Minnesota

COLLEGE PARK -- Maryland coach Gary Williams has said repeatedly this year that each team takes on its own identity. This squad apparently has two - one for each half. For the fourth time this season, Maryland had to pull itself out of a first-half deficit that resulted from a sluggish start. After trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half last night against Minnesota, the Terps came out of the locker room and started a 15-1 run en route to an 83-66 win over the Golden Gophers in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge before 17,950 at Comcast Center.

The Ravens will once again tap their Minnesota Vikings pipeline. In an effort to shore up a suspect running game, the Ravens are expected to sign Moe Williams as early as today. A long-time backup in Minnesota, he will be given the chance to battle Terry Allen for the starting running back job. Williams, 27, would be the fifth former Viking to join the Ravens' present roster, joining Allen, receiver Qadry Ismail, quarterback Randall Cunningham and fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo. Ravens coach Brian Billick has ties with all those players from his days as Minnesota's offensive coordinator.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Their star player was bothered by one of his worst shooting games of the season and was hampered by cramps in both legs. Their vaunted pressure defense seemed on the verge of being broken by Minnesota guard Bobby Jackson.Kentucky wobbled a bit last night in the second half of its NCAA tournament semifinal game against the Gophers at the RCA Dome, but the reigning national champion never fell. While Ron Mercer never found his stroke or his legs, the rest of the Wildcats found both in a 78-69 victory.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Fishes and loaves will have to wait until next week. It was enough for the Minnesota Vikings to spring an upset for the ages in the NFL playoffs yesterday.Winless in four previous playoff games under embattled coach Dennis Green, the Vikings scored 10 points in the final 90 seconds to shock the New York Giants, 23-22, in an NFC wild-card game at Giants Stadium.Eddie Murray's 24-yard field goal with 10 seconds left earned Minnesota (10-7) its first playoff win since 1988 and a second-round date next Saturday in San Francisco against the 49ers.

This is where Randall Cunningham's experience comes in. And it has nothing to do with his ability on the field, where Cunningham has played in 159 games in his 16-year career. It is about Cunningham using the professionalism drawn from such a long haul to help defuse a potentially nasty situation off the field. Cunningham is entangled in the most hotly debated topic surrounding the Ravens: whether he should start Sunday's game at Jacksonville instead of struggling quarterback Elvis Grbac.

SAN ANTONIO -- There was little to distinguish top-seeded Minnesota from fourth-seeded Clemson in last night's NCAA Midwest Regional semifinal at the Alamodome. Both teams played bone-crunching defense. Both teams went through streaks when they couldn't seem to miss -- or make -- their shots.But when the game and their respective seasons hung in the balance, the difference was Bobby Jackson.After shooting the Gophers to a pair of 15-point leads in the first half, then watching the Tigers claw their way back to force overtime, Jackson's will proved stronger than Clemson's muscle.

Conference semifinals(Best of seven) Eastern Conference Ottawa vs. Philadelphia (Ottawa wins series, 4-2) New Jersey vs. Tampa Bay (New Jersey wins series, 4-1) Western Conference Dallas vs. Anaheim (Anaheim wins series, 4-2) Minnesota vs. Vancouver (Minnesota wins series, 4-3) Game 1-Vancouver 4, Minnesota 3, OT Game 2-Minnesota 3, Vancouver 2 Game 3-Vancouver 3, Minnesota 2 Game 4-Vancouver 3, Minnesota 2, OT Game 5-Minnesota 7, Vancouver 2 Game 6-Minnesota 5, Vancouver 1 Last night-Minnesota 4, Vancouver 2 Conference finals (Best of seven; *-if necessary)

Yesterday's scores Minnesota 7, Oakland 5 (Minnesota leads series 1-0) New York 8, Anaheim 5 (New York leads series 1-0) St. Louis at Arizona (Series opener) Today's games San Francisco at Atlanta, 1:06 p.m., ABC Family Minnesota at Oakland, 4:06 p.m., ABC Family Anaheim at New York, 8:17 p.m., chs. 45, 5

Rosters for the AFC and NFC teams in the 1991 NFL Pro Bowl, to be played in Honolulu on Feb. 2 (x-starter; r-rookie):AFCOffenseQuarterbacks: x-Warren Moon, Houston; Jim Kelly, Buffalo.Running backs: x-Thurman Thomas, Buffalo; x-Marion Butts, San Diego; Bobby Humphrey, Denver; Bo Jackson, L.A. Raiders.Wide receivers: x-Andre Reed, Buffalo; x-Anthony Miller, San Diego; Drew Hill, Houston; Ernest Givins, Houston.Tight ends: x-Rodney Holman, Cincinnati; Ferrell Edmunds, Miami.Guards: x-Bruce Matthews, Houston; x-Mike Munchak, Houston;Steve Wisniewski, L.A. Raiders.

The 15 finalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced yesterday:Dan Dierdorf, OL, St. Louis; Tony Dorsett, RB, Dallas/Denver; Carl Eller, DL, Minnesota/Seattle; Bud Grant, head coach, Minnesota; Jimmy Johnson, DB, San Francisco; Charlie Joiner, WR, Houston/Cincinnati/San Diego.Leroy Kelly, RB, Cleveland; Paul Krause, DB, Washington/Minnesota; Tom Mack, OL, Minnesota; Mel Renfro, CB, Dallas; Jackie Smith, TE, St. Louis/Dallas; John Stallworth, WR, Pittsburgh; Lynn Swann, WR, Pittsburgh; Randy White, OL, Dallas; Kellen Winslow , TE, San Diego.