WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Preview: #5 Maryland vs. # 12 Miami

By BARRY JACOBS

Mar 8, 2007

Raleigh, N.C. — Remarkably, last-place Miami won its only meeting with Maryland this season, and at College Park to boot. But that was two months ago. Don’t expect a similar result this time.

The Terrapins are the ACC’s hottest club, steaming into the tournament on a seven-game winning streak. “Momentum is everything in this league,” Clemson’s Purnell noted. That said, if any team in the field is capable of winning four games in four days – an unlikely feat achieved just last week by Elizabeth City State in the CIAA tournament – it is Maryland.

The athletic Terps use eight players. They have an excellent combination of experience, with four upperclass starters, and youth, led by daring freshman playmaker Greivis Vasquez (144 assists, fifth in the ACC).

Senior guard Darryl (D.J.) Strawberry, always a strong defender, has emerged as a leader and scorer, pacing the team with 15.2 points. Senior Mike Jones, a 43.4 percent shooter from 3-point range, is especially dangerous if he hits a few jumpers early, as he showed in scoring 25 points at Duke last week.

An adept passing unit, even in halfcourt, the Terps thrive in open-court situations. Defensively, they’re best in the league at suppressing opponents’ field goal and 3-point accuracy, keyed by rejecting nearly seven shots per game, also tops in the ACC. Senior center Ekene Ibekwe leads the ACC in blocks, and is fourth in rebound average.

In short, this has emerged as Gary Williams’ best team since 2002, when Maryland won the NCAA title.

“We’re jelling a little bit,” admits Williams, whom many critics had written off as a sated has-been.

Miami, meanwhile, was picked to finish near the bottom of the ACC, then lost most of its best frontcourt players to injury. For the third straight year, the Canes were forced to rely heavily on a perimeter attack, to inadequate effect. Led by guards Jack McClinton (16.8 points, ninth in the ACC), Anthony Harris and Denis Clemente, Miami has not won two games in a row since early December.

But the Canes fight on, losing their two most recent games in overtime against Clemson and FSU. “These guys have not quit,” coach Frank Haith said with pride.

Haith hopes for a repeat of last year, when No.5 Florida State came out flat and was upset by 12th-seed Wake Forest.

It’s always possible Maryland will be caught looking ahead to a quarterfinal matchup with Boston College, powered by forward Jared Dudley and fleet playmaker Tyrese Rice. The Eagles are fluttering badly, losing four of their last five games. They won the only meeting with the Terps this season at Boston on Dec. 10, so there’s a revenge factor too, if you believe in that stuff.

But this remains the most predictable opening-round game, with mature Maryland pushing ahead.