COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Former Maryland great John Lucas returned to College Park for the eighth-ranked Maryland men's basketball team's upset win over No. 3 Iowa Thursday.

Lucas spoke to the media before the game about how excited he was to return to the University.

“Does anybody in the room have 40 years or more with Maryland?” said Lucas, who was the first overall pick in the 1976 NBA Draft. “Well, I have 40 years of Maryland basketball pride, and I'm really excited about being here tonight for a number of reasons.”

Lucas was a two-time consensus All-American point guard and a three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection at the University of Maryland in the mid-70s. Lucas was tabbed the ACC Athlete of the Year in 1976 after guiding the Terps to an ACC regular season championship and a berth to the NCAA Elite Eight.

Lucas was recognized as an honorary captain during the game. He spoke highly of current head coach Mark Turgeon and the Terps' progress in the Big Ten.

“I'm excited about the team and its potential and I'm excited to be here,” Lucas said. “I love what Turgeon has done here at Maryland, and I love the way Maryland has moved forward.”

Following his Maryland career, Lucas played in the NBA for 14 seasons and led the Rockets to the 1986 NBA Finals. Following his successful playing career, Lucas moved to the sidelines, where he served as a head coach for the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers.

-Maryland-