Obinna Ekezie

Site: Cole Field HouseTime: 8 tonightTickets: $15 and $10 at the doorParking: FreeOutlook: This high school all-star basketball game between the Capital All-Stars and the U.S. All-Stars will give Maryland fans a first glimpse of the Terrapins' two signees -- 6-foot-6 swingman Laron Profit of Caesar Rodney in Camden, Del., and 6-10, 270-pound center Obinna Ekezie of Worcester (Mass.) Academy, both of whom will play for the U.S. All-Stars. Most of the eyes should be on Ekezie, who could be playing a major role next season if All-American center Joe Smith decides to leave Maryland for the NBA. Two players Maryland is recruiting from Philadelphia -- 6-10 center Lari Ketner (Roman Catholic)

Coach: Gary Williams (329-218), eighth seasonAffiliation: Atlantic Coast Conference1995-96 record: 17-13 overall, 8-8 in ACC (lost to Santa Clara in first round of NCAA tournament)Radio: WBAL (1090 AM), WTOP (1500 AM)Arena: Cole Field House, College Park (14,500)Starters lost: ThreeTickets: A limited number are available for selected home games. Call (800) 462-TERP.Best home game: North Carolina, Feb. 22. Terps will look to avenge last year's last-second defeat.Best visiting player: Tim Duncan, Wake Forest, Feb. 1. Demon Deacons center is preseason national Player of the Year.

In the most ideal scenario, all four of his former players would have heard their names called on NBA draft night at Madison Square Garden. But University of Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams gladly settled for the next-best thing. And it still marked the best draft he has ever enjoyed during 13 seasons in College Park, coming on the heels of the Terrapins' first-ever national championship. Sophomore power forward Chris Wilcox (Los Angeles Clippers), senior shooting guard Juan Dixon (Washington Wizards)

COLLEGE PARK -- Rodney Elliott, who has had to pick his spots of late with Maryland's basketball team, picked a big one yesterday when the Terps needed it most.Elliott scored 15 points in a 13-minute stretch when he spelled starting center Obinna Ekezie. His performance helped the Terps rout Missouri, 91-72, at Cole Field House."I think this is a big breakthrough game for Rodney," Maryland coach Gary Williams said of the 6-foot-8 sophomore from Baltimore's Dunbar High."He hasn't played much, and to come in and do what he did today was outstanding."

Hofstra (6-10, 3-5) atTowson State (4-11, 1-7)Site: Towson CenterTime: 7: 30Outlook: The teams are tied for last place in America East. The Tigers lost at New Hampshire in overtime Saturday, 72-71, their third consecutive defeat, and sixth in seven games. Junior F Ralph Biggs is third in the conference in scoring at 18.4 ppg. Hofstra lost to Drexel, 64-61, Saturday. Freshman G Craig Claxton was the conference's Rookie of the Week, averaging 18.3 points and 5.7 assists in three games. The teams split two games last season, each winning big on the road.

The week in reviewResultsWon at Georgia Tech, 91-60, SundayWon at Cole over Clemson, 77-60, WednesdayWho's hotSteve Francis is on fire. The junior guard connected on 21 of 27 shots in the two wins, and they weren't all transition dunks, either. He hit six of nine three-pointers.Who's notMike Mardesich. The backup center continues to have trouble finishing, as a 2-for-9 week dropped his field goal percentage to .373, a liability for a big man.Quotable "Since Obinna [Ekezie] went down, our guys off the bench have stepped up and kept our defense going."

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Add another frustrating chapter to the University of Maryland's history in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.The winningest Terrapins team ever had its season stopped by St. John's, 76-62, in the semifinals of the South Regional at Thompson-Boling Arena last night. The Red Storm, and not the Terps, will meet Auburn or Ohio State in the South final tomorrow, with the winner moving on to the Final Four next week at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.The site of the national championship became the stated goal of Maryland last summer, when junior-college transfer Steve Francis arrived on campus to complement several returning starters and expectations soared.

Baseball Brewers: Named Wendell Kim manager of Triple-A Indianapolis. Cubs: Named Brad Mills major-league advance scout. Marlins: Assigned the contract of P Nelson Lara outright to Triple-A Calgary. Basketball Clippers: Waived F Obinna Ekezie. Activated F Brian Skinner from the injured list. Pistons: Activated G Dana Barros from the injured list. Spurs: Placed F Samaki Walker on the injured list. Activated C Shawnelle Scott from the injured list. Colleges Missouri: Announced C Pat Schumacher has left the men's basketball team and will leave the university at the end of the semester.

What: First round, NCAA Southeast RegionalWhere: The Pyramid, Memphis, Tenn.When: Tonight, 7: 50TV/Radio: Chs, 13, 9/WBAL (1090 AM), WTOP (1500 AM)How they got here: Maryland received an at-large bid; College of Charleston was the Trans America Athletic Conference champion.Conference record: Maryland 9-7; College of Charleston 18-0Ranking: Maryland 22nd; College of Charleston 16thNCAA tournament record: Maryland 17-13; College of Charleston 0-1Coaches: Gary Williams (eighth year at Maryland, 143-100; 19th year overall, 350-228)

COLLEGE PARK -- Before a national audience at the McDonald's All-American basketball game in St. Louis two weeks ago, Louis Bullock probably had his worst shooting performance, hitting only one of nine from the field.But Bullock, a 6-foot-2 guard from Laurel Baptist and Maryland's top high school boys player, didn't disappoint a crowd of 11,828 at Cole Field House on Thursday night for the 22nd Capital Classic, scoring a record 40 points for the Capital All-Stars, which lost to the U.S. All-Stars, 124-121, in overtime.