Courtesy Maryland Athletics

With their win on Friday vs. Valpo, the Terps are now 6-0 following a loss this season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The No. 4 seed Maryland men's basketball team takes on No. 5 seed West Virginia for a trip to the Sweet Sixteen on Sunday at approximately 8:40 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena.
WATCH: TNT - Ian Eagle (Play-by-Play), Doug Gottleib (Analyst), Evan Washburn (Sideline)
LISTEN: Terrapin Sports Radio Network - Johnny Holliday (Play-by-Play), Chris Knoche (Analyst),
Westwood Radio: Dave Sims (play-by-play) Jim Jackson (analyst); Sirius 157, XM 204, ESPN 980, 105.7 FM
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Storylines

• Maryland is making its return to the NCAA Tournament after a four-year hiatus. It is their 19th postseason appearance in the last 22 years. Maryland has advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen seven times in the last 20 years. Maryland made consecutive trips to the NCAA Final Four in 2001 and 2002 and captured the 2002 NCAA National Championship.

• With its three-point win against Valparaiso in the second round on Friday, Maryland is now 12-1 in games decided by six points or less. The Terps are a perfect 6-0 following a loss this season.

• Maryland is looking to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2003. Head coach Mark Turgeon led Wichita State to the Sweet Sixteen in 2005-06.

• Melo Trimble recorded his second double-double of the season with 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds against Valpo. He is five free throws shy of second place on Maryland’s single-season FTs made list (Joe Smith, Len Bias - 209). He is 31 points away from Smith’s freshman single-season scoring record (584).

• Jared Nickens connected on four three-point field goal attempts against Valparaiso, which was one short of tying the school record of five. The Terps are 7-1 this season when Nickens reaches double-figures in scoring.

• Head coach Mark Turgeon was named Big Ten Coach of the Year. Turgeon has led Maryland to 28 wins this season, an 11-game improvement from its 17 victories in the 2013-14 season, a mark that is second among schools in the Power Five conferences. He is now 6-5 in NCAA tournament games.

• Former Terp assistant coach Billy Hahn is the assistant to head coach Bob Huggins at West Virgina.

During his tenure under Hall of Fame coach Gary Williams from 1989 to 2001, the Terps went to the NCAA Tournament a school-record eight straight years, including the 2001 Final Four.

Maryland Drops Valpo in NCAA Second Round

• Dez Wells converted an offensive rebound into a three-point play with 1:44 left and Varun Ram stripped away Valparaiso’s last chance as Maryland held off the determined Crusaders 65-62 on Friday to move on in the NCAA tournament.

• Wells finished with 14 points for the Terps, including that three-point play that made it 65-61. Melo Trimble had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Maryland, playing in its first NCAA Tournament under fourth-year coach Mark Turgeon.

feelin' it at the free throw line

• Maryland has been solid all season at the charity stripe and ranks 11th in the nation in free throws made (588).

• Freshman Melo Trimble is fifth in the nation in free throws made (204).

• Trimble is currently first in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.864). Dez Wells (.803) and Jake
Layman (.757) rank eighth and 12th, respectively.

Pride, Passion, Tradition - The Maryland Way

Maryland is one of the most consistent winning programs in the country following more than a decade of excellence:

• The Terps have averaged 22.4 wins per season the last 17 years, including eight consecutive 20-win seasons from 1996-2004.

• Maryland is making its 19th postseason appearances in the last 22 years. The Terps made 11 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament from 1993-2004.

• The Terps have advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen seven times in the last 20 years.

• Maryland made consecutive trips to the NCAA Final Four in 2001 and 2002.

• The Terps captured the 2002 NCAA National Championship.

Courtesy Maryland Athletics

Dez Wells and Melo Trimble both scored in double-figures for the Terps against Valpo.

Terps Make Final Preparations for WVU on Saturday

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Approximately 17 hours following its second round win against Valparaiso in the NCAA Tournament on Friday night, the Maryland men’s basketball team returned to Nationwide Arena for media availability and a short practice Saturday.

Head coach Mark Turgeon – who pushed his record to 6-5 in the Big Dance with the 65-62 win against the Crusaders – joined senior Dez Wells and freshman Melo Trimble on the dais to speak with the nearly 50 media members in attendance. Wells led Maryland in scoring with 14 points, his 14^th straight double-figure scoring performance, while Trimble posted his second career double-double.

“I have good seniors, good leadership. Dez Wells’ leadership has been terrific,” Turgeon said. “We have a good group. We have guys who respect each other on the floor and our pieces fit. It’s been a real fun team and I knew back in June when we started practicing that we were going to be pretty good.”

Senior Varun Ram was a media hit in the team’s open locker room session after notching a strip at the end of the Friday’s game to secure the victory.

The Terps then shifted their attention back to the court and their matchup with No. 5 seed West Virginia in an afternoon practice at Nationwide. Maryland is seeking its first trip to the Sweet Sixteen since 2003.
“West Virginia has always played with toughness since Bob Huggins has been there,” Turgeon said. “All of his teams have played that way. There are a lot of areas where you need to be strong in double-teams against pressure. When the ball is on the glass, that’s when they are at their best.”

Maryland faces the Mountaineers at approximately 8:40 p.m. on Sunday on TNT.