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12 Friday, November 9, 2001 Experienced Terrapins Now Final 4 Insiders By Curt Kendall Staff Writer This season, Maryland hopes to pro duce a sequel to its first Final Four appearance in school history. With four returning starters from last year’s original cast, the Terrapins are poised to put on a good second showing. But Terps coach Gary Williams does n’t put much stock in any critics’ reviews. “You prove yourself every year," Williams said. “You hope you’re as good as people say you are, but you have to go play people.” Maryland’s offense, which ranked third in the nation last year with 85.2 points per game, will rely on many of the same weapons this season. The Terrapins (25-11, 10-6 in the ACC last season) return leading scorers and All-ACC performers Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter, as well as junior guard Stephen Blake, who led the con ference in assists a year ago. While Dixon, who averaged 18.2 points per game, attacks from the perimeter, Baxter will provide scoring from the low post. “They feed off each other," Williams said. “They really help each other, one inside and one outside." Baxter, an agile 6-foot-8, 260-pound center, will provide a physical defensive presence in the paint. The senior aver aged 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game last year. The duo must shine if Maryland is to make a run in the Big Dance. The loss of Terrence Morris and Danny Miller will weaken the frontcourt, but the Terrapins still have experience Fml* Tx-Moi it> IMortk C^rolihik? ARMADILLO GRILL Hoh\TNX<J TortilUs, ElNckiUdikS, Frsk SiJsAS, And hr>or<! Coh% ty tk Upstairs Bak for u/kly SpciAls! TV’s Upstxirs! Pxtio Ext -it> or Cxrry-out. 120 E. MAIN STREET CARRBORO 929-4669 ' — * v The White House/ PlO\A/. 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Maryland guard Juan Dixon was an All-ACC guard last year after averaging 18.2 points per game. “Basically, we lose one starter out of the rotation," Baxter said. “We’re basical ly the same team. Tahj Holden is going to have to step in and Chris Wilcox, too.” Williams will rely on Drew Nicholas as his sixth man. Nicholas, a versatile junior, can play either guard position or small forward. He also adds a 3-point threat off the bench. Maryland will perform in Cole Field House for one more season before mov ing to the new Comcast Center next year. Maryland is hoping to duplicate and improve on its four instant classics and three losses against Duke, the team that eliminated Maryland from both the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. The Terrapins have their eyes set on at least two more showdowns with the Blue Devils this season. “It’s a great rivalry," Dixon said. “(The Blue Devils) believes that they can win the national championship every year. If we believe that, we can get back to the Final Four and go a Me further.” Basketball 2001-02 N.C. State Freshmen Lead Revival Herb Sendek has struggled to build a strong program and needs help from his celebrated freshman class. By Randy Wellington Staff Writer For Herb Sendek, the 2001-02 season is his sixth at N.C. State. Without an NCAA Tournament berth this year, it will most likely be his last. Recruiting has not been Sendek’s problem. This year’s class, rated No. 1 in the ACC by prepstars.com, proves that, but his results on the court have been paltry. His record at N.C. State stands at 86-74. Last season, the Wolfpack finished a mediocre 13-16 overall and 5-11 in the ACC, breaking a streak of four consec utive trips to the Litde Dance, the National Invitational Tournament. This year, though, the Wolfpack has a Seminoles Look to Sneak Up on ACC By Brandon Coward Staff Writer Underdogs. Florida State’s men’s basketball pro gram is slated to finish just above Clemson in the ACC basement this year. It’s a good thing, then, that Honda State (9-21,4-12 in the ACC last year) is mosdy the same team of underdogs that upset NCAA tourney semifinalist Maryland last gj m distincdy different look from the large, bruising teams of Sendek’s first five years in Raleigh. “One of the most engaging aspects of our team right now is our position-less nature,” Sendek said. “We have a lot of guys who are interchangeable and versatile." Fitting into that N.C. State coach Herb Sendek led the Wolfpack to four straight NIT appearances before last season. versatile mode is prized recruit Julius Hodge, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Bronx, N.Y., rated among the top 25 in the nation by most recruiting publications. Two freshmen from Maryland, both ranked among the top 100 in the nation, figure to see significant playing time this year: Jordan Collins, a 6-10 center, and Levi Watkins, and a 6-7 junior. season. That upset changed the doubts of many and has people wondering about the capabilities of this year’s squad. “I think we made the plays and kept making plays the entire game, and then we got stops on the defensive end, and we just kind of hung in there Florida State guard Delvon Arrington led the Seminoles in scoring, assists, steals and minutes played last year. and got it done,” Florida State coach Steve Robinson said. “I think we played good basketball down the stretch of the season.” A vital part of last year’s team will return this year in the form of senior guard Delvon Arrington. It’s hardly a memory that he came close to not mak ing it into college. Four years ago, Arrington found his niche playing basketball, but a diag- HASH Papa John's Pizza Now Accepts UNC OneCard Better Ingredients Better Pizza Better ingredients Better Pizza Better Ingredients Better Pizza Better Ingredients 4- UNC OneCard = Better Pizza Better ingredients Better Pizza Better ingredients Better Pizza Better ingredients Better Pizza HOURS Pdpd John's Pizza Mon-Wed 10am-2am ® Thurs-Sat 10am-3am 932-7575 Sunday 11 am-1 am Better Ingredients Better Pizza Better Ingredients Better Pizza Better Ingredients Better Pizza [carry Out Speciall f UNC Special 1 f UNC Special *1 I*l 1 * 1 Big Papa J FREE order of ! late night special 16", 2 topping Pizza ! ■ .. , , lL * J small 2-topping I I breadsticks with any I I w/ 20 oz. soft drink I ! 1 ! purchase of a pizza at J J aa ■w + tax J J regular price. J j *** j I Expires 12/17/01 I I Expires 12/17/01. I I Expires 12/17/01. * Not valid with any other offer. * * Not valid with any other offer. * * Not valid with any other offer. * (Valid only at participating loca- I 1 Valid only at participating loca- I I Valid only at participating loca- I tions. Customer pays all applica- * I tions. Customer pays all applica- ■ * tions. Customer pays all applica- I Ible sales tax Additional toppings 1 | ble sales tax. Additional toppings I I ble sales tax. Additional toppings I extra. Good for carry-out or deliv- 1 | extra. Good for carry-out or deliv- I I extra. Good for carry-out or deliv- I Limited delivery area. Limited delivery area. Limited delivery area. Better Ingredients Better Pizza Better Ingredients Better Pizza Better Ingredients Better Pizza The fourth jewel in the class is Ilian Evtimov, a 6-7 forward from Winston- Salem, brother of former North Carolina forward Vasco Evtimov. In the Red-White scrimmage on Oct. 27, Hodge scored 15 points on 6-for-12 shooting. He also scored on a layup with 1.1 seconds left to give his Red team a 44-42 victory. Watkins, too, was effective, scoring 12 points on 5-6 shooting. Collins and Evtimov both scored four points. The scrimmage was the showcase for the Wolfpack’s new motion offense, cre ated to utilize the quickness of players like sophomore guard Scooter Sherrill, who led all scorers with 16 points. Other returning contributors are sophomore Clifford Crawford (77 ppg last season) and last year’s leading scor er, Anthony Grundy (14.6 ppg), who as one of only two returning seniors, likes the way the freshmen have started the season. “They’re willing to learn, they’re all nosed mental handicap held him back from the grade point average and col lege entrance exam scores he needed to play. Some doubted he would survive academically at the college level. Arrington should prove all his doubters wrong. He’s scheduled to grad uate on time while shining on the court for the Seminoles. “It’s almost like with Delvon it is a rea son to celebrate,” Robinson said. “Here’s a guy that since he’s been at Horida State, every time he comes on television they say ‘Delvon Arrington, a partial qualifier.’ He’s shown the initiative, and he’s proven some people wrong.” Arrington is not the only Seminole who has had to overcome obstacles. Six foot-10, 350-pound Nigel Dixon has lopped off significant pounds in prepa ration for a larger role on the court. “He’s improved so much. He’s lost weight; he’s lost like 80-90 pounds,” Arrington said. “He’s been moving great laterally. He’s very light on his feet, and I think he’s going to be able to help us by getting up and down the court and pro ducing more minutes for us and really 2% Sally ffiar Utrl willing to put in the extra effort," Grundy said, “And surprisingly, all of them have stood out and showed great skill and composure and the ability to leam quickly.” The other senior is Archie Miller, a 5-10 guard who is a proponent of Sendek. “There’s not a guy who works harder, there’s not a guy who wants to win more, a guy who does things the right way,” Miller said. “He’s a straight-arrow guy. He deserves it” In a league that lacks strong con tenders after Duke and Maryland, N.C. State has a chance to land a fifth place finish this season, an ending that would most likely bring the team and Sendek their main goal: an NCAA Tournament bid. “I think everybody who follows the Wolfpack is anxious for us to go to the NCAA Tournament,” Sendek said. If they don’t, expect those same fol lowers to be anxious for Sendek to leave town. putting a lot of pressure on the big men.” Playing around Dixon this year will likely be juniors Mike Matthews and Trevor Harvey. Both players will have to step up and make their presences felt in the middle for Horida State to be suc cessful. Another key for the Seminoles will be the development of freshmen Adrian McPherson -a two-sport star in the mold of former FSU star Charlie Ward -and Anthony Richardson. “I just tell (FSU football) to keep him healthy, and Adrian’s going to have an opportunity to be a two-sport player,” Robinson said. “And that’s something we have to wait and see when he will make the transition back to college basketball.” As for Richardson, Robinson hopes he will come in and make an impact but wants to give him some time to adapt to college basketball without too much pressure. “I expect him to come in and be typical of your freshman,” Robinson said. “I think we have to be patient with him and under stand that he’s not going to be the guy that has to shoulder all of it by himself.”
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Nov. 9, 2001, edition 1
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