As soon as Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news, I knew what the response was going to be.

“He’s not ready.”

“He’s soft.”

“See you in the D-League.”

“Maybe he should have asked Jordan Williams for some advice.”

What Wojnarowski reported is what we all expected was coming since the Maryland Terrapins lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NIT semifinals two weeks ago. Center Alex Len will forgo his final two years of eligibility and enter the NBA Draft. Wojnarowski noted Len will hold a press conference later in the week in College Park to make the news official.

In fairness, the news has been “official” roughly since the Terrapins tipped off against Kentucky at the Barclays Center this past November. On that night, Len went off for 23 points and 12 rebounds while working to hold Wildcats freshman phenom Nerlens Noel to just four points.

That Nerlens Noel is still expected by many to be the #1 pick in the NBA Draft despite the fact that there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to return from a torn ACL in time to start the 2013-2014 season.

If you shut down a guy that is thought to be the #1 pick despite a torn ACL, you’re probably going to be in pretty damn good shape to end up a top pick yourself. But if Alex Len’s uneven play for most of the 2012-2013 season left anyone questioning where his stock sat, he addressed that swiftly just after Valentine’s Day.

On February 16, Len went toe-to-toe with another expected NBA Lottery pick. In his showdown with Duke’s Mason Plumlee, the Terps’ big man scored 19 points and pulled down nine rebounds while limiting the Blue Devils’ first team All-ACC center to just four points and three rebounds.

Fans who rushed the floor after Maryland’s win that night at Comcast Center might as well have asked the Ukranian big man if they could borrow money from him this summer. A scout in attendance that night told me that while he wasn’t completely sold on Len’s game, he knew the soon-to-be former Terp wouldn’t be falling out of the Top 10 in the Draft.

I never sensed that Maryland fans were particularly hopeful that Len would decide to pass on money in favor of another year’s worth of seasoning, so I was understanding of why the reaction wasn’t particularly disappointing Sunday night.

I also understand many of the responses about Len’s “readiness” to make the jump to the NBA. I saw the same player who lacked the physical toughness to use his over seven foot frame to go right at defenders on many occasions. I saw the same guy that appeared a little too willing to settle for jump shots in post-up situations. I saw the same guy that looked like he might have the talent to be an All-American but who instead seemed to forget when games were scheduled to tip-off in ACC play.

I question Alex Len’s “readiness” about as much as the rest of you, but I understand why scouts believe he’s capable of still making improvements at the next level.

Inexplicably, Maryland’s win over Duke provided a bit of a blueprint for what scouts see in Len as a pro. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is as stubborn as he is successful, choosing to keep Plumlee (and a couple others) matched up one on one with Len instead of doubling him. At the next level, Len will be more likely to see similar styles of defense, especially considering the longer three point line and greater amount of available space on the floor for offensive players to use.

Combine that with the fact that Len proved himself to be a strong defender and capable rebounder and it’s much more easy to understand why NBA types believe Len’s collegiate production might not be indicative of what he has to offer at the pro level.

Moreover, I’m a bit troubled by how dismissive Maryland fans have been about Len’s departure. Len’s 12 points and eight rebound averages don’t seem particularly significant until you remember Maryland averaged just over 60 points per game as a team during ACC regular season play. For all of Len’s struggles, he equated to about a fifth of their overall offense and did much more defensively.

Maryland also loses Senior big man James Padgett this offseason, meaning they will return with sophomores-to-be Charles Mitchell and Shaquille Cleare up front to combine with incoming Michigan transfer Evan Smotrycz and incoming freshman Damonte Dodd. The inexperienced group will be expected to carry the load, but more importantly wings Dez Wells and Nick Faust will be needed to carry the offensive load with more consistency.

The loss of Alex Len may by no means be damning to the Terps’ chances of reaching their first NCAA Tournament since 2010, but dismissing the significance is can only be an attempt to justify the acceptance in a fan’s own mind. Maryland is not only not even remotely better without Alex Len, they are most certainly a worse team today than they were when they fell to the Hawkeyes at Madison Square Garden.

So fare the well, Alex Len. I’ll always be thankful for this.

And also very much so for this.

-G

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Junior Alyssa Thomas and senior Tianna Hawkins of the Maryland women’s basketball team were named to the Associated Press All-America Team Tuesday. Thomas was named to the Second Team and is honored for the second straight year. Hawkins earned All-America Honorable Mention honors.

Thomas, who was named ACC Player of the Year for the second straight season, averaged 18.8 points per game, 10.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists on the season. She is the only player in the country to rank in the top 50 of all three stats. She led the ACC in all three and recorded two triple-doubles this year.

Thomas is also the first Terrapin to be named ACC Player of the Year twice and the first – male or female – to notch two triple-doubles.

Thomas was named to the AP First Team last year. She is the fourth Terrapin to earn AP All-America honors, behind Crystal Langhorne, Kristi Toliver and Marissa Coleman. Langhorne was honored three times (2006, 2007, 2008), Toliver was honored twice (2008, 2009) and Coleman once (2009).

Hawkins, a First Team All-ACC honoree, ended her career No. 11 on Maryland’s all-time scoring list with 1,595 points and No. 3 in rebounds with 1,086. She is the third Terrapin in history to break 1,000 rebounds, behind only Langhorne and Coleman. She scored in double figures in 31 of 34 games this season and notched 17 double-doubles. She was No. 2 in the ACC in scoring (18.0) and rebounding (9.7).

In Saturday’s Sweet Sixteen matchup, the fourth-seeded Terrapins hung with top-seeded Connecticut early, but a spurt to start the second half put the Huskies in front to advance to the Elite Eight, 76-50.

Thomas finished the season with 640 points, 349 rebounds and 181 assists. She is the only Terrapin to hit 600 points, 300 rebounds and 150 assists in a season. Coleman notched 653 points, 309 rebounds and 120 assists in the 2008-09 season.

The Terrapins went 26-8 on the year, finished second in the ACC and advanced to their fifth Sweet Sixteen in head coach Brenda Frese’s 11 years.

Frese has led the Terrapins to nine NCAA Tournament appearances four Elite Eights, a Final Four and the 2006 NCAA Championship. She’s 21-8 (.724) with Maryland in the Tournament.

Frese was named WBCA Regional Coach of the Year earlier this week and Thomas was named a finalist for the prestigious State Farm Wade Trophy. Frese is one of eight Regional Coaches of the Year and is a finalist for WBCA National Coach of the Year.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 2 Maryland men’s lacrosse team (6-1, 1-1 ACC) wraps up its conference slate when it plays at No. 15 Virginia (5-4, 0-0 ACC) on Saturday, March 30 at 2 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium.

• The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU with Eamon McAnaney handling the play-by-play duties, while Quint Kessenich and Paul Carcaterra will provide the analysis.

• Maryland is coming off its first loss of the season, a 10-8 defeat to No. 7 North Carolina last Saturday in College Park. Senior attackmen Kevin Cooper and Owen Blye led the Terps with three points on two goals and an assist apiece. Senior midfielder Jake Bernhardt also chipped in two goals. Junior goalie Niko Amato made 11 saves in defeat with junior defender Michael Ehrhardt leading the defense with six groundballs and three caused turnovers.

• For the season, Cooper leads the Terps in points, goals and assists with 26, 14 and 12, respectively. Five other Terps have scored double-digit goals. Blye, Bernhardt and sophomoreJay Carlson each have 12, while senior John Haus and junior Mike Chanenchuk have 10 each. Defensively, Amato has stopped 58.7 percent of the shots put on goal by opponents and has a 7.10 goals-against average, both of which leads the ACC. Sophomore faceoff man Charlie Raffa leads the team with 47 groundballs, while senior long pole Jesse Bernhardt leads the team with 12 caused turnovers.

• The Cavaliers are coming off of a 15-8 loss to Johns Hopkins at the Face-Off Classic in Baltimore last Saturday. Virginia started the season out on a tear with four straight wins and was averaging 15.5 goals per game in those four contests. Since the calendar flipped to March the Cavaliers have won only once in their past five games and averaged just 9.8 goals per game in the past five. The Cavaliers’ offense is led by its attack of Nick O’Reilly, Mark Cockerton and Owen Van Arsdale. That trio has combined for 50 goals and 36 assists for 86 points. Sophomore goalie Rhody Heller has started three of the past four games, including the past two and made 13 saves in the loss to the Blue Jays.

The Count Down
10 … Since 2002 Maryland has won 99 of the 108 games in which the Terps have scored 10 or more goals for a .917 winning percentage.
9 … Maryland is 115-25 in games since 2002 when it allows nine goals or less, for an .821 winning percentage.
8 … The Terps are ranked among the top five in eight team statistical categories by the NCAA.
7 … Maryland has eight played who have started all seven games this season.
6 … Maryland has shot 30% or higher in all six victories in 2013.
5 … Niko Amato is ranked fifth in the NCAA with a 7.10 goals-against average.
4 … John Haus had four goals vs. the Cavaliers the last time Maryland played Virginia in Charlottesville.
3 … Only three current Terps (Jake Bernhardt, Owen Blye and John Haus) have scored multiple career goals vs. Virginia.
2 … This is the second of four games the Terps are scheduled to play on ESPNU this season.
1 … Only one current Terp - Jake Bernhardt - played in the seven-overtime game vs. Virginia at Klöckner Stadium in 2009.

Coaching Match-Up
• John Tillman is in his sixth season as a head coach, and third with the Terps, with a 51-31 career record for a 62.2 winning percentage. Tillman is 31-12 (.721) as Maryland’s head coach. He had a 20-19 record in three seasons as the head coach at Harvard.

• Dom Starsia, who is in his 31st season as a head coach, has won 73.3 percent of his games at Brown and Virginia (346-126 overall record).

Series History vs. Virginia
• The Maryland-Virginia rivalry is the third-longest in Terrapin lacrosse history with Maryland holding a 45-43 (.511) advantage, dating to the first game — a Terps’ 10-1 victory on April 24, 1926. The 45 wins are the third-highest number of victories Maryland has against any team. The Terps have defeated Duke 60 times and Navy 52 times.

• Last season saw No. 2 Virginia hold off the No. 9 Terrapins, 12-8, in College Park. Joe Cummings had three points on two goals and an assist to lead Maryland, but it wasn’t enough as Steele Stanwick had three goals and five assists for the Wahoos.

• Virginia and Maryland met in an all-ACC NCAA title game in 2011 with the Wahoos winning the championship, 9-7. Grant Catalino and John Haus led the Terps with three points apiece. Niko Amato made eight saves in the game.

• In the 2011 regular season, the Cavaliers hosted the Terps in UVa’s Scott Stadium prior to the annual Orange/Blue Spring Football game. A crowd of 10,545 came out and saw Maryland defeate Virginia, 12-7. Ryan Young led all scorers with six points in the win on two goals and four assists, while Joe Cummings and John Haus each scored four goals for the Terps.Niko Amato proved once again that he plays his best on a big stage with a 12-save effort.

• The two teams met again in the championship game of the 2010 ACC Tournament and again it was the Cavaliers coming out on top, 10-6. Maryland couldn’t solve Virginia goalie Adam Ghitelman, who was named the Tournament MVP after making 16 saves vs. the Terps. Grant Catalino led Maryland on offense with a goal and an assist, while Max Schmidt had two groundballs and three caused turnovers to pace the defensive effort.

• The meeting in the 2010 regular season had a silimar theme to the previous two games between Maryland and Virginia – controversy. The Wahoos raced out to a 6-0 lead in the first quarter and held a 10-5 lead early in the fourth. But Maryland rallied to score four unanswered goals in the fourth to cut the deficit to one. The game appeared to be tied when Ryan Youngbatted a loose ball into the Cavalier goal with 2:00 left in the game. But, the goal was waved off when the cross-field official whistled Young for being in the crease. The controversy came when TV replays of the play failed to show Young step in the crease conclusively. Virginia went up 11-9 on the transition following the call. Will Yeatman, who led Maryland with four goals and an assist in the game, scored with less than a minute to go to cut the lead to 11-10, but the Terps couldn’t get the tying goal before the clock expired. Brian Phipps was terrific in net for the Terps, stopping 16 Wahoo shots.

• In 2009 it took seven overtimes (the longest Division I men’s lacrosse game in history) for Virginia to eek out a 10-9 victory in Charlottesville. The win was not without controversy as an official’s inadvertant whistle wiped off a goal by Grant Catalino just nine seconds into the first overtime. Will Yeatman was a dominant force in the game, accounting for two goals and three assists. Brian Phipps was spectacular in cage, stopping 11 Wahoo shots.

• The two teams played three times in 2008. In the regular-season game the then-No. 4 Terps knocked off the newly minted No. 1 Cavaliers, 13-7, at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. Freshman Travis Reed had a breakout performance, scoring a hat trick, assisting on two other goals and grabbing three groundballs. Not to be outdone, goalie Jason Carter made a career-best 15 saves to help seal the victory for the Terrapins.

• The two teams then hooked-up in the 2008 ACC tournament for the fifth straight season and the Cavaliers prevailed with an 11-8 win on their home field in Charlottesville. Grant Catalino led the Terps with three points on a pair of goals and an assist.

• The Wahoos also took the rubber match, a controversial 8-7 overtime thriller in the NCAA Quarterfinals in Annapolis. Early in the fourth quarter, with the Maryland holding a 7-6 lead, Travis Reed appeared to give Maryland a two-goal cushion, but a Cavalier defender pushed Ryan Young into the crease before the goal, nullifying the score. The Cavaliers went on to tie the game in regulation before scoring the game-winner with just 34 seconds left in the first overtime period.

• These two teams locked up in a classic in the semifinals of the 2007 ACC tournament. Maryland jumped out to a 4-1 lead, but the Cavaliers rallied to take a four-goal lead at 10-6 in the fourth quarter. That’s when Maryland stormed back, but the comeback fell short and Virginia was able to hold on for an 11-10 win. Dan Groot led Maryland with five points on four goals and an assist.

• In 2007′s regular season meeting, the second-ranked Cavaliers defeated the No. 8 Terps 12-8 in Charlottesville. Wahoo attackman Ben Rubeor scored five goals to pace Virginia, while Max Ritz (3-0) and Michael Phipps (1-2) each had three points for the Terps.

• On April 1, 2006, the No. 1 Cavaliers jumped out early, scoring just 15 seconds into the game, and never looked back, handing Maryland a 15-5 loss at Byrd Stadium. The Ritz brothers, Max and Xander, each scored two goals with Max also picking up a pair of assists. Bill McGlone scored the other goal for the Terps.

• The two schools hooked up again in the ACC title game and again it was Virginia taking the game, this time by an 11-5 margin. Brendan Healy and Bill McGlone each had three points in the loss.

• The 2005 regular season game was tough for the fourth-ranked Terps as they were handed a 10-2 loss at No. 3 Virginia on April 2. The Cavaliers held Maryland scoreless until the 4:51 mark of the third quarter when Joe Walters scored. It was the first time Maryland had been held without a goal in a half since a 7-2 loss at Virginia in 2001.

• Things were a little different in the rematch on April 29, 2005 in the ACC Semifinals. Brendan Healy gave Maryland a 1-0 lead in the first, but the ‘Hoos scored three unanswered to take a 3-1 lead. But the Terps stormed back with a 3-0 run of their own on goals from Max Ritz, Healy and Xander Ritz to take a 4-3 lead into the half. The Cavaliers took a 7-5 lead into the fourth quarter, but Andrew Schwartzman and Bill McGlone scored the final to goals in regulation to send the game into sudden death. In the overtime period, freshman Max Ritz proved to be the hero for Maryland, but putting back a rebound off of a Mcglone shot to sent the Terps into the ACC finals with an 8-7 win.

• Maryland has won three of six meetings in the NCAA Tournament. The Terps topped the Cavaliers in a pair of first round games in 1978 and 1983 and won a 1997 quarterfinal game, 10-9, played at Byrd Stadium. In that last NCAA meeting, Virginia broke its three-game post-season losing streak to the Terps with a 14-4 win in the NCAA semifinals in Baltimore en route to the 2003 national championship. Virginia then took the 2008 quart erfinal game, 8-7, in overtime at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. The Cavaliers continues its winning streak over the Terps in the NCAA tournament with a 9-7 win in the 2011 NCAA title game.

The Stretch: Carolina, Virginia, Navy, Hopkins
• Since 1978 Maryland’s schedule has been highlighted by a four-game stretch in the middle of its season: North Carolina, Virginia, Navy and Johns Hopkins. In the 36-year span only four times has the stretch been interrupted with another game added in between one of these traditional four (1981, 1997, 2001, 2003).

• Overall, Maryland is 64-77 (.454) since 1978 vs. those four teams during that time.

• The Terps have swept the four games only once – in 1987. Only twice (1981 & 1988) has Maryland lost all four games. Six times (1978, 1979, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001) the Terps have won three of the four games. Johns Hopkins broke up the Terps’ bid for a perfect stretch four times, while Carolina and Virginia broke it up one time each.

Get To 10 And Win
• One axiom of lacrosse is that if you score 10 goals or more your chances of winning are pretty good. Well, a look at the results since 2002 shows that when Maryland scores 10 or more goals there’s not just a pretty good chance the Terrapins will win; it’s an almost certainty. Since 2002 Maryland has won 99 of the 108 games in which the Terps have scored 10 or more goals for a .917 winning percentage.

• Maryland scored 10, but fell at North Carolina, 11-10, on March 24, 2012 and again came out on the losing end, despite scoring 11 in a 13-11 loss at Colgate on May 5, 2012. The Terps scored 11 vs. Johns Hopkins on April 16, 2011, but the Blue Jays won the game in overtime, 12-11. On April 3 of last season the Terps lost to No. 1 Virginia by a final of 11-10, giving Maryland its only loss when scoring 10 or more goals in 2010. In 2009 the Terps lost to Georgetown, 13-10 on Feb. 21 and lost again when scoring 10 in the ACC Semifinals in a 16-10 defeat at North Carolina. Prior to that, Maryland had not lost when scoring 10 or more goals since dropping an 11-10 decision to Virginia in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament in Durham, N.C. The Terrapins got to 10 goals in the 100th game against Johns Hopkins, but the Blue Jays took the game 14-10. Virginia is the only team to beat the Terps twice when allowing 10 or more goals. The Wahoos did it first in 2002 with another 11-10 decision.

Holding Opponents To Single-Digits
• The Terps have been extremely impressive (winning 91.7 percent of its games since 2002) when it scores 10 or more goals, they have been nearly as impressive when holding opponents to less than 10 goals during that span.

• Since 2002 Maryland is 115-25 in games, for a .821 winning percentage, when it has held opponents under 10 goals. The Terps have played 186 total games since 2002. Maryland has held opponents to nine goals or less 75.3 percent of the time.

Shooting Tells The Story
• The difference between winning and losing for Maryland this season is simple – when the Terps shoot well they win. As it turns out 30% is the magic number for the Terps this season. Maryland is 6-1 on the year and has shot 30% or better in its six victories and under that mark in its one defeat.

W- Mount St. Mary’s: 23 goals, 46 shots = 50.0%
W- at Hartford: 16 goals, 51 shots = 31.4%
W- at Loyola: 12 goals, 36 shots = 33.3%
W- at Duke: 16 goals, 29 shots = 55.2%
W- Stony Brook: 13 goals, 30 shots = 43.3%
W- at Villanova: 10 goals, 26 shots = 38.5%
L- North Carolina: 8 goals, 37 shots = 21.6%

• Since 2005 the Terps are a remarkable 61-4 (.938) when shooting 30% or better in a game. The only four losses were: 13-10 to Georgetown in 2009 (the Terps shot 10 of 30 for 33.3% vs. the Hoyas), 11-10 to No. 1 Virginia on April 3, 2010 (10 of 33 for 30.3%), 12-11 in overtime on April 16, 2011 to No. 3 Johns Hopkins (11 of 28 for 39.3%) and 13-11 at Colgate on May 5, 2012 (11 of 31 for 35.5%).

• If 30% is the benchmark, then 40% shooting is in a class all to itself and Maryland has shot 40% or better in 14 games since the start of the 2008 season. Out of those 14 games, Maryland shot 50% or better in four of them.

Three Terps Named To Tewaaraton Watch List
• Senior midfielders Jesse Bernhardt and John Haus are joined by junior goalie Niko Amato on the 2013 Tewaaraton Award Watch List. The Terrapin trio are three of 92 selections on the Watch List.

• The Tewaaraton Award annually honors the top male and top female college lacrosse player in the United States. The selection committees are made up of top collegiate coaches and are appointed annually by The Tewaaraton Foundation. Committees will make additions to these lists as the season progresses and athletes earn a spot along side these elite players. The lists will be narrowed to 25 men’s and women’s nominees in late April. In mid-May, five men’s and five women’s finalists will be announced. These finalists will be invited to Washington, D.C. for the 13th annual Tewaaraton Award Ceremony, May 30 at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 1 Maryland men’s lacrosse team (6-0) plays host to No. 14 North Carolina (4-3) in a critical Atlantic Coast Conference game on Saturday, March 23 at noon at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium.

• The game will be streamed live on ESPN3.com with Booker Coorigan handling the play-by-play and Ryan Flanagan providing the analysis.

• Maryland is coming off of a 10-7 victory at Villanova on Sunday, March 13. Sophomore Jay Carlson set his career-high with five goals to lead the Terps’ offense vs. the Wildcats. Junior goalie Niko Amato returned to his hometown and made 11 saves. On the season senior Kevin Cooper, who had five points on a goal and four assists at Villanova, leads the Terps with 23 points on 12 goals and 11 assists, which also leads the team. Carlson has 12 goals on the year to tie for the team lead. Amato is ranked third in the NCAA with a 6.48 goals-against average and is fourth with a .602 save percentage. Sophomore Charlie Raffa leads the team with 38 groundballs and is ranked sixth nationally with a .613 faceoff winning percentage.

• Carolina as alternated wins and losses throughout this season, starting with a 16-8 home win over Air Force and most recently a 13-5 win over Dartmouth yesterday in Chapel Hill for a 4-3 record. The Tar Heels have played four one-goal games already this season and are 2-2 in those tight games with wins over Fairfield and Princeton and losses to UMass and Notre Dame (in 3OT). The Tar Heels’ offense is led by senior attackman Marcus Holman who has 32 points on 18 goals and 14 assists. Sophomore attackmen Joey Sankey and Jimmy Bitter are close behind with 25 and 23 points, respectively. All-American R.G. Keenan has a .547 winning percentage at the faceoff X and leads the Tar Heels with 45 groundballs. Freshman goalie Kieran Burke has started all seven games in net for Carolina and has a .511 save percentage and a 10.18 goals-against average.

The Count Down
10 … Since 2002 Maryland has won 99 of the 108 games in which the Terps have scored 10 or more goals for a .917 winning percentage.
9 … Maryland is 115-25 in games since 2002 when it allows nine goals or less, for an .821 winning percentage.
8 … As a team, the Terps are ranked among the top five in eight statistical categories by the NCAA.
7 … Kevin Cooper has seven multi-goal games during his Terrapin career.
6 … The Terps have won their first six games for the first time since 2010.
5 … Michael Ehrhardt has recorded five groundballs in four of the Terps’ six games in 2013.
4 … John Haus leads all current Terps with four career goals vs. North Carolina.
3 … Niko Amato is ranked third in the NCAA with a 6.48 goals-against average.
2 … John Tillman has won two games and lost two games to UNC as the Terps’ head coach.
1 … Jay Carlson is ranked first in the NCAA in shooting percentage, convering on 66.7 percent of his shots.

Coaching Match-Up
• John Tillman is in his sixth season as a head coach, and third with the Terps, with a 51-30 career record for a 63.0 winning percentage. Tillman is 31-11 (.738) as Maryland’s head coach. He had a 20-19 record in three seasons as the head coach at Harvard.

• Joe Breschi is in his 15th season as a head coach and holds a lifetime record of 142-87 (.620). He is in his fourth year with the Tar Heels and has a 50-24 (.676) record as the Carolina head coach.

• Tillman has an 2-2 record vs. North Carolina as a head coach with all three decisions coming as the Maryland head coach..

Series History vs. North Carolina
• Since Maryland and North Carolina began their series in 1964, Maryland holds a 40-22 (.650) advantage. The Terps have won 16 of the last 21, but Carolina has won the last three in the series, including the last time the two teams met at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium.

• Last season No. 14 North Carolina defended its home field with an 11-10 win over No. 7 Maryland on March 24. Billy Gribbinscored three goals for the Terps and Joe Cummings had four points on two goals and two assists, but the Tar Heels were able to pull out the victory behind three goals from freshman Joey Sankey.

• The rubber match of 2011 took play at Fetzer Field in the first round of the NCAA tournament and it was the unseeded Terps advancing thanks to a convincing 13-6 victory over the No. 8-seeded Tar Heels. Drew Snider led the offensive charge, including scoring on the hidden-ball play pulled off by Grant Catalino and Brian Farrell. Kevin Cooper had a hat trick for the Terrapins, while Curtis Holmes dominated the faceoff X, winning 15-of-22. Niko Amato made 13 saves in cage.

• Just like in 2010 the Terps answered a regular season loss to Carolina with a victory in the ACC tournament. UNC led 6-2 going into the fourth quarter, but Maryland scored five unanswered goals for a 7-6 win. Owen Blye scored two goals in the run, which was capped off by a behind-the-back game-winner by Grant Catalino.

• The 2011 regular-season meeting saw North Carolina come into Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium and leave with an 11-6 victory. The Terps opened up a 4-1 lead in the first quarter, but an illegal stick penalty on Maryland allowed the Tar Heels to regain their composure and go on a 7-0 run to take command of the game. Grant Catalino led the Terps with three goals.Curtis Holmes was terrific at the face-off X, winning 15-of-20 draws.

• The Terps avenged the loss in the 2010 regular season to UNC by topping the Tar Heels, 13-5, in the semifinals of the ACC tournament in College Park. Grant Catalino led the way, tying his career high with six goals. John Haus tallied his first career hat trick for the Terps. Brian Phipps was terrific in cage for Maryland, stopping 13 Carolina shots.

• In the 2010 regular-season meeting it was Carolina earning a 9-7 victory over the Terps on March 20 in Chapel Hill. Marcus Holman subbed for the injured Billy Bitter and scored four goals to lead UNC. Maryland was paced by Ryan Young and Adam Sear with two goals apiece.

• The Tar Heels scored 10 goals in the first half en route to a 16-10 win in the semifinals of the 2009 ACC Tournament at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. Joe Cummings recorded his first career hat trick for the Terps, while Ryan Young had a three-point day on a goal and two assists.

• Earlier in 2009 the Terps and the Tar Heels played a nail-biter at Ludwig Field and in the end it was Maryland coming away with the 8-7 victory. Dan Groot scored three goals, including the game-winner that deflected off of two Carolina defender sticks, and added an assist. Grant Catalino chipped in with two goals, while Jason Carter played the whole way in cage and stopped 10 Tar Heel shots.

• The Terps entered the 2008 game as the underdog for the first time since 2000, but left the game with their sixth straight victory over the Tar Heels, 13-8. Junior midfielder Jeff Reynolds scored his first career hat trick to lead the Terps. Grant Catalino, Dan Groot, Jeremy Sieverts and Max Ritz each had a goal and an assist in the Maryland victory.

• The Maryland midfield dominated the 2007 game and le the Terps to an impressive 14-8 win over a rising Carolina team at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium. Sophomore midfielder Dan Groot led the Terrapin attack with three goals for his second career hat trick. Freshman goalie Brian Phipps was stellar in the cage for Maryland, stopping 15 Tar Heel shots, while allowing just seven goals.

• The Tar Heels led for nearly the entire game in the 2006 ACC semifinals, but Xander Ritz scored off a brilliant cross-crease pass from Michael Phipps with just 1:25 left in the fourth quarter to give the third-ranked Terps their first lead of the game and the 10-9 victory. Brendan Healy scored three goals and added a pair of assists for Maryland, while Ritz finished with a hat trick and Bill McGlone scored two and assisted on another two scores.

• In the 2006 regular season meeting Joe Walters scored five goals to lead the No. 4 Terps to a 9-6 win at North Carolina on March 25. Sophomore attackman Max Ritz added two goals, while Bill McGlone and Michael Phipps each scored one. Defensively, Harry Alford stopped eight shots and allowed just six goals in net for the Terps.

• Terrapin goalie Harry Alford stopped 20 UNC shots in the 2005 meeting to lead the fourth-ranked Terps to a 9-4 win over Carolina in College Park. Michael Hartofilis turned in the finest performance of his Maryland career with a goal and a career-best three assists. Brendan Healy, Michael Phipps and Joe Walters each scored twice in the Maryland win.

• The 2004 meeting in Chapel Hill saw Maryland pick up a thrilling 10-9 victory at Fetzer Field on March 27. The Tar Heels used a five-goal third quarter to take a 8-7 lead into the fourth, but two goals by Maryland’s Mike Brown and another by Joe Walters gaves the Terps a 3-1 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter and the 10-9 win. Walters finished the game with four goals, while Michael Phipps scored two goals in the victory.

• In the 2003 game at Byrd Stadium, No. 13 North Carolina upset the No. 2 Terps as goalie Paul Spellman had a career-game with 25 saves. Joe Walters scored two goals for the Terps in the defeat. Bill McGlone also added a tally in the win. UNC was paced by Austin Garrison, who had four goals.

• Eight of the last 20 meetings with North Carolina have been decided by one goal.

• The Terps and Tar Heels have only met twice in NCAA tournament play. Maryland lost the first meeting with the Heels in 1986, 12-10, but won the 2011 first round game, 13-6.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Maryland sophomore Dez Wells has been named to the ACC All-Tournament first team, the league announced Sunday.

Wells averaged 22.0 points in three games, including a career-high 30 to lead the Terrapins to an 83-74 quarterfinal win over Duke. The Raleigh, N.C., native also notched 21 points against Wake Forest and 15 against North Carolina.

Wells shot 57.9 percent from the field, connecting on 22 of 38 shots and 5 of 6 3-pointers. He also averaged 6.3 rebounds per game.

Joining Wells on the All-Tournament first team are Miami’s Shane Larkin (MVP) and Duran Scott, and North Carolina’s Reggie Bullock and P.J. Hairston. The second team was made up of Boston College’s Olivier Hanlan, Miami’s Julian Gamble and Trey McKinney-Jones, North Carolina’s Marcus Paige and NC State’s Scott Wood.

Head Coach Mark Turgeon

On where the team is heading into the ACC Tournament:

“I came here to build a great program and we’re taking steps towards that. We’re much further along than I anticipated at this point in time. I want to finish strong. We really wanted that win at Virginia. We wanted a quality road win and we came up a little bit short, so I want to finish strong. We’ve got a Wake Forest team that’s going to be inspired to play against us because we’ve beaten them twice.  If we’re lucky enough to win that one, we’ll go from there. We just want to finish strong. We want to play well. We felt liked we played well against Virginia and we’re becoming a tougher team physically and mentally. We’re heading in the right direction.”

On playing Wake Forest for the third time and having success in the first two meetings:

“At home we were fantastic. We were really good, it was a must-win game for us and we just shot out of a cannon. At their place, our backs were against the wall and we used the motivation of Chris Paul Day, Senior Day. I thought we really defended well. We played with toughness. I’m sure they’re fired up to play us, and my whole deal is just getting my guys’ mindset that Wake is going to come after us, and we have to be ready for it.”

On Dez Wells’ play against Wake:

“He made a couple shots in the first game and in the second game he really got to the glass. We got out on the break, we made some steals, and he’s been much more aggressive for us, which he needs to be.”

On going into the ACC Tournament:

“We just want to keep getting better. We’re about building the program. We’re a better team than we were last year. Maybe lost a game or two we didn’t expect to lose this year, but we’re getting better. Played well at Virginia but just came up short. We want to get better, get our confidence going into the ACC tournament and then whatever postseason we play after that.”

On how the players responded to the loss:

“Kids are resilient. That was the worst I’ve seen our guys hurt after the game so we’re getting somewhere. They’re investing a lot more into our program, and the young guys are starting to grow up. If you can’t get juiced up for postseason tournaments, you shouldn’t be playing basketball.”

Sophomore guard/forward Dez Wells

On playing in the ACC Tournament:

“The beauty of college basketball is anyone can be beaten. It’s really dangerous when you get to tournament time because you don’t have to be the best team, you just have to be the best team on a given night for 40 minutes. That’s something that really makes the tournament so interesting to watch.”

On the prospects of making a run in the tournament:

“We just have to come out and give it our all every night; who knows what can happen? The only thing we can control is our effort. If we give 100 percent and we keep fighting, keep getting after it, keep scratching and clawing, I think we can see some positive results.”

Sophomore guard Nick Faust

On playing how they did in the first half against Virginia:

“The offense really clicked in the first half against Virginia. I got some good open looks and was able to take advantage of them. We just have to continue to get everyone involved the way we did in that first half. It’s a new season and we’re excited and confident.”

Maryland (20-11, 8-10 ACC) vs. Wake Forest  (13-17, 6-12 ACC)

ACC Tournament – First Round

Thursday, March 14, 2013 • 7 p.m. ET

Game #32 • Neutral Site Game #3 • Greensboro, N.C. • Greensboro Coliseum

TV: ESPNU – Dan Shulman (Play-by-Play), Sean Farnham (Analyst), Jeannine Edwards (Sidelines)

ACC Network – Tim Brando (Play-By-Play), Dan Bonner (Analyst). The game will be broadcast on WDCA in Washington, D.C., and WNUV in Baltimore.

Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network – Johnny Holliday (Play-by-Play) & Chris Knoche (Analyst)

Storyline

• Maryland begins play in the opening round of the 60th annual ACC Tournament in Greensboro when it takes on Wake Forest at 7 p.m. Thursday. The Terrapins are the No. 7 seed and the Demon Deacons are the No. 10 seed, and will be meeting in the opening round for the second straight year. Last season, Maryland defeated Wake Forest 82-60. The winner of Thursday’s game moves on the quarterfinals to face No. 2 seed Duke Friday at 7 p.m.

• The Terps are the seventh seed in the ACC Tournament for the 11th time (3-7 record). Maryland is 6-3 in matchups with Wake Forest, having won six straight. The Terps lost their first three tournament meetings with the Demon Deacons (1954, 1961, 1963), but started a six-game winning streak starting with the 1973 semifinals. The other wins have come in 1984, 2001, 2004, 2009 and 2012.

• Sophomores Dez Wells and Nick Faust have provided the majority of the scoring for Maryland recently. Wells is averaging 17.0 points per game over the last four contests and Faust is averaging 13.6 points per game over the last five. In the 61-58 overtime loss at Virginia on Sunday, Faust had a team-high 15 while Wells turned in his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

• Sophomore center Alex Len earned honorable mention All-ACC on Monday in balloting by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Len, who ranks second in the league with 60 blocks, was also named to the All-ACC Defensive Team. The Antratsit, Ukraine, native is averaging 11.8 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game.

• After holding Virginia to 36.8 percent shooting on Sunday, Maryland finished the regular season ranked first in the ACC and ninth nationally in field goal percentage defense. Opponents have shot just 37.9 percent this season, and the Terps held 11 of 18 league opponents under the 40 percent mark.

Maryland-Wake Forest Series History

• Maryland leads the all-time series with Wake Forest, 68-56, which dates back to 1952-53. The Terps have won 11 of 13 since 2006, and six straight.

• In the ACC Tournament, the Terps have won six in a row over Wake, with the Demon Deacons’ last win coming on Feb. 28, 1963. All-time at the ACC Tournament, Maryland leads 6-3.

• Maryland has won all four meetings with Wake Forest since Mark Turgeon took over as head coach, by an average margin of 16.0 points per game. In addition to the 86-60 win at home and the 67-57 win on the road this season, the Terps defeated the Demon Deacons 70-64 at home on 1/11/2012 and 82-60 on 3/8/2012 in the ACC Tournament first round.

Mens Maryland Terrapin basketball – what happened? I do not recall a Maryland basketball team EVER getting worse……….. as the year progressed. Teams were either just “challenged” from the get go or there was developement of the players and the team. Not this year. They got worse……….. without losing a major player due to injury or suspension. Maybe the early season high expectations contributed to the disappointment. What it was, was painful. Another year of simply turning the games off, because it was not helping my blood pressure. Plus there were better things to do, like sleep.

Four (4) months ago, I had these boys in the Sweet 16. And unless they win the ACC Tourney, they are (NIT) bound, Not In Tournament. They are just not performing at a level, that they are paid to play at. Paid? I’ll leave that alone for later. Sunday versus UVA, they were up by 17 points – twice – and still lost. The Terps have lost five (5) staright games to UVA, our supposed “rival”. Nice rivalry.The Terps collapse at the end of the game and OT was a fitting microcosm of the year – turnovers, sloppy play and a bad attitude. Can the Terps head to the Big Ten now? I hear the Fightin’ Illini need a rivalry.

To many wanna be stars and not enough “team”. Lenny is gone. Is he talent ready? Heck no. Is he money ready? Heck yeah. There goes the Terps chances next year. P’shon Howard – goodbye, just leave, evidently you hung around Stoglin to much and caught some of his attitude. Benefit of the doubt P’shon – your leg is not fully healed? Maybe, but I’m not buying it – you gave up on your team and your coach. Dez Wells – might as well try and go with Lenny. Next year is going to be tough – only the strong will survive. Terps will not be an ACC favorite during their last year in the ATLANTIC Coast Conference.

The team never found a grove for more than one game. The coach never found team chemistry. Hey Turgeon, all that talent, six (6) months plus and you still can’t hook-up 5 boys out of 9, to play well together? For most of the year – Lenny and Dez Wells started, Layman and Faust seemed to be his next two probables. It didn’t really matter who started. What mattered was, finding out who came to play that game? Turgeon rarely found it. Kentucky, Va Tech (first game) and of course Duke (minus that Kelley guy). Come on Turgeon, are you a recruiter or a coach?

I don’t even think he knew halfway in. Yeah, Turge, you left the Terp fan base scratching our heads also. At times, it appeared Turge was “Dazed and Confused” – (Led Zep). Maybe he should have consulted with the “Turgeonites”? Besides the 3 games mentioned above – the Turgeonites were part of the few positives from this year. Positives – Seth Allen, Shaq Cleare, Charles Mitchell and Faust on occasion. Really though, they never got any better than when they first stepped on the court. Rough year, again, to follow. What the heck was with the turnovers? I’ve watched high school games with better ball control. To many wanna be’s, not enough team.

No point gaurd, no center (when Lenny leaves), no “go to” guy, no calls from the ACC refs – Maryland basketball next year in the ACC – is gonna be tough. But hey, you know what? Who cares? They beat Duke! GO TERPS!

Side note – I believe I just heard the Ravens made another “bonehead player loss - after winning Super Bowl - move”, by trading their best “go to” receiver, to next years Super Bowl winner, the San Fransisco 49ers. The year following their first Super Bowl win - they let the QB, leader of the offense go, (Trent Dilfer). Now they let one of the most talented wide receivers in the game and another team leader go, (Anquan Boldin). Both main cogs in the wheel that got them to the Promised Land. Ravens – I’m done with you. Let’s Go O’s!

D.I.Y.

Fedman

Honorable Mention: Golf-PGA Tour Tampa Bay Championship (Thursday & Friday 3pm live on Golf Channel Saturday 1:30pm live on Golf Channel 3pm live on NBC Sunday 1pm live on Golf Channel 3pm live on NBC), Champions Tour Toshiba Classic (Saturday 2:30pm Sunday 3pm from Newport Beach, CA live on Golf Channel), LPGA Tour RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup (Thursday & Friday 6:30pm Saturday & Sunday 4pm from Phoenix, AZ live on Golf Channel); Auto Racing: NASCAR Food City 500 (Sunday 12pm from Bristol, TN live on FOX); Tennis: ATP Tour WTA Tour BNP Paribas Open (Tuesday & Wednesday 1:30pm Thursday 1:30pm & 10pm live on Tennis Channel Friday 6:30pm & 9:30pm live on Tennis Channel 4:30pm & 11:30pm live on ESPN2 Saturday 3pm & 5pm live on ESPNNews 8:30pm live on Tennis Channel Sunday 3pm & 5pm live on ESPN2); College Football: Towson Pro Day (Tuesday Unitas Stadium), Maryland Pro Day (Wednesday Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium); Boxing: Timothy Bradly vs. Ruslan Provodnikov (Saturday 10:15pm from Carson, CA live on HBO); Women’s College Basketball: NCAA Tournament Selection Monday (Monday 7pm live on ESPN)

10. Rihanna (Tuesday 7:30pm 1st Mariner Arena); P!nk (Thursday 7:30pm Verizon Center); Trapt (Tuesday 8pm Rams Head Live), Drive By Truckers (Sunday 8pm Rams Head Live); Better Than Ezra (Saturday 7pm Power Plant Live); Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (Wednesday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); Dr. John (Tuesday 8pm Rams Head on Stage), Average White Band (Thursday 8pm Rams Head on Stage), Marshall Tucker Band (Sunday 7:30pm Rams Head on Stage); Finch (Thursday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Dropkick Murphys/Carbon Leaf (Friday 7am 9:30 Club), Citizen Cope (Friday 8pm 9:30 Club); George Thorogood & The Destroyers (Tuesday 7:30pm Birchmere); Slick Rick/Rakim (Friday 8pm Howard Theatre); Shamrockfest feat. Sublime with Rome/Virginia Coalition/Carbon Leaf (Saturday 12:45pm RFK Stadium); Sound City: Real to Reel soundtrack available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

You already know damn well I’ll be wandering over to see Better Than Ezra after the Blast game Saturday night.

Despite not particularly enjoying much of anything else in the genre, I really flipping loved “What It Is To Burn” by Finch. I’d go see this show.

Spending a day in the parking lot at RFK Stadium? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Unless Virginia Coalition is involved. (Sorry for the video quality.)

I legitimately CANNOT get enough Sound City in my life. Dave Grohl is a rock God, but you already knew that.

9. Lewis Black (Saturday 8pm Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric); Bill Bellamy (Thursday-Saturday  Baltimore Comedy Factory); Pablo Francisco (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); “Life of Pi” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit? 25th Anniversary Edition” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); “Spring Breakers” and “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” out in theaters (Friday); Glenn Clark’s St. Patrick’s Day plans (Sunday parts unknown)

Yes. We ALL feel the same way about Jessica Rabbit. We just agree not to talk about it so that people don’t talk about us behind our backs.

We CAN however discuss the cast of Spring Breakers if you’d like.

And before we leave this part of the show, BANGERS AND EFFING MASH! ERIN GO BRAGH!

(Continued on Page 2…)

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Maryland sophomore center Alex Len received honorable mention All-ACC and was named to the All-ACC Defensive Team, both of which were announced on Monday by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.

Len is joined on the defensive team by Miami’s Shane Larkin and Durand Scott, Georgia Tech’s Daniel Miller and Virginia’s Jontel Evans.

The Antratsit, Ukraine, native ranks second in the conference with 60 blocks and recorded at least one in 28 of 31 regular-season games. He’s helped Maryland control the paint, where the Terps have outscored opponents by an average of 36.8 points to 24.0 points.

Maryland has also limited opponents to 37.9 percent shooting this season, a mark which leads the league and ranks 10th nationally. Len and the Terps held 11 of 18 ACC opponents under 40 percent shooting, including five under 35 percent.

Len ranks second on the team with 11.8 points per game and fifth in the ACC with 8.1 rebounds per game.