Illini

COLLEGE PARK - They were quicker, more aggressive, more inspired, and the Maryland Terrapins were not about to let their precious home-court advantage go to waste. No. 5 Maryland made a memorable, early-season statement at sold-out Cole Field House last night by taking control of No. 2 Illinois in the first half, leading for the final 30 minutes, and wearing out the Fighting Illini, 76-63, in the opening game of the third ACC/Big Ten Challenge. In what was their most impressive effort of a young season, Maryland (4-1)

COLLEGE PARK -- The calendar has yet to reach December, yet the steamy air at sold-out Cole Field House will feel like March tonight. It is time for the No. 5 Maryland Terrapins to receive another early-season progress report, and No. 2 Illinois will be administering the test. Talk about a great way to launch the third annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Maryland (3-1), owner of three straight victories and the nation's longest nonconference home-court winning streak at 79, will measure itself against a deep, seasoned Illinois squad (5-0)

Maryland will open its men's basketball season Nov. 8 against Arizona, last season's NCAA tournament runner-up. Maryland's schedule, released yesterday, includes 15 home games for the Terps' final season at Cole Field House. For the 2002-03 season, Maryland will move into the new Comcast Center. The game against Arizona, which lost to Duke at the Final Four after the Blue Devils had defeated the Terps in the semifinals, comes in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York.

SAN ANTONIO - A fatigued Frank Williams and a sweaty Bill Self were walking off the court Friday night after Illinois rumbled past Kansas, 80-64, when Self, the Illini coach, reached across and patted Williams on the back. Then Self put his arm around Williams and whispered something to him. Self did not hug Williams, but he could have and should have. Williams was the primary reason that top-seeded Illinois won and advanced to today's Midwest Regional final to play second-seeded Arizona, which stopped Mississippi, 66-56.

LAHAINA, Hawaii - The Maryland Terrapins knew they would be in for a brawl with eighth-ranked Illinois last night. What the No. 6 Terps did not count on was suffering such a decisive knockout in the trenches, despite having what they feel is one of the nation's premier front lines. The Fighting Illini got a huge offensive boost early in the second half from point guard Frank Williams, then protected their lead by beating up Maryland on the boards the rest of the way, as Illinois dealt the Terps a 90-80 setback in the Maui Invitational semifinals before 2,500 at the Lahaina Civic Center.

WASHINGTON -- Gary Williams has been coaching up-tempo since he took over at Woodrow Wilson High in Camden, N.J., in 1970. His philosophy since then has been press and run, but yesterday a malleable Maryland team applied the brakes and pulled out a 69-67 conquest of No. 16 Illinois.Juan Dixon's pull-up 12-foot jumper from the right baseline with 6.3 seconds left before 13,536 at MCI Center gave the Terps their semifinal win at the BB&T Classic. No. 24 Maryland will play in its fourth straight BB&T championship game tonight at approximately 9 against George Washington, a 72-63 winner over Seton Hall.

When Illinois point guard Frank Williams goes head-to-head with Maryland's Steve Blake tomorrow, they couldn't be further apart.It's a matchup of freshmen who share the same role but little else.While Blake has already found his niche, Williams had to sit last year for academic reasons, then play his way back to the bench by the third game this season.The headliner of the Fighting Illini's three incoming McDonald's All-Americans, Williams was given the driver's seat in an Illinois offense in dire need of a tuneup.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Next up for Maryland is the All-American backcourt of Arizona's Mike Bibby and Miles Simon, and being shortchanged in comparisons is nothing new for the Terps' Terrell Stokes and Sarunas Jasikevicius.In the first round of the NCAA tournament, Maryland beat a guard-oriented Utah State team. In the second round yesterday, the Terps were up against one of the best backcourts in the Big Ten, and Jasikevicius and Stokes outscored Illinois' Kevin Turner and Matt Heldman, 30-19.