SportsLine.com Report
March 18, 2000

Round 2: No Sweet 16 for Maryland this time

Going into the NCAA Tournament, conventional wisdom had Maryland's defense as being impenetrable. After all, the Terrapins had the best defense in the ACC this season.

So much for conventional wisdom. The Terps -- who were striving for their third consecutive Sweet 16 appearance -- were embarrassed in the second round, when UCLA shot 62.5 percent from the floor and handed the Terrapins a 105-70 loss in the Midwest Regional in Minneapolis.

The Bruins hit a school-record 14 3-pointers and never trailed. UCLA got out to a 14-2 lead and went into halftime on a 22-7 run that made the score 49-33.

If the Terrapins had any notions of getting back into the game, they were quashed when UCLA started the second half on a 16-2 run, making the score 76-41 after seven minutes, and the young Maryland squad would have to look toward the 2001 NCAA Tournament.

Sophomore center Lonny Baxter led the Terrapins with 22 points. Fellow sophomore Juan Dixon had 16, but it was on 6-of-18 shooting from the floor.

How They Got There

Maryland moved into the NCAAs after backing up its second-place regular season Atlantic Coast Conference performance with a strong showing in the league tournament.

The Terrapins recovered from an 0-3 league start to reel off a school-record nine consecutive league victories, including a 98-87 win at Duke that snapped the Blue Devils' 46-game regular season home winning streak. Maryland hovered in the second half of the Top 25 most of the season after knocking off Kentucky, Notre Dame, Illinois and Iowa during the early going.

Starting Lineup

• PG Steven Blake (6-3, 175, Fr.): Has far exceeded expectations as a first-year starter, breaking Maryland great John Lucas' freshman assist record. In addition to a solid assist-to-turnover ratio (nearly 2:1), Blake is a strong defender and capable shooter. Twice he outplayed heralded Duke freshman floor leader Jason Williams.
• SG Juan Dixon (6-3, 152, So.): From streaky freshman to sensational sophomore, he was the ACC's second leading scorer (18.0 ppg) and biggest surprise. A fine perimeter shooter, Dixon began to take the ball to the basket with authority. He also led the ACC in steals and was third on the team in rebounds. Dixon earned first-team All-ACC honors and was named to the All-Defensive team.
• SF Danny Miller (6-8, 205, So.): An all-around talent, he plays his complementary role to perfection. He is Maryland's top perimeter defender among small forwards and big guards, handles the ball against pressure and provides an occasional scoring boost.
• PF Terence Morris (6-9, 205, Jr.): While many expected him to put up monstrous numbers, he merely provided the Terps with a steady hand while deflecting the pressure of his young teammates. Morris averaged 15.7 points and 8.6 rebounds and was among the ACC leaders in scoring, rebounding, field-goal and free-throw percentage, blocked shots and steals.
• C Lonny Baxter (6-8, 260, So.): Thrust into a starting role as a freshman following Obinna Ekezie's season-ending injury, he gained experience that laid the foundation for his breakthrough first-team all-ACC campaign. A physical force, Baxter averages 15.7 points and 8.7 rebounds.

Keys to Success

A fine shooting team (.472), Maryland has been sharp inside and out since establishing Baxter as the primary focus in the post. With Baxter and, at times, Morris operating down low, Dixon, Blake and even Miller have contributed significantly with perimeter shooting.

As a team, the Terps are shooting .359 from beyond the arc.

Perhaps the biggest change, and the most effective, has been Williams' decision to abandon the full-court pressing style in favor of half-court sets. In addition to leading the ACC in field goal defense (.396), the Terps also pace the league in steals (326) and blocked shots (222).

The Coach

Success has followed Gary Williams at every stop -- American, Boston College, Ohio State and now at Maryland, his alma mater. In 22 seasons, Williams has compiled a 423-254 record, including a 216-126 mark in 11 seasons at College Park.

Maryland is making its seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament under Williams, who has resurrected a program that hadn't recovered from Len Bias' death and NCAA sanctions that followed coach Bob Wade's three-year stint.

The Terps have made four Sweet 16 appearances in the past six years and reached the ACC championship game for the first time since the Bias-led '84 club that won the crown.

The Bench

The Terps have received quality production from a trio of reserves throughout the season.

Freshman guard Drew Nicholas (5.1 ppg) has provided Dixon with quality rest time at the off-guard position and shown that he can be lethal from long range.

Fellow freshman Tahj Holden, an impressive physical specimen (6-10, 235), has stepped up big several times, including 17-point and 12-point performances in consecutive wins over Wake Forest and Clemson when the Terps were reeling.

Often overlooked is 7-foot junior Mike Mardesich, who provides little offense, but is a capable defender in the post and a solid passer.

Offense

Once a team that thrived solely on its transition game, Maryland has become a force in the halfcourt with the emergence of Baxter and the steady play of Blake at the point. ... The Terps average 77.2 points a game with an average margin of victory better than 10 points. ... Dixon, Morris and Baxter combine for 49 points a game, while Miller and Blake add 15. ... Maryland has scored more than 80 points in seven of its past 13 games.

Defense

Williams will still press on occasion, but Maryland has become far more sound defensively in the half court, leading the ACC in field-goal defense (.395). ... Active and aggressive, the Terps are solid on the boards, have blocked 222 shots, and come up with 326 steals. ... Only two opponents (Duke, North Carolina) have shot better than 50 percent.