1998–99 Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team

The 1998–99 Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represented the University of Maryland in the 1998–1999 college basketball season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The team was led by head coach Gary Williams and played their home games at the Cole Field House. Ranked as high as #2 in the AP and Coaches' polls, the team finished 28–6, 13–3 in ACC play and lost in the semifinals of the ACC tournament to UNC. They received an at-large bid as a number 2 seed in the 1999 NCAA tournament, where they lost to St. John's in the Sweet Sixteen. Official highlights of the season can now be viewed online.

1998–99 Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
BB&T Classic Champions
NCAA tournament, Sweet Sixteen
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 8
APNo. 5
Record28–6 (13–3 ACC)
Head coach
Assistant coachBilly Hahn
Dave Dickerson
Jimmy Patsos
Home arenaCole Field House
Seasons
1998–99 ACC men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 1 Duke 16 0   1.000 37 2   .949
No. 5 Maryland 13 3   .813 28 6   .824
No. 13 North Carolina 10 6   .625 24 10   .706
Wake Forest 7 9   .438 17 14   .548
NC State 6 10   .375 19 14   .576
Georgia Tech 6 10   .375 15 16   .484
Clemson 5 11   .313 20 15   .571
Florida State 5 11   .313 13 17   .433
Virginia 4 12   .250 14 16   .467
1999 ACC tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll[1]

Pre-season

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Accolades

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Team
AP ranked Preseason #6 team.

Obinna Ekezie
Preseason All-American
Laron Profit
Preseason All-American[2]

Roster

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1998–99 Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Hometown
G/F 3 Laron Profit 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 202 lb (92 kg) Sr Charleston, South Carolina
G 5 Juan Dixon 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 152 lb (69 kg) Fr Baltimore, Maryland
G 12 Terrell Stokes 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 187 lb (85 kg) Sr Philadelphia
G 15 Danny Miller 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Fr Mt. Holly, New Jersey
G 20 Matt Hahn 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 162 lb (73 kg) Jr Columbia, Maryland
F 21 LaRon Cephas 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 223 lb (101 kg) So Wilmington, Delaware
G 23 Steve Francis 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 194 lb (88 kg) Jr Takoma Park, Maryland
G 31 Norman Fields 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Sr Mt. Vernon, New York
F/C 33 Mike Mardesich 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 255 lb (116 kg) So Boston, Massachusetts
F 35 Lonny Baxter 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Fr Silver Spring, Maryland
F 44 Terence Morris 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) So Frederick, Maryland
F/C 45 Brian Watkins 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 229 lb (104 kg) Sr Nashville, Tennessee
F/C 54 Obinna Ekezie 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 262 lb (119 kg) Sr Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: 2011-04-29

Season Recap

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With nearly all of its starters returning and a #6 preseason ranking, the Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team began the 1998–99 season with high expectations for a successful season and a deep run in the NCAA tournament.[3][4][5] In their opening game, the team broke its record for margin of victory in a 113–46 victory against Western Carolina (a record that would be broken six weeks later with a 75-point victory over North Texas[6] ). The Terrapins also went 6–0 against nonconference opponents at home, increasing their nonconference home winning streak to 64, the longest in the country at the time.

The team participated in two preseason tournaments, winning both. They defeated AU-Puerto Rico, UCLA, and Pittsburgh in the Puerto Rico shootout, and Stanford and Depaul in the 4-team BB&T Classic. Their first loss of the season came in Lexington against Tubby Smith's #5 ranked Kentucky Wildcats.

In ACC play, the team outscored its opponents by an average of 17.4 points in victories while posting an overall home record of 13–1 (7–1), its lone home loss coming against Duke. The team would finish 2nd in the ACC regular season standings with a 13–3 record, Maryland's best run since the 1994–95 season. In the 1999 ACC Tournament, the Terrapins defeated Florida State before losing to North Carolina in the semifinals.

The Terrapins received a #2 seed in the South region on the NCAA tournament – the highest seed ever received by a Gary Williams team[7] – and breezed through their first two matches against Valparaiso and Creighton. However, in the regional semifinals, the team struggled against #3 seed St. Johns, ending the first half of the game in a nearly eight-minute scoring drought. Maryland lost 76–62 and once again failed to advance past the Sweet Sixteen.

Accolades

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Steve Francis
2nd Team All-American
Naismith and Wooden Award Finalist
1st Team All-ACC
ACC All-Tournament Team

Terrence Morris
Honorable Mention All-American
1st Team All-ACC

Laron Profit
Honorable Mention All-American

Lonny Baxter & Juan Dixon
ACC All-Freshmen Honorable Mention

Draft

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Round Pick Player NBA Club
1 2 Steve Francis Vancouver Grizzlies
2 37 Obinna Ekezie Vancouver Grizzlies
2 38 Laron Profit Orlando Magic

Schedule

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Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
11/04/98*
Aussie All-Stars W 90–59 
 17  Profit   14  Ekezie   6  Profit  Cole Field House (12,486)
College Park, Maryland
11/11/98*
California All-Stars W 95–83 
 18  Francis   13  Ekezie   6  Francis  Cole Field House (NA)
College Park, Maryland
Regular season
11/14/98*
No. 6 Western Carolina W 113–46  1–0
 19  Ekezie   9  Dixon   15  Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
11/17/98*
No. 6 UMBC W 90–62  2–0
 19  Morris   11  Ekezie   8  Profit  Cole Field House (13,865)
College Park, Maryland
11/20/98*
No. 6 Hofstra W 89–59  3–0
 23  Ekezie   11  Ekezie   9  Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
11/23/98*
No. 5 Duquesne W 81–47  4–0
 18  Morris   7  Profit   4  Dixon, Profit, Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
11/26/98*
No. 5 vs. American-Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Shootout
W 82–32  5–0
 14  Dixon, Miller   8  Ekezie   7  Stokes  Eugenio Guerra Sports Complex (3,000)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
11/27/98*
No. 5 vs. No. 10 UCLA
Puerto Rico Shootout
W 70–54  6–0
 22  Morris   11  Morris   6  Profit  Eugenio Guerra Sports Complex (3,000)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
11/28/98*
No. 5 vs. Pittsburgh
Puerto Rico Shootout
W 87–52  7–0
 23  Profit   8  Mardesich, Morris   8  Stokes  Eugenio Guerra Sports Complex (3,000)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
12/03/98
No. 2 Wake Forest W 92–69  8–0
(1–0)
 18  Francis   7  Baxter   8  Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
12/06/98*
No. 2 vs. No. 5 Stanford
BB&T Classic
W 62–60  9–0
 24  Francis   7  Francis   3  Morris, Stokes  MCI Center (20,544)
Washington, D.C.
12/07/98*
No. 2 vs. DePaul
BB&T Classic
W 92–75  10–0
 22  Morris   6  Morris   4  Stokes  MCI Center (18,244)
Washington, D.C.
12/12/98*
No. 2 at No. 5 Kentucky L 91–103  10–1
 26  Morris   9  Ekezie   5  Francis  Rupp Arena (24,321)
Lexington, Kentucky
12/19/98*
No. 5 vs. Princeton W 81–58  11–1
 21  Profit   6  Francis   4  Francis, Stokes  Baltimore Arena (13,489)
Baltimore
12/23/98*
No. 5 North Texas W 132–57  12–1
 28  Baxter   15  Ekezie   9  Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
12/27/98*
No. 5 South Carolina State W 104–70  13–1
 25  Profit   9  Mardesich   12  Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
01/03/99
No. 4 No. 2 Duke L 64–82  13–2
(1–1)
 16  Morris   9  Morris, Profit   7  Francis  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
01/07/99
No. 5 at Virginia W 71–66  14–2
(2–1)
 17  Ekezie, Morris   7  Ekezie   6  Francis  University Hall (8,268)
Charlottesville, Virginia
01/10/99
No. 5 NC State W 94–48  15–2
(3–1)
 22  Francis   6  Morris   9  Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
01/13/99
No. 5 at No. 9 North Carolina W 89–76  16–2
(4–1)
 24  Profit   6  Francis   8  Stokes  Dean E. Smith Center (21,572)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
01/19/99
No. 4 Georgia Tech W 77–62  17–2
(5–1)
 20  Morris   10  Morris   7  Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
01/24/99
No. 4 at Clemson W 81–79 OT 18–2
(6–1)
 26  Morris   5  Morris   5  Stokes  Littlejohn Coliseum (11,200)
Clemson, South Carolina
01/27/99
No. 4 Florida State W 107–87  19–2
(7–1)
 22  Ekezie   6  Morris   9  Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
01/31/99
No. 4 at Wake Forest L 72–85  19–3
(7–2)
 18  Dixon   11  Morris   5  Francis, Stokes  Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum (13,679)
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
02/03/99
No. 7 at No. 2 Duke L 77–95  19–4
(7–3)
 18  Francis, Profit   7  Francis, Morris, Stokes   6  Stokes  Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)
Durham, North Carolina
02/06/99
No. 7 Virginia W 88–72  20–4
(8–3)
 16  Morris   8  Morris   13  Francis  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
02/10/99
No. 7 at NC State W 63–50  21–4
(9–3)
 17  Morris   16  Morris   5  Stokes  Reynolds Coliseum (12,400)
Raleigh, North Carolina
02/13/99
No. 7 North Carolina W 81–64  22–4
(10–3)
 24  Profit   6  Francis   8  Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
02/21/99
No. 5 at Georgia Tech W 91–60  23–4
(11–3)
 22  Francis   6  Baxter, Morris   5  Stokes  Alexander Memorial Coliseum (7,963)
Atlanta
02/24/99
No. 5 Clemson W 77–60  24–4
(12–3)
 32  Francis   8  Francis   9  Stokes  Cole Field House (14,500)
College Park, Maryland
02/27/99
No. 5 at Florida State W 84–75  25–4
(13–3)
 32  Profit   7  Morris, Profit   5  Stokes  Tallahassee–Leon County Civic Center (6,899)
Tallahassee, Florida
ACC tournament
03/05/99
No. 5 vs. Florida State
Quarterfinal
W 93–69  26–4
 21  Profit   10  Profit   6  Stokes  Charlotte Coliseum (23,895)
Charlotte, North Carolina
03/06/99
No. 5 vs. No. 15 North Carolina
Semifinal
L 79–86  26–5
 31  Francis   8  Morris   5  Stokes  Charlotte Coliseum (23,895)
Charlotte, North Carolina
1999 NCAA men's basketball tournament
03/11/99*
vs. Valparaiso
NCAA First Round
W 82–60  27–5
 18  Morris, Profit   10  Morris   7  Francis  Orlando Arena (9,221)
Orlando, Florida
03/13/99*
vs. Creighton
NCAA Second Round
W 75–63  28–5
 20  Morris   13  Francis   5  Morris  Orlando Arena (14,959)
Orlando, Florida
03/18/99*
vs. St. John's
NCAA Sweet 16
L 62–76  28–6
 13  Francis   8  Baxter, Profit   7  Stokes  Thompson–Boling Arena (20,000)
Knoxville, Tennessee
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time[8].

Rankings

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Poll Pre Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Wk 13 Wk 14 Wk 15 Wk 16 Final
AP[9] 6 6 5 2 2 5 5 4 5 5 4 4 7 7 5 5 5 5
Coaches 5 5 5 2 2 5 5 4 6 5 4 4 6 7 5 5 5 8

References

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  1. ^ sports-reference.com 1998-99 Atlantic Coast Conference Season Summary
  2. ^ "Ekezie, Profit Named Preseason Honorable Mention All-American". umterps.com. Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  3. ^ "Men's Basketball Team a Consensus Top Five National Selection". Maryland Men's Basketball. UMTerps.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  4. ^ Feinstein, John (October 27, 1998). "The Hunted". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  5. ^ "Men's Basketball Selected to Finish Second in Conference". Maryland Men's Basketball. UMTerps.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  6. ^ "Terps Bomb North Texas, 132–57". Maryland Men's Basketball. UMTerps.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  7. ^ "Terps Selected to Play in School-Record Sixth Consecutive NCAA Tournament". Maryland Men's Basketball. UMTerps.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  8. ^ "1998–99 Men's Basketball Results". Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  9. ^ "Maryland 1999 AP Men's Basketball Rankings". College Poll Archive. College Poll Archive. Retrieved April 29, 2011.