; 9 rebs in 96-97 home opener vs. How.)
C #54 Obinna Ekezie (8.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg; 19 pts in 96-97 home opener vs. Howard)
G #3 Laron Profit (24.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg; 14 pts in 96-97 home opener vs. Howard)
G #12 Terrell Stokes (8.0 ppg, 3.0 apg; 6 assists in 96-97 home opener vs. How.)
G #13 Sarunas Jasikevicius (8.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg; 13 pts in 96-97 home opener)
....AND TOP SUBS
F #44 Terence Morris (3.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg; Inaugural collegiate home opener)
G #11 Matt Kovarik (2.0 ppg, 3.0 apg; 3 pts in 96-97 home opener vs. How.)
F #21 LaRon Cephas (0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg; Inaugural collegiate home opener)
F #33 Mike Mardesich (5.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg; Inaugural collegiate home opener)
F #45 Brian Watkins (0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg; 11 pts in 96-97 home opener vs. Howard)
MARYLAND VERSUS FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON- A SERIES HISTORY
The Series: Maryland leads, 3-0
Last Maryland Win: Dec. 29, 1986; 70-59
Last Maryland Win in Cole Field House: Dec. 29, 1986; 70-59
Last FDU Win: NA
Last FDU Win in Cole Field House: NA
Maryland vs. FDU, Current Streak: Maryland has won 3
Gary Williams vs. FDU, Career: First Meeting
TERPS VERSUS FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON - THE LAST THREE GAMES
Dec. 29, 1986 Dec. 3, 1985 Dec. 10, 1980
Maryland 70 Maryland 74 Maryland 109
F. Dickinson 59 F. Dickinson 51 F. Dickinson 83
at College Park, Md. at College Park, Md. at College Park, Md.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN NEVER PLAYED AT COLE: Schools from New Jersey are a combined 0-7 in Cole Field House. Fairleigh Dickinson, tonight's opponent, is 0-3; Rider is 0-3 and Seton Hall is 0-1.
TUESDAYS HAVE BEEN RUBY FOR THE TERPS: Maryland has won 10 consecutive games played on Tuesdays and have not lost on a Tuesday night since December 7, 1993 at Oklahoma.
TERPS BY THE NUMBERS
- .667 The Terps recorded 16 assists on their 24 baskets against South Carolina - .667 percent.
- 1.00 Freshman Mike Mardesich scored five points in his collegiate debut and shot a perfect two-for-two in the second half against South Carolina.
- 1.00 Junior Terrell Stokes, an All-ACC candidate, was a perfect two-for-two from the three-point arc in the second half against South Carolina.
- 3 Freshman Terence Morris, a candidate for ACC Rookie-of-the-Year honors, blocked three shots in the first 11 minutes of his collegiate career.
- 14 Maryland blocked 14 shots against South Carolina -- tied for the fourth best team single- game total in school history.
- 19 Junior Laron Profit, an All-America candidate, scored 19 of his game-high tying 24 points in the second half against South Carolina.
- 43 Maryland's first-year players - LaRon Cephas, Mike Mardesich and Terence Morris combined to play 43 minutes against South Carolina in the season opener.
- 60 Junior Laron Profit, an All-America candidate, grabbed six of his 10 total rebounds (60 percent) in the second half of Maryland's season opener against South Carolina.
CAREER HIGHS WERE ESTABLISHED AGAINST SOUTH CAROLINA BY...
- Junior Laron Profit who attempted a career-high 19 field goals;
- Junior Laron Profit who attempted a career-high 10 three-point shots;
- Senior Rodney Elliott who played a career-high 40 minutes;
- Junior Obinna Ekezie who blocked a career-high five shots;
- Redshirt senior Matt Kovarik who blocked a career-high two shots.
PROFIT TIES CAREER-HIGH WITH 24 POINTS AGAINST SOUTH CAROLINA: Junior All-America candidate Laron Profit tied his career-high with 24 points in the season opener against South Carolina. Previously, Profit had scored 24 points against Virginia on March 2, 1997 and California on December 8, 1996. Profit is the only current Terp to have scored 20 or more points three times during his career.
PROFIT SCORES SECOND CAREER DOUBLE/DOUBLE IN SEASON OPENER: Junior All-America candidate Laron Profit scored his second career double/double of 24 points and 10 rebounds against South Carolina in the season opener. Profit's first career double/double came on December 2, 1996 as he scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Chicago State in Cole Field House. Profit's two career double/doubles trail only teammate Obinna Ekezie's four career double/doubles for the team lead in that category.
ELLIOTT PLAYS A CAREER-HIGH 40 MINUTES AGAINST S. CAROLINA: Senior Rodney Elliott played a career-high 40 minutes against South Carolina in the Terps' season opener. His previous career-high was 32 minutes against Clemson on January 15, 1997. He has now played 30 minutes or more in four career games, including four of his last 17 games dating to the Terps' afore mentioned game against Clemson. In nine career starts, Elliott averages 25.4 minutes and 9.0 points per game.
DICKERSON AGAINST DICKINSON: Maryland assistant coach Dave Dickerson started in the Terps' last meeting against Fairleigh Dickinson on December 29, 1986. He scored nine points and pulled down seven rebounds in his second career start. Maryland won the game, 70-59.
JASIKEVICIUS FROM THE THREE-POINT ARC: Senior Sarunas Jasikevicius has attempted at least one three-point shot in a career-high 22 consecutive games entering tonight's contest versus Fairleigh Dickinson. He has attempted at least one three-pointer in every Terps game since December 30, 1996 - the Terps' game against Georgia in the championship of the Rainbow Classic.
PROFIT WITH DOUBLE FIGURE SCORING IN 11 OF LAST 12 GAMES: Junior All-America candidate Laron Profit has scored in double figures in 11 of his last 12 games and averages 15.4 points per game.
MORRIS HITS THE OFFENSIVE GLASS: Terence Morris, a candidate for ACC Rookie-of-the-Year honors, scored three points, grabbed four rebounds and blocked three shots in his career debut against South Carolina. His four rebounds included two offensive rebounds which ranked second on the team behind only Laron Profit's four offensive rebounds.
MORRIS ON THE BLOCK: Terence Morris, a candidate for ACC Rookie-of-the-Year honors, blocked three shots in the first 11 minutes of his Terp career against South Carolina. The three blocked shots marked a record by a Terp player in his first collegiate game.
QUOTING MARYLAND BASKETBALL
1) "There is no doubt that Profit established himself as a future star in the ACC with his performance last year. He was second on the team to (Keith) Booth in scoring, fourth in rebounding and second in steals. He hit game winning shots, like the one that toppled Wake Forest from the ranks of the unbeaten, and had some eye popping bursts, like the 11 points he scored in the final five minutes of the epic at North Carolina."
1997 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook
2) "Obinna Ekezie blocked 33 shots and had 23 steals last season when he was still learning the game. Now he has grown an inch to 6-10, is still a massive 260 pounds and should be on the court a lot more with less foul trouble. That can only spell a lot more nightmares for opposing big men in the ACC. If Ekezie improved as much this off-season as he did last, there may be no stopping him."
ACC Basketball Handbook 1997
3) "Redshirt freshmen LaRon Cephas and Mike Mardesich, plus mad bomber Sarunas Jasikevicius and Matt Kovarik, a fifth-year senior whose 97 games played make him the most experienced player in the league, give Maryland solid depth.
Street and Smith's Basketball Handbook 1997
4) "Look out, ACC, (Terence) Morris is the leading candidate for the league's Rookie of the Year Award. He is the favorite because he fits so nicely into an experienced squad.
1997 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook
PROFIT ON THE OFFENSIVE GLASS: Junior All-America candidate Laron Profit grabbed a career-high tying four offensive rebounds against South Carolina in the season opener. His four offensive rebounds would have tied him for third on the team - his 10 total rebounds was a game high against the Gamecocks.
AMONG DICK'S DAZZLING DOZEN...RATING THE BEST BACKCOURTS: The four returning members of Maryland's backcourt were ranked as the 10th best unit in the nation by Dick Vitale in his College Basketball preview issue....#10 Maryland (Laron Profit, Terrell Stokes, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Matt Kovarik).
WINNING WAYS: Maryland enters the 1997-98 season looking for its fifth consecutive winning season and seventh during the Gary Williams era at the University of Maryland. Maryland has not enjoyed five consecutive winning seasons since the 1981-82 through the 1985-86 seasons.
TERRAPIN BLOCK PARTY: Led by junior All-ACC candidate Obinna Ekezie's career-high five blocked shots, the Terps blocked 14 shots in the season opener against South Carolina.
Rank No. Opponent
T1. 17 vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore (February 27, 1987)
vs. Georgia Tech (December 10, 1975)
3. 16 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore (December 1, 1988)
T4. 14 vs. South Carolina (November 14, 1997)
vs. James Madison (January 28, 1987)
T6. 13 vs. Virginia (February 1, 1995)
vs. Tennessee (November 28, 1984)
TERPS ARE ONE OF ONLY THREE: Maryland is one of only three Atlantic Coast Conference teams which has played in each of the last four NCAA Tournaments and which has averaged at least 20 victories in each of the last four seasons. Maryland is joined by only Wake Forest and North Carolina in matching this double/double.
1996-97 IN REVIEW...
- The Terps posted a 21-11 overall record and a 9-7 mark in the ACC.
- The Terps were ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press Poll for the week of Jan. 27 and were in the top 10 for four consecutive weeks, Jan. 20 - Feb. 10.
- The Terps were ranked for the final 12 weeks of the regular season in both the Associated Press and CNN/USA Today polls.
- The Terps played in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season - tying the school record for consecutive NCAA Tournament invitations. The senior class became only the second in school history to play in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
- Maryland won the championship of the Franklin National Bank/Children's Charities Classic.
- Gary Williams was named the Seaboard Conference Coach-of-the-Year by Basketball Times.
KOVARIK NAMED TO NABC ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL: Senior Matt Kovark was recently named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches academic honor roll. The honor roll salutes players who are entering their junior or senior seasons and who hold a 3.2 or better grade point average. Kovarik is a business major.
QUOTING DICK VITALE
1) "Laron Profit is a big-time player. He's playing like a PTP'er. He wants to bring this one back to College Park."
Dick Vitale, ESPN, November 14, 1997
2) "I like Terence Morris' agility. He has these long, long arms. He has things you can not teach."
Dick Vitale, ESPN, November 14, 1997
3) "When you see Terence Morris in transition, you are absolutely going to drool."
Dick Vitale, ESPN, November 14, 1997
4) "I like Maryland's big guards - they give you extra height for offensive rebounding."
Dick Vitale, ESPN, November 14, 1997
5) "Thou shall not enter the lane is the commandment by the Terps' big men."
Dick Vitale, ESPN, November 14, 1997
6) "This freshman, Terence Morris, is not afraid to take the big shot."
Dick Vitale, ESPN, November 14, 1997
7) "The Terps profit from Profit."
Dick Vitale, ESPN, November 14, 1997
CLASSY NUMBERS: Maryland's junior class (Obinna Ekezie, Terrell Stokes, Laron Profit and Brian Watkins) combined to lead the Terps in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and assists against South Carolina. The quartet combined to score 55.5 percent of the Terps points and grabbed 48.4 percent of the teams rebounds.
Class FGM-A FTM-A REB ASTS BLKS STLS PTS
Fr. 3-8 1-2 6 1 4 2 8
Soph. -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Jr. 14-31 6-8 16 9 7 3 40
Sr. 7-21 8-14 11 6 3 3 24
Totals 24-60 15-24 33 16 14 8 72
TERPS SELECTED FOURTH BY ACC WRITERS: Maryland was selected to finish fourth in the pre-season poll by the Atlantic Coast Conference Sportswriters Association. The Terps were predicted to finish in the upper echelon of the ACC for the fifth consecutive season.
1997-98 ACSWA PRE-SEASON PREDICATIONS
1. Duke (45) 730
2. North Carolina (43) 727
3. Clemson (2) 628
4. MARYLAND 429
5. N.C. State 391
6. Wake Forest 335
7. Florida State 324
8. Virginia 177
9. Georgia Tech 174
TERPS BY THE NUMBERS IN 1997-98
Overall Record: 0-1 When Outrebound Opponent: 0-1
ACC Record: 0-0 When Outrebounded by Opp: 0-0
Home Record: 0-0 When Rebounds are Equal: 0-0
Road Record: 0-0 When Leading at Half-time: 0-0
Neutral Site Record: 0-1 When Trailing at Half-time: 0-0
Day Games: 0-0 When Tied at Half-time: 0-1
Night Games: 0-1 When Shoot Better from Field: 0-1
In Home ACC Games: 0-0 When Shoot Worse from Field: 0-0
In Road ACC Games: 0-0 Versus a Ranked Opponent: 0-1
When Score At Least 80 Pts: 0-0 When Score 100+ Points: 0-0
When Score Under 80 Pts: 0-1
TERPS SIGN TWO PLAYERS ON FIRST DAY OF SIGNING PERIOD: Maryland signed a pair of Blue-Chip high school players, Danny Miller and Lonnie Baxter, on the first day of the current National Letter of Intent signing period. At 6-6, Miller (Mt. Holly, N.J./Rancocas Valley H.S.) is rated as the 11th best high school prospect in the nation while the 6-8 Baxter (Rockville, Md./Hargrave Military Academy) is rated among the top 50.
GARY WILLIAMS CAREER RECORD
Gary Williams Career Record 350-230 .603 20th season
Gary Williams at Maryland 143-102 .583 9th season
KOVARIK LEADS THE ACC: Senior guard Matt Kovarik begins the 1997-98 season as the Atlantic Coast Conference leader in total career games played. Kovarik, who is entering his fifth season with the Terps, has played in 97 career games. He is one of three Terps to have played in 88 or more career games.
Rank Player, School Games Played
1. Matt Kovarik, Maryland 98
2. Shammond Williams, N. Carolina 97
3. Tony Rutland, Wake Forest 95
4. Michael Maddox, Georgia Tech 93
5. Steve Wojciechowski, Duke 93
Curtis Staples, Virginia 93
8. Matt Harpring, Georgia Tech 92
Rodney Elliott, Maryland 92
Norman Nolan, Virginia 92
Greg Buckner, Clemson 92
11. Sarunas Jasikevicius, Maryland 89
