SETTING THE STAGE: Towson and James Madison will be playing for the second time in just two weeks as both squads close out their regular season Saturday. The Dukes narrowly escaped with a 58-56 win at the Towson Center on Feb. 11, but they’ve lost three straight since that contest. Towson, which narrowly fell to Delaware on senior day Wednesday, will be looking to pick up its first road win of the season. Tip time is set for 4 p.m. and the game can be heard live on WNST-AM (1570).

LAST TIME OUT: Senior forward Robert Nwankwo registered his 14th double-double of the season and freshman guard Kris Walden netted a career-high 18 points, but it wasn’t enough as the visiting Delaware Blue Hens avoided Towson’s upset bid with a 76-69 victory over the Tigers Wednesday on senior night. Nwankwo, who tallied 12 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds, has now posted double-doubles in 10 of his last 13 games. Tiger sophomore Marcus Damas reached the 20-point plateau for the third time this season as the forward netted a team-high 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting.

SCOUTING THE DUKES: James Madison is paced by scoring duo A.J. Davis and Humpty Hitchens. Davis ranks fourth in the CAA averaging 16.4 points per game while Hitchens is close behind in sixth averaging 15.3 points a contest. Hitchens also leads all league players with 79 three-point field goals and he’s fourth in the conference averaging 3.9 assists per game. Along with Hitchens, guard Andrey Semenov is key to JMU’s three-point attack as he shoots 44.6 percent from beyond the arc, a mark that ranks second in the CAA.

WHERE ROB RANKS: Towson senior Robert Nwankwo is quickly moving up both the Towson and CAA record books. After his stellar performance Wednesday, the forward is now just 14 rebounds shy of passing Lawrence Hamm (2002-06) for fourth all-time in Towson history in rebounding. Nwankwo also sits just eight rejections away from moving by Pat McKinley (1973-77) for second all-time in the Towson record books for blocked shots. With 221 career blocked shots, Nwankwo currently places seventh all-time in CAA history having just past Old Dominion’s Cal Bowdler on Wednesday. Nwankwo also has a chance to become Towson’s all-time leader in games played. Entering Saturday’s contest, the senior has played in 117 career games, trailing only Rocky Coleman, who played in 119 games from 2005-09.

OFFENSE IGNITED: Towson scored a season-high 69 points against Delaware on Wednesday. The Tigers shot an impressive 47.1 percent from the field in the second half and their 44-point second stanza was the most points scored in any half this season for Towson. The Tigers’ previous season-high for a game was 66 points in a Jan. 28 win over UNC Wilmington and previous season-high for points in a half was 39 against UNC Greensboro.

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.)

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Virginia’s Mike Scott has been named ACC Player of the Week and Maryland’s Alex Len was selected ACC Rookie of the Week.

In earning Player of the Week honors for the third time in four weeks, Scott averaged 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in leading the 21st-ranked Cavaliers to wins at LSU and home against Miami. The Chesapeake, Va., senior was 14-for-29 (48.3 percent) from the field in the two games and made seven of his nine free throw attempts (77.8 percent). Scott had 12 points and nine rebounds in Monday’s 57-52 win at LSU, snapping the Tigers’ seven-game winning streak. In Saturday’s 52-51 win over Miami, Scott had 23 points and eight rebounds.

Len averaged 13.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in two games as Maryland split two games.  The Antratsit, Ukraine, native had a double-double in his first career ACC game, with 12 points and 11 rebounds and two blocked shots in a 79-74 loss at NC State. Earlier in the week, Len had 15 points and nine rebounds, going 5-for-5 from the floor, in a 70-62 win over Cornell on Tuesday. In his four games this season, Len is shooting 76.9 from the floor (20-for-26), while averaging 13.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game.

ACC

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Maryland’s Terrell Stoglin has been named ACC Player of the Week while Miami’s Shane Larkin earned ACC Rookie honors following their outstanding performances this past week.

Stoglin averaged 28.0 points and 4.0 rebounds as Maryland split a pair of games. The Tucson, Ariz., native opened the week with a 25-point, three-rebound effort in a 71-62 loss to Illinois. In Sunday’s 78-71 win over Notre Dame, Stoglin poured a game-high 31 points, hitting on 11-of-20 from the floor and pulling down five rebounds. The ACC’s leading scorer (22.4) on the year, Stoglin, shot .514 (19-for-37) from the floor in the two games, including 7-for-13 from behind the arc.

In Miami’s two games this past week, Larkin averaged 15.0 points, 2.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds. The Orlando, Fla., native was 9-of-18 from the floor (.500), including 6-of-7 (.857) from 3-point range and 6-of-6 (1.000) from the free throw line. Larkin had 16 points and two assists in Tuesday’s 76-65 loss at Purdue and 14 points and four rebounds in Saturday’s 83-75 win over Massachusetts.

ACC

Two Terps Earn All-ACC Honors

Vellano a first-team choice, Hartsfield secures honorable mention nod

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Maryland’s Joe Vellano and Demetrius Hartsfield were voted to the 2011 All-ACC football team in an announcement Monday by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA).

Vellano was a first-team choice along the defensive line, while Hartsfield earned an honorable-mention nod at linebacker.

Vellano, a 2010 second team all-conference selection, posted 94 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries this season. The junior from Rexford, N.Y., leads the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in tackles by a defensive lineman (7.8 per game).

He’s the first Maryland defensive tackle to earn first team all-league honors since Dre Moore in 2007, and just the fourth Terp (Randy Starks – 2003; Delbert Cowsette – 1999) in the last 21 years to earn that distinction.

Vellano’s father, Joe, was a first team All-ACC defensive tackle with the Terps in 1972 and 1973.

Hartsfield led the team (108) and ranks second in the ACC and fifth in the FBS (12.0 per game) in tackles despite missing three games due to injury. The junior from Raleigh, N.C., also had one sack, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery.

Hartsfield’s inclusion marks the 11th straight season the Terps have placed a linebacker on either the first, second or honorable mention squad.

Virginia Tech running back David Wilson and Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly were unanimous first-team selections by 45 voting members of the ACSMA.

For the complete release and to view the first, second and honorable mention all-league teams, go to: http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112811aae.html

TOWSON, Md. - After starting the season with four games away from home, the Tigers are set to open up their home slate Saturday against Pac-12 foe Oregon State on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. The game can be seen nationally on ESPN3.

Scott Garceau will handle play-by-play duties for ESPN3 while Towson coaching legend Vince Angotti will provide the color commentary. 

Under first-year head coach Pat Skerry, Towson has played the 15th toughest non-conference schedule in the country thus far, facing off against No. 13 Kansas, No. 17 Michigan, Belmont and UNC Greensboro. Including Oregon State, the Tigers have opened the season against four squads ranked in the top 100 of the RPI in just five games played.

Oregon State enters the weekend 4-1 after dropping a hard-fought battle to No. 18 Vanderbilt, 64-62, in the championship game of the TicketCity Legends Classic in New Jersey.

The Beavers are led by Jared Cunningham‘s 22.6 points per game. Sophomore forward Devon Collier registered a game-high 19 points in their loss to the Commodores Monday.

The Tigers are paced by Robert Nwankwo’s 13.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest. The senior forward is coming off a season-high 17 point performance against UNC Greensboro and he’s recorded a pair of double-doubles this season, both coming against nationally-ranked opponents.

Towson has won five straight home openers.

Tigers Take on Belmont in “Maui on the Mainland”

Robert Nwankwo Leads Towson Averaging 15 Points & 10 Rebounds Per Game

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Towson will continue its extremely tough non-conference schedule Saturday, Nov. 19 as the Tigers take on Belmont in the opening round of the “Maui on the Mainland” Tournament being held on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University.

Towson and Belmont, which is receiving votes in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, will tip off at 2:30 p.m. from the Murphy Center. That game will be followed by Middle Tennessee State taking on UNC Greensboro. The winners will face off in the championship game on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. while the losers will play in the consolation game at 1:00 p.m.

Both Towson (0-2) and Belmont (0-2) have faced all nationally-ranked opponents thus far. The Tigers fell at No. 13 Kansas and at No. 17 Michigan to open the Pat Skerry era while Belmont fell by just one at No. 6 Duke before losing at No. 10 Memphis Tuesday.

The Tigers are led by senior forward Robert Nwankwo, who has started the season off by recording consecutive double-doubles against the Jayhawks and Wolverines. He enters the weekend averaging team-highs of 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Belmont is led by sophomore guard JJ Mann and senior forward Mick Hedgepeth. Mann has averaged 15 points per game while Hedgepeth has pulled down 7.5 rebounds per contest through the Bruins’ first two outings.

Saturday will be the first all-time meeting between the squads.

Honorable Mention: Mixed Martial Arts-UFC 139: Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Dan Henderson (Saturday 9pm from San Jose, CA live on Pay-Per-View), Strikeforce Antwain Britt vs. Lumumba Sayers (Friday 11pm from Las Vegas live on Showtime), Bellator Fighting Championships 58 (Saturday 7pm from Hollywood, FL live on MTV2); Soccer: Team USA @ Slovenia (Tuesday 12pm from Ljubljana, Slovenia live on ESPN2/ESPN3.com); MLS Cup: Houston Dynamo @ Los Angeles Galaxy (Sunday 9pm from Carson, CA live on ESPN); College Soccer: NCAA Tournament-Xavier/West Virginia @ Maryland (Sunday 5pm Ludwig Field); High School Soccer: MPSSAA Boys & Girls Finals (Thursday-Saturday UMBC Stadium); Boxing: Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. vs. Peter Manfredo (Saturday 10:30pm from Houston live on HBO); Women’s College Basketball: Towson @ Maryland (Wednesday 7pm Comcast Center), Maryland @ UMBC (Saturday 7pm RAC Arena); High School Football: MPSSAA Regional Finals-4A North Catonsville @ Poly (Friday 7pm), 3A North Aberdeen @ North Harford (Friday 7pm), 2A North Chesapeake-Baltimore County @ Edmondson (Saturday 4pm Poly HS), 1A South Surrattsville @ Dunbar (Saturday 1pm Poly HS), 1A North New Town @ Overlea (Friday 7pm CCBC-Essex), 1A East Cambridge @ Perryville (Friday 7pm); College Field Hockey: Final Four-Maryland vs. Old Dominion (Friday 4:30pm from Louisville, KY live on NCAA.com), NCAA Championship Game (Sunday 12pm from Louisville, KY live on NCAA.com); Canadian Football League Playoffs: Eastern Conference Finals-Hamilton Tiger-Cats @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Sunday 1pm from Winnipeg live on ESPN3.com), Western Conference Finals-Edmonton Eskimos @ BC Lions (Sunday 4:30pm from Vancouver live on ESPN3.com)

10. Hank3 (Wednesday 7pm Rams Head Live), Airborne Toxic Event (Thursday 7:30pm Rams Head Live), Brett Dennen (Friday 7pm Rams Head Live), Robert Randolph and the Family Band (Saturday 7pm Rams Head Live), Five Finger Death Punch (Monday 6:30pm Rams Head Live); Chris Robinson Brotherhood (Tuesday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); Bob Schneider (Sunday 8:30pm Rams Head On Stage); Owl City (Wednesday 5:30pm 9:30 Club), Mike Doughty and His Band Fantastic (Thursday 7pm 9:30 Club), The Kooks (Sunday 7pm 9:30 Club); Ray Davies (Tuesday 7pm Fillmore Silver Spring), Kid Rock (Wednesday 8:30pm Fillmore Silver Spring), LMFAO (Thursday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring), Warren Haynes (Saturday 7pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Straight No Chaser (Saturday 8pm Meyerhoff Symphony Hall); Drake “Take Care” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

I start with Brett Dennen, whose tune “Comeback Kid (That’s My Dog)” I play regularly on “The Reality Check”-a fine radio program that airs Monday-Friday 2-6pm on AM1570 WNST.net. You should really be listening…

Then there’s Robert Randolph. Holy hell I have no idea how many times I could possibly post this video. It’s just…it’s just…it’s just amazing.

Bob Schneider’s “Honeypot” is one of the most underrated songs of 2011…

Does the Chris Robinson Brotherhood play Black Crowes songs? I’ll bring my lighter…

9. Cirque du Soleil Quidam (Thursday-Sunday Verizon Center); Russell Brand (Thursday 8pm Patriot Center); Tony Rock (Thursday-Saturday Magooby’s Joke House); Bob Marley (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); “Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tide” available on DVD/Blu-Ray (Tuesday)

Instead of Russell Brand doing stand-up in Fairfax, is there any chance we could get a concert featuring Aldous Snow and Infant Sorrow???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t6beljyjyA

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