COLLEGE PARK - It was Jan. 24, and the Terrapins couldn't get on the bus fast enough. Maryland had just lost to Duke, 85-44, and was eager to leave behind the Cameron Crazies and the memory of its largest margin of defeat in 65 years.
A month later, the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule has fortuitously provided the Terps (17-9, 6-6 ACC) a shot at redemption.
When No. 7 Duke (22-5, 8-4) arrives tonight at Comcast Center, the Terps will have the chance to avenge an embarrassing, double-digit loss - something Gary Williams-coached teams have managed a number of times in his nearly 20 seasons at Maryland.
The best recent example of a "rebound" game came Saturday night, when the Terps - losers by 108-91 at North Carolina on Feb. 3 - came back to beat the Tar Heels, 88-85, in overtime.
It was hardly the first time a Williams team had atoned for an embarrassing loss.
In the first half of the 1999-2000 season, the Terrapins lost to North Carolina State, Duke, Georgia Tech and North Carolina. Then Maryland beat every one of them.
"If you lose the first game, sure, you'd like another shot," Williams said yesterday. "That doesn't mean you're going to win the game because they know they beat you the first game so they have some confidence coming in."
Maryland is the only ACC school with home-and-home series this season against North Carolina and Duke, both ranked in the top 10. The scheduling could play in Maryland's favor, because the Terps need wins against quality teams to improve their credentials for an NCAA tournament berth.
There appear to be a number of factors in Maryland's second-time-around success.
* Teams evolve and mature. Williams said yesterday that the Terps have improved since the first Duke game. Guard Greivis Vasquez, who shot 2-for-10 and scored four points at Cameron Indoor Stadium, is coming off a career-high 35 points and a triple double against North Carolina. Cliff Tucker, who scored two points at Duke, has emerged as enough of a scoring threat to take some of the pressure off Vasquez and Landon Milbourne.
Maryland has dropped guard Eric Hayes from the starting lineup and added freshman Sean Mosley.
Duke has shuffled its lineup, too, inserting a big guard - 6-foot-4 freshman Elliot Williams - who can give opponents matchup problems. "They're playing a little differently," Williams said.
