Friday, Oct. 12 Maryland is a serious threat to win the national championship. The Terps' heart and soul is Juan Dixon, who is as mentally tough as any player in the nation and has the ability to lead the ACC in scoring. Lonny Baxter, Steve Blake and Byron Mouton are capable and experienced, but Tahj Holden and Chris Wilcox must step forward to give Maryland more balanced strength up front to rebound and defend with anyone. While outsiders will undoubtedly focus on the games with Duke, dispensing psychoanalytic babble about the results, the Terps need concentrate only on getting better as the season progresses. Maryland can finish second in the ACC and still win it all.

2
Maryland
LAST SEASON: 25-11
2001 FINAL RANKING
ESPN/USA Today: No. 4

Why No. 2?
Maryland was one of the few teams that pushed Duke each time they met in 2000-01. The Terps had the Blue Devils beaten at home but blew the game late. They took care of them in Cameron Indoor Stadium, and had legitimate shots to win in the ACC tournament title game and during the Final Four national semifinals. This season, the Terps lose three contributing seniors, including Terence Morris, but the team's core returns, enough so that they are still the closest team to Duke to start the season. The Terps also have the intense desire to beat Duke, something that other teams like Kentucky, Florida, Kansas, UCLA or Illinois might not share. Duke becomes their No. 1 target. Maryland's Steve Blake and Juan Dixon are equal to the challenge of taking on Jason Williams and Chris Duhon. Blake did one of the better defensive jobs in the ACC, especially against Duke. He's cocky but doesn't play outside his limitations. Dixon is one of the best shooting guards in the nation and can create his own shot. Maryland lost Danny Miller when he transferred to Notre Dame, but his playing time likely would have continued to get cut with the more athletic Byron Mouton getting touches. Mouton must pick up his scoring and needs to be a bit quicker defensively, but he can be a tough matchup himself. The trio of options inside -- Lonny Baxter, Tahj Holden and Chris Wilcox -- give the Terps a deeper frontcourt than Duke. Baxter is a house inside and a constant threat to score. He has improved his range and can rotate with Holden in the lane. Holden didn't get a chance to play in China with Baxter this summer because of a nagging foot injury, but he shouldn't be hampered to start the season. Wilcox hasn't even scratched the surface of his potential. He can come off the bench and become a tough matchup for an opponent. Gary Williams got to the Final Four for the first time last season and doesn't have to deal with that self-imposed (and media) pressure. Maryland is still second fiddle to Duke in the ACC and nationally, but that could make this team angry enough to take both the the ACC and the national title away from a team that has become its most heated rival.

Will Rise If ...
The Terps can continue to improve their defense. Maryland is going to score in bunches -- from the perimeter, inside and on drives to the basket. They'll get fouled and get plenty of trips to the line for their big men. But they've got to contain more of the opponent's drives to the basket and especially the 3-pointer. Do that and Maryland has a legit shot to win the title.

Will Fall If ...
They get easily frustrated in the big game -- like last season. Maryland got tight at times against Duke. But they got through a brutal stretch of losses in the middle of the season and are emotionally tough as a whole. But they've got to work through those droughts in big games. If they can, they shouldn't have a problem competing with Duke or anyone else down to the final buzzer.

-- Andy Katz, ESPN.com

SCOUTING REPORT: One ACC coach's take on the Terrapins

“

They've got the best depth in the conference, in terms of experience depth. You must find a way to get them out of sync. Some nights it's making them play quick. Sometimes they're not as comfortable playing sped up at a high speed, even though they score a lot of points. You've got to get Steve Blake to play out of control and out of his pace. Maryland doesn't want to play a fast pace for 40 minutes. ”

2001-02 MARYLAND ROSTER
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Key 2000-01 Stats
(4) Earl Badu	Sr.	G	6-0/160	PTS: 0.0 | REB: 0.0 | AST: 0.5
(35) Lonny Baxter	Sr.	F/C	6-8/260	PTS: 15.6 | REB: 7.9 | FG%: 56.6
(25) Steve Blake	Jr.	G	6-3/160	PTS: 6.9 | AST: 6.9 | 3PT%: 39.4
(10) Andre Collins	Fr.	G	5-9/180	Possible backup point provides a speedy contrast to Blake
(3) Juan Dixon	Sr.	G	6-3/164	PTS: 18.2 | REB: 4.3 | 3PT%: 41.1
(21) Mike Grinnon	Fr.	F	6-6/195	Good shooter who may spell athletic Mouton; another good contrast in style
(45) Tahj Holden	Jr.	F	6-10/247	PTS: 4.5 | REB: 2.3 | FG%: 49.4
(5) Calvin McCall	Jr.	G	6-3/220	PTS: 1.2 | REB: 0.6 | FG%: 30.8
(1) Byron Mouton	Sr.	G/F	6-6/215	PTS: 9.6 | REB: 4.0 | 3PT%: 40.5
(12) Drew Nicholas	Jr.	G	6-3/160	PTS: 6.6 | REB: 1.6 | AST: 2.4
(33) Ryan Randle	Jr.	F/C	6-9/245	JUCO transfer from Allegany CC should find his way into frontcourt rotation
(40) Matt Slaninka	Fr.	C	7-4/257	They don't get much longer than this redshirted DeMatha High product
(54) Chris Wilcox	So.	F/C	6-10/220	PTS: 3.6 | REB: 2.1 | FG%: 58.0
Head Coach: Gary Williams (242-139, 12 years; Overall: 449-267, 23 years) Assistant Coaches: Dave Dickerson, Jimmy Patsos, Matt Kovarik Home Court: Cole Field House (14,500); College Park, Md.

2001-02 MARYLAND SCHEDULE

November 8: Arizona (a) 9: Temple/Florida (b) 17: American 24: Delaware St. 27: Illinois (c)

December 2: Princeton (d) 3: GW/UConn (e) 9: Detroit 11: Monmouth 21: at Oklahoma 27: William & Mary 30: at N.C. State

January 3: Norfolk St. 9: North Carolina 13: at Ga. Tech 17: at Duke 20: Clemson 23: at Wake Forest 26: Florida St. 31: at Virginia

February 3: N.C. State 10: at N. Carolina 13: Ga. Tech 17: Duke 20: at Clemson 24: Wake Forest 27: at Fla State

March 3: Virginia 7: ACC Tournament