AT A GLANCE
* How they got there: Defeated George Mason, 83-80, and Georgia State, 79-60, in the first two rounds of the West Regional at Boise, Idaho; defeated Georgetown, 76-66, in the regional semifinal and Stanford, 87-73, in the regional final at Anaheim.
* Leading tournament scorers: Lonny Baxter, 17.8 points a game; Juan Dixon, 16.5; Steve Blake, 8.5; Terence Morris, 8.2; Byron Mouton, 7.8.
* Leading tournament rebounders: Baxter, 10.0; Morris, 7.5; Dixon, 4.5; Mouton, 3.5; Danny Miller, 2.8.
* Key to the season: There was no lower point than a 74-71 home loss to lowly Florida State on Feb. 14. It was the Terrapins’ fourth loss in five games after a disastrous Jan. 27 home defeat by Duke, in which Maryland blew a 10-point lead with 54 seconds to play and lost in overtime. Instead of attacking his team after the Florida State loss, though, fiery Coach Gary Williams backed off and lightened up his notorious courtside demeanor. It worked. Since Florida State, Maryland is 10-1, the only loss a two-point defeat by Duke.
* Key fact: Although only 6 feet 7, center Lonny Baxter has shown an uncanny ability to make shots against taller opponents in this tournament. Baxter uses his muscular body to create space for his shots and he can handle the ball better than most people think. Baxter’s 71 points in the tournament are a Maryland record, eclipsing John Lucas’ old mark of 70 in three games during the 1975 tournament. Baxter also holds the school’s all-time rebounding record in the tournament with 76. Joe Smith had the old mark of 73.
LOG
MARYLAND (25-10)
Louisville-x: W, 95-73
Illinois-x: L, 90-80
Dayton-x: L, 77-71
at Wisconsin, OT: L, 78-75
at Michigan-y: W, 82-51
George Washington-y W, 71-63
Stony Brook: W, 107-59
at Penn: W, 87-81
UMBC: W, 93-67
Norfolk St.: W, 123-79
Chicago St.: W, 117-55
Md.-Eastern Shore: W, 105-53
at Clemson: W, 104-92
Georgia Tech: W, 93-80
North Carolina: L, 86-83
at Florida St.: W, 83-55
Wake Forest: W, 81-71
at N.C. State: W, 75-61
Duke, OT: L, 98-96, OT
at Virginia: L, 99-78
Clemson: W, 69-54
at Georgia Tech: L, 72-62
at North Carolina: L, 96-82
Florida St.: L, 74-71
at Wake Forest: W, 73-57
N.C. State: W, 95-66
Oklahoma: W, 68-60
at Duke: W, 91-80
Virginia: W, 102-67
Wake Forest-z: W, 71-53
Duke-z: L, 84-82
*
NCAA Tournament
George Mason: W, 83-80
Georgia St.: W, 79-60
Georgetown: W, 76-66
Stanford: W, 87-73
x-Maui Invitational; y-BB&T; Classic; z-Atlantic Coast Conference tournament
