Keith Booth

As Keith Booth walked through the hallways of Dunbar High School one morning last week, some of the students gawked and others giggled. Many of them rushed up to him with pen and paper for an autograph. One girl even told Booth's mother that she was going to marry her son.Booth, who was visiting the school along with former Dunbar teammate and current Maryland teammate Rodney Elliott, had been honored earlier there with a proclamation from the governor and words of congratulation from the mayor.

Maryland (13-1, 3-0) at N.C. State (8-3, 0-2)Site: Reynolds Coliseum, Raleigh, N.C.Time: 1 p.m.TV/Radio: Chs. 54, 9/WBAL (1090 AM)Outlook: The Terrapins have won two straight and three of the past four on the Wolfpack's home court, including an 86-84 victory last season. In that game, Rodney Elliott had 13 points in 15 minutes and drew a key charge in the final minute. Junior guard Sarunas Jasikevicius has scored 46 points in three ACC games and could figure prominently if the Wolfpack tries to shut down Keith Booth (20.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg)

Maryland (12-1) at North Carolina (9-2)Site: Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.Time: 7TV/Radio: ESPN/WBAL (1090 AM)Outlook: The Terrapins will be trying for their first 3-0 start in the ACC since the 1979-80 season; the Tar Heels will be looking to avoid their first 0-2 start since the same year. History is against Maryland, which hasn't beaten North Carolina in successive trips to Chapel Hill since 1927 and 1930. It likely will be a matchup between the ACC's two top scorers, sophomore Antawn Jamison (22.2)

COLLEGE PARK -- The Maryland Terrapins have spent the season making statements and winning games. They made a few more and won another in yesterday's 78-62 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers at Cole Field House.Most significantly, they proved they could rebound from their first loss after starting the season with a school-record-tying 11 straight wins. But in the course of its second straight Atlantic Coast Conference victory, Maryland demonstrated quite a bit more.The Terrapins showed they have somebody other than Keith Booth to get the offense jump-started.

HONOLULU -- Keith Booth will have a most valuable player trophy as a souvenir of his Christmas trip to Hawaii and the eight-team Rainbow Classic."I'd much rather be taking the championship trophy home," said the Maryland captain, sharing the frustration of his teammates after losing the final early yesterday to unranked Georgia in overtime, 73-65.It ended a season-opening, 11-game winning streak and a chance to set a record for the best start in school history.But the Terps, who forced the extra period on a rebound basket by sophomore center Obinna Ekezie after Booth had fouled out with 26 seconds left in regulation, were out-hustled by the Bulldogs (11-1)

HONOLULU -- Before leaving his home in Philadelphia to begin his new role as Maryland's starting point guard, Terrell Stokes told his parents that he expected the Terps to get off to a great start this season."

COLLEGE PARK -- Their profiles have changed since high school. Where once Keith Booth was considered among the country's blue-chip stars, he is now a blue-collar senior whose coach feels he is unappreciated. Where once Matt Harpring was lightly regarded as a big-time college prospect, he is now an All-American.But certain things about these two forwards are remarkably similar.With the departure of Joe Smith two years ago and four seniors after last season, Maryland is Booth's team. With the backcourt of Stephon Marbury and Drew Barry gone from a team that won last season's Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championship, Georgia Tech is Harpring's.

LANDOVER -- For an early-season game of such little consequence, there was a lot at stake last night for Maryland and George Washington at USAir Arena. The right to claim the title as the best college basketball team in the area. Perhaps even a place in next week's Top 25.And, yes, the championship trophy of the Franklin National Bank Classic.Despite a shaky start in which they fell behind by as many as 12 points, and a few nervous moments in the second half when they couldn't hold an eight-point lead, the Terrapins somehow managed to survive by making enough free throws down the stretch to beat the Colonials, 74-68.