Maryland (16-11, 6-7) at Georgia Tech (9-18, 2-11)
Saturday, Feb. 24, 2012 | 2:30 p.m. | Atlanta, Ga. (Philips Arena)
ACC Network-WNUV 54 in Baltimore | Terrapin Sports Radio Network

• Miami (16-9, 7-5) at Maryland (15-11, 5-7)
  Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 | 8 p.m. | Comcast Center
  ACC Network (WNUV 54 in Baltimore) | Terrapin Sports Radio Network

• Maryland plays its return match with Miami in a Tuesday-night test at Comcast Center. The Terrapins and Hurricanes played one of the best games of the season so far in the Atlantic Coast Conference on Feb. 1 when the `Canes prevailed in a 90-86 double-overtime game. The Terrapins are 15-11 after last Saturday’s 71-44 loss at 22nd-ranked Virginia, and come into the game tied for seventh place in the league with a 5-7 conference mark. The Canes are 16-9 overall and in a three-way tie for fourth in the league with NC State and Virginia at 7-5.
• The Terrapins got 33 points from Terrell Stoglin in the double-OT loss at Miami earlier in the season. The talented sophomore had six 3-pointers and went 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. Maryland came back from a 16-point deficit in the final seven minutes of regulation to send the game into overtime.
• Maryland is completing a tight turnaround in its schedule, with three games in six days. The Terrapins played host to Boston College last Thursday, traveled to Charlottesville for a game early Saturday afternoon and complete the whirlwind against Miami on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
• Stoglin continues to lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring, now at 21.4 points per game. Stoglin has 24 straight games with double figures in points, and has 18 games with at least 20 points or more. The Terrapins are 12-6 in games in which he hits the 20-point mark. Against Boston College, Stoglin set the school record for 3-pointers in a season by a sophomore. Now with 72, he has surpassed the 64 of Greivis Vasquez in 2008.
• Nick Faust has been playing particularly well of late, taking over the point guard role after the season-ending knee injury to Pe’Shon Howard. Faust has averaged 14.0 points per game in his last three outings, scoring in double figures in the last three and four of the last five games. He has also stood out at the defensive end, getting 11 steals in the last six games. His five against Boston College marked the first time a Terp player had that many in a game since the ACC Quarterfinals in 2010 when both Greivis Vasquez and Landon Milbourne accomplished that feat.
• Maryland has won the last two straight over Miami in games played in Comcast Center, including an 81-59 victory on 1/26/2010 in the most recent matchup in College Park.
• After road games at Georgia Tech on Saturday and at North Carolina on Feb. 29, the Terrapins will play their final game of the regular season at Comcast Center on Sunday, March 4 on Senior Day against Virginia.
  

  Scouting the Hurricanes

• Miami is 16-9 and 7-5 in the ACC following a 74-56 home win over Wake Forest on Saturday… The Hurricanes are 4-6 on the road this season, but have won three of the last four, beating Georgia Tech, Boston College and Duke while falling to Florida State.
• Junior guard Durand Scott is averaging a team-high 12.9 ppg and is one of four Hurricanes averaging double figures… junior forward Kenny Kadji (12.8), senior guard Malcolm Grant (11.6) and junior center Reggie Johnson (11.1) are the other three… Both Scott and Kadji had 18 points in the win over Wake Forest.
• Miami ranks second in the ACC in 3FG made per game (7.5), with Grant, Trey McKinney Jones and Shane Larkin leading the way… Grant has made 49 of 162 (.302), McKinney Jones 30 of 84 (.357) and Larkin 27 of 76 (.355)… Against Wake Forest the Hurricanes made 12 of 31 3FG attempts (.387).
• With the 6-foot-10, 284-pound Johnson and 6-foot-11, 251-pound Kadji, Miami has an imposing frontcourt… Johnson is averaging a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game, while Kadji has a team-best 40 blocks.
  

  Upcoming

  After road games at Georgia Tech on Saturday and at North Carolina on Feb. 29, the Terrapins will play their final game of the regular season at Comcast Center on Sunday, March 4 on Senior Day against Virginia.

  The Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament will be held March 8 to 11 at Phillips Arena in Atlanta.

Honorable Mention: NHL-Washington Capitals @ Ottawa Senators (Wednesday 7pm from Ottawa live on Comcast SportsNet PLUS), Montreal Canadiens @ Washington Capitals (Friday 7pm from Verizon Center live on NHL Network/Comcast SportsNet), Washington Capitals @ Toronto Maple Leafs (Saturday 7pm from Toronto live on NHL Network/Comcast SportsNet); Monster Jam (Friday-Sunday 1st Mariner Arena); Tennis: ATP Tour Regions Morgan Keegan Championships (Saturday 12pm & 4pm Sunday 4pm from Memphis live on Tennis Channel); Boxing: Marcos Maidana vs. Devon Alexander (Saturday 10pm from St. Louis live on HBO), Friday Night Fights-Juan Carlos Burgos vs. Cristobal Cruz (Friday 9pm from Dover live on ESPN2); High School Basketball: MPSSAA Playoffs Opening Round-Games include Catonsville @ Mergenthaler, Paint Branch @ Dulaney, Poly @ Blake, Perry Hall @ Sherwood, Chesapeake-AA @ South River, Great Mills @ North County, Leonardtown @ Broadneck, Severna Park @ Meade (All games Friday); Women’s College Basketball: North Carolina @ Maryland (Friday 8:30pm from Comcast Center live on Comcast SportsNet PLUS)

10. Blake Shelton (Saturday 7:30pm Patriot Center); Mr. Greengenes (Friday 7:30pm Rams Head Live), Several Species: The Pink Floyd Experience (Saturday 7pm Rams Head Live); Citizen Cope (Friday 7pm Recher Theatre); Guns N Roses (Thursday 10pm Fillmore Silver Spring), Flogging Molly (Friday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Estelle (Wednesday 7:30pm Birchmere); Rick Ross (Thursday 7pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Fun. “Some Nights” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

I’m not really a Blake Shelton fan.That said, I wish I could tell you I didn’t enjoy this tune…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGoiiwxTWeE

I am particularly bitter that my trip to Indy this weekend will prevent me from getting to the Cope show Friday night. If you’ve never seen him, shame on you…

What’s happening in Silver Spring won’t ACTUALLY be a GNR show, but it doesn’t mean you can’t sing along…

Just in case you forgot, Flogging Molly is the one that ISN’T Dropkick Murphys…

9. Portlandia The Tour (Tuesday 7pm & 9pm 9:30 Club); Jeffrey Ross (Saturday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Jim Gaffigan (Thursday-Saturday Warner Theatre); Rodney Carrington (Friday 7:30pm Meyerhoff Symphony Hall); Rich Vos (Thursday-Saturday Magooby’s Joke House); Donnell Rawlings (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); “J. Edgar” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); “Act of Valor” and “Wonderlust” out in theaters (Friday); 2012 Academy Awards (Sunday 7pm from Los Angeles live on ABC)

Can someone ask Jeffrey Ross if he’ll come on my show this week and make fun of me? It’s that good…

Also funny? Jim Gaffigan. It’s just a very different type of funny…

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — As a tie game at halftime turned into a blowout loss to the University of Virginia Saturday, University of Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon decided he couldn’t sit back and watch his scholarship players go through the motions anymore.

With roughly three minutes to play in the game, Turgeon inserted five walk-on players into the Terrapins’ lineup and stuck with them for the rest of the game. It only made a blowout loss more lopsided, but the head coach was in need of making a statement.

“I just had enough” Turgeon said. “Selfishness, not boxing out, not defending. I wanted to do it earlier. You can go down our whole list-if you can tell me one guy that played well today, I’ll argue that you’re wrong. We were 0-14 or however many guys we played today.”

The number actually was 14 players, and none had anything to offer in the second half of the Terrapins’ 71-44 loss to the Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena. The Terps (15-11, 5-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) had managed to erase an early deficit and tie things up at intermission thanks to 14 points from G Terrell Stoglin. Stoglin wouldn’t score again after the break, and the Cavs (20-6, 7-5 ACC) outscored Maryland 40-13 the rest of the way.

It was as ugly (if not uglier) than I’m sure it appeared on television. Maryland shot a putrid 5-24 (20.8%) from the field and turned the ball over 12 times after returning from the locker room. Those 12 points resulted in 20 points for the Wahoos, while the Terps forced just one UVa turnover after the half (which actually did result in two points).

There’s no silver lining to Maryland’s second half effort. It was abysmal. It made spectators wonder why the team even bothered to return to the floor after the break. It was so frustrating that the coach compared it to Maryland’s previous season low point.

“This reminded me of Puerto Rico today. I thought we looked like we were disinterested as far as trying to be tough on defense and rebounding. Our execution was poor.”

Turgeon was referring to the team’s early season trip to San Juan for the 5-Hour Energy Puerto Rico Tip-Off, where they lost two of three games-including a blowout defeat at the hands of Iona. After the stretch, Turgeon referred to his team as “the biggest challenge I’ve ever had in coaching; it’s not even close.”

Similarly, Maryland played the three games in Puerto Rico without sophomore PG Pe’Shon Howard, who missed his third straight game Saturday (and will be out for the rest of the season) with a torn ACL. The Terps were also without freshman C Alex Len in Puerto Rico due to suspension. Len tallied zero points, zero rebounds, zero assists, zero blocks and zero steals to go with one turnover and two missed field goals in 20 minutes Saturday. It’s difficult to determine which scenario would have been preferable.

This is the part of the column where I note that Maryland was playing a second game in roughly 40 hours after recording a win over Boston College Thursday night in College Park. Neither Turgeon nor senior G Sean Mosley would use the turnaround as an excuse, but Turegon was willing to admit the span “was hard” on his team. Now I’ve noted it.

I should also probably note that a tip of the cap is warranted for Virginia F Mike Scott, who bowled over four different Maryland defenders en route to a 25 point, seven rebound performance. Scott’s dominance of the Terrapins was perhaps “Plumlee-esque” Saturday. Consider that noted as well.

Sitting nearly an entire level away from the JPJ Arena floor, I started to wonder if the Maryland players had quit in the second half. For what it’s worth, the coach disagreed.

“We didn’t quit, we just hung our head. I wouldn’t say we quit, we just kind of felt sorry for ourselves and weren’t competing as hard as we can compete. I know it might have looked that way a little bit, but I don’t think we quit.”

Perhaps the players never actually quit, but it was a brutal effort that came at a time where it would be easy to see the team give up a bit. This is a difficult stretch for a Maryland team that has frankly overachieved with a thin roster. The players are smart enough to know that there’s no hope of a NCAA Tournament at-large bid and even slim NIT hopes aren’t enticing enough to maintain a high level of energy until March. The only tangible difference between winning and losing at this point is the reaction generated from coaches and fans.

When things aren’t going their way, it is understandable that players may be a little more willing to pack it in down the stretch. It’s not a condemnation of the collective heart of this group of players, it’s just more a look at reality for a team that is too thin in both quantity and quality.

It’s also not an excuse for poor effort down the stretch. Maryland’s second half performance was absolutely unacceptable even against a Virginia team in need of a strong effort to hold on their place in the nation’s Top 25. Things won’t necessarily get any easier for Maryland, as bubble dwelling Miami invades Comcast Center Tuesday and the final three games of the regular season include a return contest with Scott and the Cavaliers plus trips to North Carolina and Georgia Tech.

If Turgeon thought the stretch after the Puerto Rico trip was going to be a challenge, it would be hard to find the right word to describe the rest of the season.

The word is definitely not “easy”. That much I know.

-G

Four Terps Named Academic All-ACC

Francis a three-time honoree, Fulper gains a spot for second straight season, Cierski and McDougle make it for first time 

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Running back Tyler Cierski, defensive lineman A.J. Francis, offensive linemen Bennett Fulper and defensive back Dexter McDougle were among 52 student-athletes named Wednesday to the 2011 Academic All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team.

Francis was selected for the third time and Fulper made it for the second straight season. Cierski and McDougle are first-time honorees.

To be eligible for consideration for Academic All-ACC, a player must have earned a 3.00 grade-point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career.

Maryland’s four selections were tied for fourth-most in the league with Georgia Tech. Duke led the way with 18. Clemson and Wake Forest had five apiece.

Francis played in all 12 games (four starts) at defensive tackle last season. He posted 31 tackles, including three tackles for loss and two sacks. He also recovered one fumble and had one pass breakup. The junior has played in each of the last 37 games, including 23 starts.

Fulper, a junior, was one of the leaders of the offensive line. The 2011 Academic All-America nominee started the first 10 games at center before an injury sidelined him for the final two. He helped the Terps post the third-most rushing yards in the league (169.3 yards per game) and allow the fourth-fewest sacks (1.4 pg).

Cierski played in all 12 games as the No. 1 fullback and a special teams performer. The true freshman was a regular on the kickoff return and punt coverage teams.

McDougle started all 12 games at cornerback. The sophomore led the team with six pass breakups and tied for the team lead with three interceptions. He ranked tied for eighth in the ACC and tied for 70th nationally in picks (0.25 pg), and tied for 15th in the conference in pass breakups (0.75 pg).

Maryland linebacker Cole Farrand and defensive back Jeremiah Johnson were also nominated for Academic All-ACC honors.

A complete list of the team can be found here:

http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/021512aaa.html

Upcoming Dates for Maryland Football:

March 10 – Spring practice begins

March 14 – Pro Timing Day

April 21 – Red-White Spring Game

– Terps –

Johnny Rhodes Named An ACC Tournament Legend

Former Maryland guard one of 12 players selected to 2012 class

    GREENSBORO, N.C.— Johnny Rhodes, one of the most versatile players in Atlantic Coast Conference history, who helped lead Maryland back to national prominence in the mid-1990’s, has been selected to the 2012 class of ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament Legends.

    The 12-man class was announced Tuesday by Commissioner John Swofford and includes a member of the ACC’s 50^th Anniversary basketball team, a National Player of the Year, three former All-Americas, six former All-ACC selections, ten former NBA Draft selections – including six first-round selections – and eight players who combined for 38 years of NBA experience.

    Rhodes, a native of Washington, D.C., is the ACC’s career steals leader and helped Maryland make three NCAA Tournament appearances in his four-year career. He is the only player in ACC history to score over 1,700 points (1,743) with over 700 rebounds (704), 400 assists (437) and 300 steals (344).

    Joining Rhodes in the class are former Wake Forest All-America Randolph Childress (Washington, D.C.), who led the Deacons to the 1995 ACC Championship, and former North Carolina All-America Kenny Smith (Queens, N.Y.), who led the Tar Heels to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and was named the National Player of the Year by Basketball Times in 1987.

    Also in the class are Boston College’s John Bagley (Stratford, Conn.), who was named a third-team (NABC) All-America in 1982; Clemson’s Sharone Wright (Macon, Ga.), a powerful post player for the Tigers who earned All-ACC honors in 1993 and 1994; Duke’s Kenny Dennard (King, N.C.), one of the key cogs of the Blue Devils 1978 Final Four team who helped lead Duke to ACC titles in 1978 and 1980; Florida State’s James Collins (Jacksonville, Fla), a high-scoring wingman who was a three-time All-ACC selection in 1995, 1996 and 1997; Georgia Tech’s Malcolm Mackey (Chattanooga, Tenn.), a powerful post player who helped lead Georgia Tech to ACC Championships in 1990 and 1993.

    Completing this year’s ACC Legends Class are Miami’s Ron Godfrey (Coral Springs, Fla.), an Honorable Mention All-America forward for the Hurricanes in the 1960’s who also served as head coach for four seasons; NC State’s Todd Fuller (Charlotte, N.C.), a prodigious presence in the paint for the Wolfpack who earned All-ACC honors in 1994, 1995, and 1996; Virginia’s Lee Raker (Louisville, Ky.), a versatile forward who helped lead the Cavaliers to the 1981 NCAA Final Four; and Virginia Tech’s Dale Solomon (Annapolis, Md.), a high-scoring forward who helped lead the Hokies to two NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth.

   The Legends will be honored at this year’s ACC’s Men’s Basketball Tournament at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., March 8-11. They will be feted at the annual ACC Legends Brunch, which will be held Saturday, March 10, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel, and, later that day, will be introduced to the Philips Arena crowd at halftime of the first semifinal game. Ticket information for the ACC Legends Brunch is available on the ACC website at theACC.com.

   Rhodes (1992-96), the ACC’s career leader in steals, started four seasons for coach Gary Williams at Maryland, leading the Terrapins back to national prominence. An extremely versatile guard who played point or wing guard, Rhodes is the only player in ACC history to score over 1,700 points (1,743) with over 700 rebounds (704), 400 assists (437) and 300 steals (344). He helped the Terrapins post a 73-49 overall record during his four seasons in College Park, including three straight (1994, 95, 96) appearances in the NCAA Tournament. He was named to the 1993 ACC All-Freshman team, then earned 3^rd-team All-ACC honors as a junior and 2^nd-team All-ACC accolades as a senior in 1996. He still holds the ACC career record for steals per game (2.82), and his 110 steals and 3.7 steals per game in 1996 are still league standards. He totaled 704 rebounds in his career, the third-best mark by an ACC backcourtman, trailing only Georgia Tech’s Bruce Dalrymple (744) and Florida State’s Bob Sura (714). A native of Washington, D.C., Rhodes owns his own construction firm, Rhodes Construction, in the D.C. area, and is working towards starting the Johnny Rhodes Foundation.

   Bagley (1979-82), one of the top playmaking guards in Boston College history, played three seasons for the Eagles for Coach Dr. Tom Davis and led BC to a 64-27 record and one NIT and two NCAA tournament appearances. The first Eagle to earn Big East Player of the Year honors (1980-81), Bagley was an explosive scorer who averaged nearly 18 points per game and led BC in scoring in each of his three seasons at the Heights. A two-time All-Big East selection, he averaged 20.4 points per game in leading the Eagles to the 1980-81 Big East regular-season championship and the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. The following year, Bagley upped his production to 21.1 points per game and led BC to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight. He was named to the NCAA all-tournament teams for both the 1981 Mideast Regional and the 1982 Midwest Regional. Bagley left BC after his junior season and was the 12^th overall pick in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1982 NBA Draft. He enjoyed an 11-year career in the NBA for the Cavaliers, the New Jersey Nets, the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks. Inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995, he currently resides in Stratford, Conn., and is working to reintroduce athletics into the middle school system of his hometown, Bridgeport, Conn.

   Wright (1991-94), a dominating 6-11 presence in the low post for the teams of Coach Cliff Ellis in the early 1990’s, still ranks 5^th on the ACC’s career list for blocked shots per game (3.13). An Honorable Mention All-America (AP) in 1994, he was one of 20 nominees for the Naismith Award that year. He led the ACC in blocked shots in 1992 and 1993 and finished 3^rd in 1994. He ranked 6^th on the Clemson career list for rebounds and 4^th in rebounds per game. He still holds the Clemson single-season record for blocked shots (124) and was the only player in the ACC to average in double figures in points and rebounds in both 1994 and 1995. Named a Freshman All-America by Basketball Weekly in 1992, he was named a 3^rd-team All-ACC selection in 1993 and 2^nd-team honors in 1994. As a member of the U.S. team which participated in the 1993 World Games, he shot 73 percent from the field and averaged 10 points a game in leading the U.S. to the gold medal. He was the first Clemson player to declare early for the NBA Draft and was the 6th overall selection on the first round of the 1994 draft by the Philadelphia 76’ers. He played five seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia and Toronto and was named to the 1994-95 NBA All-Rookie team. His NBA career was cut short by a severe auto accident early in his fifth professional season. Wright currently resides in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., where he is involved in various basketball coaching projects.

   Dennard (1978-81), a versatile 6-8 forward who was effective inside or outside for the Duke teams of Bill Foster and Mike Krzyzewski of the late 1970’s and early ‘80s, helped lead Duke to the 1978 NCAA Final Four and two ACC Championships in 1978 and 1980. Dennard helped the Blue Devils compile a 90-37 record in his four seasons in Durham, including three NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth. He was named to the 1978 ACC All-Tournament second team in his freshman season. Dennard played three seasons for Bill Foster (1978-80) and one for Mike Krzyzewski and was named team captain in his senior season. Drafted in the 4^th round of the 1981 NBA Draft by Kansas City, he played three seasons in the NBA for Kansas City (1982-83) and Denver (1984). He finished his career shooting 51.3 percent from the field and is one of seven Duke players who have totaled over 1,000 points (1,057), 650 rebounds (671) and 200 assists (232) in his career. A native of King, N.C., Dennard is the managing partner at Dennard, Rupp, Gray and Lascar, an investor relations firm based in Houston, Texas. He will be a 30-year cancer survivor this coming September and has served on the Coaches vs. Cancer National Council since 1996. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Nadine, for 27 years and they have a son, Mason (17).

    Collins (1993-97), a high-scoring wing guard for the Florida State teams of Pat Kennedy, was a three-time All-ACC honoree. Collins was named 3^rd-team All-ACC in 1995 and 1996 and garnered 2^nd-team honors as a senior in 1997. That year he led Florida State to a 20-12 record and to the finals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) where they lost to Michigan. He completed his career as the third leading scorer in school history with 1,793 points. He also still ranks in the FSU all-time Top 10 for field goals (645), field goal attempts, three-point field goals made (255) and three-point field goals attempted (686) and made 37.1 percent of his shots from three-point range. Collins was drafted as the 36^th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2^nd round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played one season in the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers (1998) and spent one year (1999) in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) before playing professionally nine seasons in Europe. A native of Jacksonville, Fla., he currently is the head basketball coach at his high school alma mater, Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville.

   Mackey (1990-93), Georgia Tech’s all-time leading rebounder who was a low post force for the Jackets both offensively and defensively, helped lead the Tech to a four-year record of 87-43 which included four NCAA Tournament appearances. Mackey completed his career with 1,205 rebounds, a total which ranks 11^th-best in ACC history. He also had 199 career blocked shots, which ranks 26^th on the ACC career list.  Mackey was named 2^nd-team All-ACC in 1993 and 3rd-team All-ACC  in 1992. An Honorable Mention All-America in 1993 by United Press International, he was also a 2nd-team All-District in 1993 by the NABC. Mackey remains Tech’s career leader in rebounds (1,205), games played (130) and games started (127). He was named to the ACC All-Tournament teams in 1990 (3rd team) and 1992 (2nd team). He is the only Tech player to start for two ACC championship teams (1990,1993). The 27^th overall pick in the first-round of the 1993 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, he played one season in the NBA and 11 seasons professionally in the CBA, Europe, China and Puerto Rico. A native of Chattanooga, Tenn., he currently is the Internet Sales Manager at Hennessey GMC Buick and is also serving as a landlord for several properties in McDonough, Ga.

   Godfrey (1958-61), one of the finest forwards to play at Miami, was an honorable mention All-America as a senior in 1961. He finished his career ranked in the Top Ten in seven career categories in the Miami record book including 7^th in points (1,384), 7^th in field goals made (518), 6^th in free throws made (384) and 7^th in rebounds (767). Godfrey’s totals of 159 free throws made and 207 free throws attempted in 1960 still rank 5^th and 6^th in the Hurricane career lists. His total of 22 made free throws against Oklahoma City in 1960 is still tied with Rick Barry for the most made in a game by a Miami player. For his career, he averaged 17.5 points a game. Playing alongside former Miami All-America Dick Hickox, Godfrey helped lead the Hurricanes to their first-ever NCAA tournament bid in 1960 as the Canes finished with a sparkling 23-4 record. In his senior year, Godfrey led Miami to a 20-7 mark and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament. In his three varsity seasons, Godfrey helped the Hurricanes to a 61-18 record. As a coach, he guided Miami for four seasons, leading the Hurricanes to championships in the 1967 Hurricane Classic and the 1968 Marshall Tournament and was inducted into the Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. A native of Martins Ferry, Ohio, he now resides in Coral Springs, Fla.

   Smith (1983-87), one of the top point guards in North Carolina basketball history, Smith ended his career second in ACC history only to Wake Forest’s Muggsy Bogues in career assists with 768, averaging 6.1 per for each of his 127 career games. His assist total still ranks ninth on the ACC’s career list.  Coached by the legendary Dean Smith, he helped lead North Carolina to a 115-19 record during his four varsity seasons. Smith also helped North Carolina to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the Elite Eight in both 1985 and 1987. He was named the National Player of the Year by Basketball Times in 1987 and also earned consensus first-team All-America honors that year. He was a 2^nd-team All-ACC honoree in 1985 and 1986 and earned first-team honors as a senior in 1987. The 6^th pick in the first round of the 1987 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, he played 11 seasons in the NBA for Sacramento, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Orlando and Denver. A member of the 1988 NBA All-Rookie team while with Sacramento, he was a part of two NBA Championship squads (1994, 1995) while with the Houston Rockets. He scored 9,397 points (12.9 avg.), grabbed 1,424 rebounds (2.0 avg.) and passed out 4,073 assists (5.5 avg.) during his NBA career. In 1998, he joined Turner Sports and has since served as a basketball TV analyst for Turner Sports, NBA TV and CBS-TV for the NBA and for the NCAA Basketball Tournament. A native of Queens, N.Y. who attended Archbishop Molloy High School, he now resides in Atlanta, Ga.

   Fuller (1992-96), a strong low-post presence for the NC State teams of coach Les Robinson in the mid-1990s, led the ACC in scoring as a senior in 1996, averaging 20.9 points per game. The 6-11 center finished 4^th in the ACC in rebounding in 1995 and 5^th in 1996. He earned first-team All-ACC honors in as a senior in 1996 and was a third team choice as a sophomore (1994) and a second-team selection as a junior (1995). Also an excellent student, he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree from NC State in 1996 in Applied Mathematics. He was named to the All-ACC Academic team in each of his four seasons and he was a two-time first-team Academic All-America, earning that honor in 1995 and 1996. He declined to accept the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship in order to play professional basketball. He was the 11^th overall pick in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors and went on to play five seasons in the NBA with Golden State, Utah, Charlotte and Miami. He also played professionally six seasons in Spain, Poland, Greece and Australia. He sponsors an annual mathematics competition for Raleigh, N.C., area high school students through NC State, called the “Todd Fuller Math Competition.” He also has a scholarship fund arranged through the NC State Physical and Mathematical Sciences college. In 2007, the Wolfpack honored him by hanging his jersey, number 52, from the roof of the RBC Center.

   Raker (1977-81) combined with high school teammate Jeff Lamp and Virginia All-America Ralph Sampson to lead Virginia to two of the most successful seasons in school history in 1980 and 1981 for coach Terry Holland. An excellent shooter, defender and passer, Raker helped lead the Cavaliers to a 24-10 record which included the championship of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 1980. UVa followed that up with a 29-4 record in 1981, including a 13-1 mark in the ACC and first place during the regular season. UVa advanced to the NCAA Final Four, garnering 3^rd-place national honors with a win over LSU in the consolation game. At one point, Raker helped the Cavaliers win eight consecutive post-season games, still a school record. Virginia finished the 1981 campaign ranked 5^th in the final AP poll and 3^rd in UPI. During his four collegiate seasons,  Raker helped lead Virginia to a 92-32 overall record, averaging in double figures in scoring each year, and shooting 50.3 percent from the field for his collegiate career. He completed his career with 1,423 points, which still ranks 20th on Virginia’s career scoring list. He also led the 1979 squad in field goal percentage and was named a 2^nd-team All-ACC selection that year. An excellent student, Raker was twice named to the All-ACC Academic Basketball squad (1980, 1981) and earned first-team Academic All-America honors in 1981. He was selected in the 4^th round of the 1981 NBA Draft by San Diego. A native of Louisville, Ky., he is now the Head of Investor Relations with Camber Capital Management LLC and lives in the Boston, Mass. area.

   Solomon (1978-82), one of the best basketball players in Virginia Tech history, was a 6-9 center-forward who combined power with a soft shooting touch. He helped the Tech teams of Charlie Moir to a four-year record of 78-41 which included two NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth. Solomon led Tech in scoring in each of his four  seasons and ended his career with 2,136 points which still ranks 4^th on the Hokies’ career scoring list. Solomon’s career scoring average (18.4) is Tech’s 9th best. His career field goal percentage of .567 is the second best in Tech history and his 856 career rebounds rank 7th. He was named to the first-team All-Metro Conference in each of his four seasons. Solomon was named the Metro Conference Tournament MVP and Freshman of the Year in 1979, leading the Hokies to the Metro Conference championship. Solomon was selected in the 3^rd round of the 1982 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers but did not play in the NBA. He did play professionally in Italy for 12 seasons. A native of Annapolis, Md., Solomon is currently living in his hometown.

   Childress (1991-95) turned in one of the spectacular performances in the history of the ACC Tournament in his senior season, as the sharpshooting guard led Wake Forest to the 1995 ACC Championship by averaging 35.7 points and 7 assists per game in the Tournament’s three contests. That year, Childress, playing for coach Dave Odom, saved his best for last, scoring 37 points and passing out 7 assists. In that title game, he connected on the game-winning jump shot with only four seconds remaining in overtime as Wake defeated North Carolina, 82-80. For his efforts, he was named the winner of the Everett Case Award as the 1995 Tournament’s MVP. He also was named the winner of the McKevlin Award as the ACC’s Overall Athlete of the Year for the 1994-95 school year. A second-team All-America selection in 1995, he was named first-team All-ACC in 1994 and 1995 and 2^nd-team All-ACC in 1993. He scored 2,208 points during his career, which still ranks 18^th on the ACC ‘s career scoring list, and he made 329 three-point field goals, the 5^th-highest total in ACC history. He helped lead the Demon Deacons to a four-year record of 85-39 which included four appearances in the NCAA Tournament and two trips to the NCAA Sweet 16. He was twice named to the ACC All-Tournament team in 1994 and 1995. Childress ranked 3^rd in scoring in the ACC in 1993 and 1994 and finished 2^nd in 1994. Selected as the 19^th overall choice of the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft, he played two seasons in the NBA with Detroit and Portland. He then played 14 professional seasons in Turkey, France, Italy and Australia. In 2002, he was named to the ACC’s 50^th Anniversary Basketball Team as one of its Top 50 basketball players. A native of Washington, D.C., he recently returned to Winston-Salem to serve as an Assistant to the Athletic Director of Wake Forest.

LEGENDS BRUNCH

   The Legends will be honored at this year’s ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament in Atlanta at the annual ACC Basketball Legends Brunch, which will be held on Saturday, March 10 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. Hosted by television personalities Tim Brant and Mike Hogewood, tickets for the ACC Men’s Basketball Legends Brunch are priced at $35 each and tables of ten are available for $350 each. Information on purchasing tickets may be obtained at the official ACC website—www.theACC.com/ACCtournament.

   2012 ACC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT LEGENDS ROSTER

   Name School Years Position Hometown (Current Hometown)

   John Bagley   Boston College 1979-82 Guard Bridgeport, Conn. (Stratford, Conn.)

   Sharone Wright Clemson 1991-94 Center Macon, Ga.  (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)

   Kenny Dennard Duke 1977-81 Forward King, N.C. (Houston, Texas)

   James Collins Florida State 1993-97 Guard Jacksonville, Fla.. (same) 

   Malcolm Mackey Georgia Tech 1989-93 Forward/Ctr. Chattanooga, Tenn. (McDonough, Ga.)

   Johnny Rhodes Maryland 1992-96 Guard Washington, D.C. (same )

   Ron Godfrey Miami 1958-61 Guard Martins Ferry, Ohio (Coral Springs, Fla.)

   Kenny Smith North Carolina 1983-87 Guard Queens, N.Y. (Atlanta, Ga.)

   Todd Fuller NC State 1992-96 Center Charlotte, N.C.. (same)

   Lee Raker Virginia 1977-81 Forward Louisville, Ky. (Boston, Mass.)

   Dale Solomon Virginia Tech 1978-82 Forward Annapolis, Md. (same)

   Randolph Childress Wake Forest 1991-95 Guard Washington, D.C. (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Maryland (13-9, 3-5) at Clemson (11-11, 3-5)
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012 | 7 p.m. | Clemson, S.C. (Littlejohn Coliseum)
ESPNU | Terrapin Sports Radio Network

• Maryland travels to Clemson on Tuesday night for a nationally televised contest to be shown on ESPNU. The Terrapins and Tigers are in a tie for seventh place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 3-5 records. The Terps come into the game having dropped five of their last six, with four of those losses coming to teams receiving votes in the most recent polls. Clemson has lost five of its last seven, with four of those losses having come by four points or less. This meeting is the only one of the regular season between the Terps and Tigers.
• Senior guard Sean Mosley is one point away from becoming the 50th Terrapin in history with 1,000 career points. He is the first to reach the plateau since Landon Milbourne in the 2009-10 season, when Milbourne and Eric Hayes each reached the mark. Mosley will be one of eight players in Maryland history to combine 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists and 120 steals, with the last being current New Orleans Hornets guard Greivis Vasquez.
• Sophomore guard Terrell Stoglin is working on a string of 20 straight games with double figures in points, and a three-game string of games with at least 20 points. He’s hit the 20-point mark 16 times this season, with Maryland being 10-6 in those games. Stoglin is closing on 100 3-pointers in his two-year career and could become only the 16th Terrapin in history with triple figures in “triples.”
• The Terrapins have six games on the road in the month of February, with the matchup Tuesday at Clemson being the second of those six. Maryland lost at Miami in double overtime on 2/1. The Terrapins are 0-4 this season in road games. Dating back to last season, the Terps have dropped eight straight on the road, with their last victory being a 74-63 win at Georgia Tech on 1/30/2011.
  

  Scouting the Tigers

• Clemson is 11-11 and 3-5 in the ACC after a pair of close conference losses last week… The Tigers fell at No.16 Virginia 65-61 last Tuesday and at Virginia Tech 67-65 on Saturday.
• Senior guard Andre Young leads the Tigers in scoring with a 13.6 points-per-game average, and ranks second in the ACC with a 3.1 assist-to-turnover ratio… Young is second on the team in assists (3.4 apg), with Tanner Smith leading the team and tying for third in the conference with 4.0 apg… Smith, a senior guard, is also contributing 11.1 ppg.
• Devin Booker is the third Tiger scoring in double figures, coming into Tuesday’s game averaging 10.9 ppg… Booker is shooting 47.9 percent from the field and leads Clemson with 6.7 rebounds per game…
• Freshman forward KJ McDaniels joins Booker in the frontcourt and is coming off a 14-point, 5-rebound, 5-block performance against Virginia Tech.
  

  Upcoming

  Maryland has back-to-back road games at Clemson (2/7) and Duke (2/11) before coming home to face Boston College on 2/16… Five of Maryland’s final eight games are on the road…

  Maryland has four games remaining against nationally ranked teams, including the 2/11 matchup with Duke, two games (away on 2/18 and home on 3/4) against Virginia and a 2/29 return match at North Carolina.

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (theACC.com) - Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced today the future scheduling formats as approved by the ACC’s Faculty Athletic Representatives and Athletics Directors.

The announcement was made following the annual ACC Winter Meetings and will go in effect once Pittsburgh and Syracuse become playing members in the conference.

“We have been engaged in discussions on the various options for integrating Pitt and Syracuse since early fall,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “It’s a tremendous tribute to the leadership at our schools that we will be able to seamlessly add Pitt and Syracuse at the appropriate time when they become full playing members.”

A breakdown of the future scheduling models include:

Football:
The Atlantic and Coastal divisions will remain the same with Syracuse joining the Atlantic and Pitt joining the Coastal. The current primary crossover partners will remain consistent with Syracuse and Pitt becoming primary crossover partners with each other.

When Pitt and Syracuse join the ACC, the league will play a nine-game conference schedule. The format will consist of each team playing all six in its division each year, plus its primary crossover partner each year and two rotating opponents from the opposite division. This six-year cycle allows each team to play each divisional opponent and its primary crossover partner six times (three home and three away) while also playing each rotating crossover opponent two times (one home and one away).

Men’s and Women’s Basketball:
As previously announced, the ACC will play an 18-game conference schedule beginning in 2012-13.

When Pitt and Syracuse join, each school will have one primary partner (Boston College and Syracuse; Clemson and Georgia Tech; Duke and North Carolina; Florida State and Miami; Maryland and Pitt; NC State and Wake Forest; Virginia and Virginia Tech).

The scheduling model will be based on a three-year cycle during which teams will play every league opponent at least once with the primary partners playing home and away annually while the other 12 rotate in groups of four: one year both home and away; one year at home only; and one year away only. Over the course of the three-year cycle primary partners play a total of six times and all other conference opponents play four times.

The format allows each program to see opponents with more regularity and creates an increase in competitive balance throughout the teams. It was determined that all 14 league members will continue to compete in the ACC Men’s and Women’s Tournaments and a decision on the Tournament formats will be announced at a later date.

Olympic Sports:
All team sports will continue to play each conference team at least once during the regular season. Baseball is the only exception as they currently don’t play all conference opponents.

The league will continue to sponsor an ACC Championship event in all sports. The only exception will be volleyball, which will continue to recognize its champion from regular-season play.

The conference will sponsor an ACC Championship in the sport of gymnastics. There are currently three institutions that sponsor gymnastics (Maryland, North Carolina and NC State) and with the addition of Pitt, the ACC will have four programs, the necessary number in the league’s bylaws to host a conference championship. The ACC previously sponsored a conference championship in gymnastics in 1984.