SOUTH REGION NOTE BOOK
SAN ANTONIO – Until they lose, the Terrapins have what the other 15 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament want, and don’t think Maryland is going to give up what it owns without a fight.
The Terps (21-9), the defending champions, are the No. 6 seed in the South Regional and tonight face No. 7 Michigan State (21-12) at the Alamodome.
“We’re the defending national champions, until someone beats us in the tournament we’re going to feel that way,” said Drew Nicholas, a senior guard from Hempstead, L.I. “We’re kind of playing with a kind of chip on our shoulder, like the title is still ours.”
Why not? Nicholas, Steve Blake, Ryan Randle and Tahj Holden are all seniors who contributed during last year’s title run, and that experience could be a factor for the Terps.
“We have a whole new cast of players, but we all want it just as bad as last year,” Blake said. “We want to prove just how good we are. A lot of people counted us out because of the players we lost.”
Gone to the NBA are Juan Dixon, Lonnie Baxter and Chris Wilcox. Maryland was nearly gone in the very first round and needed a buzzer-beating jumper by Nicholas to edge North Carolina-Wilmington 75-73.
Michigan State, which ousted fourth-seeded Florida to get here, knows all about losing players. Since advancing to three straight Final Fours (and winning the national championship two years ago), the Spartans have seen seven seniors leave and three underclassmen opt for the NBA.
“If we can get through this week there’s no question it would be the most rewarding Final Four for us,” Spartans coach Tom Izzo said.
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Is this fair? Texas not only gets to play in its home state, but only one hour away from its campus in Austin. It is expected to be a highly pro-Longhorns crowd tonight against UConn.
“We get Texas, we get them in this neutral site, which I think is really fair,” deadpanned Huskies coach Jim Calhoun. “The only thing I didn’t like is [Texas coach Rick Barnes] having the kids stay in the dormitory and commuting.”
Barnes attempted to downplay the advantage. “This team has never played in the Alamodome,” Barnes said.
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An upset victory tonight would be a memorable achievement for Calhoun, who is seeking his 400th victory at Connecticut. He is 399-158 in his 17 years at Storrs.
As a high school senior, UConn’s Emeka Okafor lost the Texas state championship to the team led by Longhorns star T.J. Ford. Both are from Houston.
“I guess this is my chance to get back at him,” Okafor said.
