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Sunday, April 1
Maryland relishes its finest season
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) _ Maryland will remember this season for where
it ended, not how.
Playing in the Final Four for the first time, Maryland blew a
22-point lead against Duke in a 95-84 defeat. Although disappointed
at falling short of winning the NCAA championship, the Terrapins
took consolation in coming closer than any team in school history.
"Hopefully, this will get the Maryland name out there,"
forward Tahj Holden said. "They had us in the top five this year,
but a lot of people didn't think we should be there. You see Duke,
North Carolina and Michigan shirts out there. Maybe we'll get some
of that."
Playing in front of 45,406 at the Metrodome and a national TV
audience provided good exposure for a program that used to be known
primarily for its shortcomings.
"Having been here for 12 years and having watched closely as a
graduate, hopefully this season shows people that we also have a
model program, a program that can be emulated by other schools,"
coach Gary Williams said.
Before this season, many associated Maryland basketball with the
cocaine-induced death of Len Bias in 1986 and the team's annual
early exit from the NCAA tournament. A 35-point loss to UCLA and
first-round losses to the College of Charleston and Santa Clara
were among the most memorable defeats.
The loss to Duke on Saturday night won't make that list because
the Terrapins already exceeded expectations long before they walked
onto the court.
Rebounding from a midseason slump that included the first of
three losses to Duke and a humbling home defeat against lowly
Florida State, Maryland (25-11) ultimately cut down the nets after
beating Stanford for the West Regional title.
"People counted us out a long time ago, when we went on our
cold streak losing five out of six," guard Juan Dixon said. "But
we accomplished a lot for this program. We got to the Final Four,
when people didn't give us a chance to get here."
Bias, Tom McMillen, John Lucas, Joe Smith, Buck Williams, Len
Elmore and Walt Williams all played for Maryland. None of them
advanced as far in the NCAA tournament as this team.
"It's just really a great accomplishment, knowing we're the
only team," center Lonny Baxter said. "All those great players
who have gone through Maryland. ... We wanted to win the national
championship, but at the same time we're very proud of ourselves
and what we did this year."
Baxter and Dixon and will try next season to get the Terrapins
back to the Final Four. Maryland loses three players -- Terence
Morris, reserve center Mike Mardesich and seldom-used LaRon Cephas.
That means larger roles for Holden and center-forward Chris Wilcox,
who showed flashes of talent as a freshman this season.
The Terrapins should again be good enough to make the NCAA
tournament for a ninth straight year. How far they go is no longer
inevitable.
"The guys are going to stay strong and get better," Dixon
said. "We have the spring, summer and the fall to get better with
a lot of the same guys. There's no reason, with hard work, that we
can't get back here."
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