North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Welcomes #12 Maryland to ESA
1/19/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Tony Haynes
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Just call the ACC the conference of opportunity. NC State, a team in search of a big win over one of the nation's elite men's basketball teams, will get yet another chance to prove itself against the big boys when it hosts 12th ranked Maryland on Sunday afternoon at the Entertainment and Sports Arena. Tip time is 3:30 p.m.
As it proved in close defeats to Virginia and Duke, the Wolfpack (9-6, 1-3) is capable of hanging with just about any team in the country. The next step is to get over the hump and win one of these games.
Ironically, Maryland (13-4, 4-1) provided a model of hope for the Pack after it had dropped its first three ACC games. Coaches and players were quick to point out that the Terrapins finished in second place last year after getting off to an 0-3 start. Now in the win column following a confidence building 72-60 victory over Georgia Tech earlier this week, NC State wants more. But the talented Terps will give the Pack all it wants.
Led by the triumvirate of guard Juan Dixon (19.4 ppg.), forward Terence Morris (13.8 ppg, 7.2 rb.) and center Lonny Baxter (17.1 ppg, 7.4 rb.), Maryland features one of the most versatile and explosive starting lineups in college basketball.
"They're clearly one of the best teams in the country," said Wolfpack head coach Herb Sendek. "They have experience, they're well rounded and they have inside-outside play. They're really good."
Prior to last season, it was the 6-9 Morris who was being touted as a national player of the year candidate, yet it was Baxter and Dixon who were first team All-ACC selections while Morris was relegated to second team status.
Terps coach Gary Williams has added yet another weapon in the person of Byron Mouton, who sat out last season after transferring from Tulane. The 6-6 junior, who was heavily recruited by NC State out of high school, is averaging 11.9 points per game.
"He's a really good player," Sendek said. "We recruited him as hard as anybody. He's a big strong perimeter player who can score inside and out. He's strong and he's tough."
Rounding out Maryland's starting lineup is ACC assists leader Steve Blake.
The three games played between these two clubs last season were both spirited and competitive. Justin Gainey's short jumper with just 1.3 seconds remaining gave the Wolfpack a 68-66 win over the Terps in the first ever ACC game at the ESA. One month later in College Park, the Pack suffered the most devastating and defining defeat of its season when Maryland scored the game's final 10 points in route to a 78-73 victory. It was a loss from which NC State would never recover. The Wolfpack would go on to drop six consecutive games, thus costing itself a chance to go to the NCAA Tournament.
The most memorable moment from that crushing defeat came with 2:44 remaining and the Pack up by five. Damon Thornton and Damien Wilkins rushed down the floor on a two-on-one fast break. After catching the ball on the left wing, Thornton swooped in and threw down a dramatic dunk as he made contact with Baxter underneath the basket. The dunk was disallowed because of a charging call. Thornton then compounded matters by picking up a technical foul for slamming the ball on the floor.
"Sometimes our emotions get the best of us," Thornton said this week. "In that situation, I felt like I cost my teammates the game. I definitely don't want to do that again. I learned a lot about controlling yourself and keeping your composure."
When NC State and Maryland met in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament last March, Thornton missed the game with a sprained ankle. But that didn't prevent the Wolfpack from pushing the Terps right to the limit once again. And just as it had done at Cole Field House, the Pack saw a late lead disappear. Baxter spearheaded a late second half rally as the Terrapins prevailed 64-61.
Baxter seemed to be at his best in games against NC State. Virtually unstoppable in the low post, he scored 31 points in the February game at Cole.
"He hurts a lot of people, not just us," Thornton said. "He really moves well without the ball and when they get it to him, he goes straight to the basket. He's a good player."
When they clash on Sunday, NC State and Maryland will be meeting for the 127th time. The Wolfpack has won just four of the last 21 games in the series, dating back to the 1991-92 campaign.
