OUTLOOK
First round: Defeated Iona, 74-59
Second round: Lost to UCLA, 105-70
Maryland has played as well as any team in the country over last month. I realize the Terps lost at Temple and at Virginia, but those are two tough places to play. Plus, Maryland had opportunities to win and just didn't execute.
I like Gary Williams' team. Freshman Steve Blake is one of the most underrated players in the country. He has done an outstanding job and gets little credit for his quickness and defense. Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter form a great inside-outstide combination.
If teams devote too much effort to either player, suddenly there is Terence Morris, one of the country's best players. He didn't have the year people expected, but other players have emerged. Blake, Dixon and Baxter have all developed as the season progressed -- to the point that Dixon and Baxter earned all-ACC honors. They have players off the bench who contribute. The Terps have a nice eight-man rotation, with Drew Nicholas, Tahj Holden and Mike Mardesich.
The Terps can make a deep run into the NCAAs, but I think they rely too heavily on Baxter. He is solidly built at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds, but he will be playing 7-footers in the tournament. The ACC was more of a finesse league this year than in the past, so Maryland could struggle against a big team. The Terps lost to both North Carolina and Georgia Tech, teams with big players who gave them problems. -- Dan Bonner, ESPN
ROSTER
| PROBABLE STARTERS |
F -- Danny Miller (6-8, So., 8.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.8 apg)
F -- Terence Morris (6-9, Jr., 15.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.6 apg)
C -- Lonny Baxter (6-8, So., 15.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 0.9 apg)
G -- Juan Dixon (6-3, So., 18.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.6 apg)
G -- Steven Blake (6-3, So., 7.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 6.4 apg)
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| TOP RESERVES |
G -- Drew Nicholas (6-3, Fr., 5.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 1.5 apg)
F -- Tahj Holden (6-10, Fr., 3.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.8 apg)
C -- Mike Mardesich (7-0, Jr., 2.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.6 apg)
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NOTABLE
Seed, Region and Bid: 3, Midwest, At-large
Total NCAA Tournament Bids: 17
NCAA Tournament Record: 21-16 (.568)
Final Four Appearances: 0
NCAA Tournament Championships: 0
Best NCAA Tournament Finish: Regional finals (1975, 1973)
Final ESPN/USA Today ranking: 16
Final Asscoiated Press ranking: 17
Final Ratings Percentage Index: 15
Final Sagarin Computer Ranking: 21
RECORD VS. RANKED TEAMS (7-6)
Nov. 24 -- Lost to No. 10 Kentucky, 61-58
Dec. 4 -- Beat No. 16 Illinois, 69-67
Dec. 11 -- Beat No. 22 Kentucky, 72-66
Jan. 6 -- Lost to North Carolina St, 68-66
Jan. 9 -- Lost to No. 7 Duke, 80-70
Jan. 19 -- Beat Wake Forest, 73-51
Jan. 27 -- Lost to North Carolina, 75-63
Feb. 6 -- Beat No. 22 North Carolina St, 78-73
Feb. 9 -- Beat No. 3 Duke, 98-87
Feb. 13 -- Lost to No. 19 Temple, 73-65
Feb. 26 -- Beat North Carolina, 81-73
Mar. 11 -- Beat North Carolina St, 64-61
Mar. 12 -- Lost to No. 2 Duke, 81-68
(Opponents ranking reflects ranking on game day)
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Overall Record: 21-16 (.568)
1999--Second seed in South Region
Defeated Valparaiso in first round, 82-60
Defeated Creighton in first round, 75-63
Lost to St. John's in regional semifinal, 76-62
1998--Fourth seed in West Region
Defeated Utah State in first round, 82-68
Defeated Illinois in second round, 67-61
Lost to Arizona in regional semifinal, 87-79
1997--Fifth seed in Southeast Region
Lost to College of Charleston in first round, 75-66
1996--Seventh seed in West Region
Lost to Santa Clara in first round, 91-79
1995--Third seed in West Region
Defeated Gonzaga in first round, 87-63
Defeated Texas in second round, 82-68
Lost to Connecticut in regional semifinal, 99-89
1994--Tenth seed in Midwest Region
Defeated Saint Louis in first round, 74-66
Defeated Massachusetts in second round, 95-87
Lost to Michigan in regional semifinal, 78-71
1988--Seventh seed in Southeast Region
Defeated UC-Santa Barbara in first round, 92-82
Lost to Kentucky in second round, 90-81
1986--Fifth seed in West Region
Defeated Pepperdine in first round, 69-64
Lost to UNLV in second round, 70-64
1985--Fifth seed in Southeast Region
Defeated Miami of Ohio in first round, 69-68 (OT)
Defeated Navy in second round, 64-59
Lost to Villanova in regional semifinal, 46-43
1984--Third seed in Mideast Region
Defeated West Virginia in second round, 102-77
Lost to Illinois in regional semifinal, 72-70
1983--Eighth seed in Midwest Region
Defeated Tennessee-Chattanooga in first round, 52-51
Lost to Houston in second round, 60-50
1981--Sixth seed in Mideast Region
Defeated Tennessee-Chattanooga in first round, 81-69
Lost to Indiana in second round, 99-64
1980--Second seed in East Region
Defeated Tennessee in second round, 86-75
Lost to Georgetown in regional semifinal, 74-68
1975--Midwest Region
Defeated Creighton in first round, 83-79
Defeated Notre Dame in regional semifinal, 83-71
Lost to Louisville in regional final, 96-82
1973--East Region
Defeated Syracuse in regional semifinal, 91-75
Lost to Providence in regional final, 103-89
1958--East Region
Defeated Boston College in first round, 86-63
Lost to Temple in regional semifinal, 71-67
Defeated Manhattan for regional third place, 59-55
Record by Region:
In East: 4-3 (.571)
In South/Southeast: 5-4 (.556)
In Midwest: 5-3 (.625)
In West: 5-4 (.556)
In Mideast: 2-2 (.500)
Record by Seed:
As a 2nd seed: 3-2 (.600)
As a 3rd seed: 2-1 (.667)
As a 4th seed: 2-1 (.667)
As a 5th seed: 3-3 (.500)
As a 6th seed: 1-1 (.500)
As a 7th seed: 1-2 (.333)
As an 8th seed: 1-1 (.500)
As a 10th seed: 2-1 (.667)
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Watch a pre-tournament news conference of the Maryland Terrapins.
