CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Juan Dixon wouldn't mind a first-round NCAA tournament date with Mount St. Mary's, because it would mean a reunion with Aaron Herbert.
Herbert and Dixon, a redshirt freshman guard for Maryland, were prep teammates at Calvert Hall. The Mountaineers appear destined for a No. 16 seed, and the only way the two could be paired in the first round might be if the Terps were to win the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.
Second-seeded Maryland's chances were enhanced when Dixon practiced at full speed for the first time since he sprained his left ankle last Saturday at Florida State. He didn't practice Monday and took it easy the next two days. Dixon said he went through yesterday's closed practice at UNC-Charlotte with minimal pain.
"It's still a little sore, but I was able to practice hard," Dixon said.
Dixon and Lonny Baxter received votes on the ACC all-freshman team. With Obinna Ekezie's season finished, Dixon's scoring average of 7.7 points is fourth on the Terps. His 32 three-pointers are second to the 35 of Steve Francis, but only 13 came in ACC games.
Blue Devil blues
For all of its success, Duke has only one tournament title to show for the 1990s.
The Blue Devils are the first ACC team to win three straight undisputed regular-season titles since North Carolina in 1976-1978, but they didn't enjoy the last two tournaments. They dropped last year's final against the Tar Heels by 15, and were upset by N.C. State in the quarterfinals two years ago.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski bristled when asked about Duke's recent tournament record.
"What you term success is arbitrary," Krzyzewski said. "We played for the championship last year, and that's good. Our players won the regular season, and that's a great accomplishment. Something's happened in the tournament. If you look at the last decade, only two teams won both the regular season and tournament. You have to be tough-minded to do both."
Duke last won the tournament in 1992. That's the year it repeated as NCAA champion.
Happy birthday
Maryland coach Gary Williams celebrated his 54th birthday yesterday. As the Terps concluded their afternoon shoot-around at the Charlotte Coliseum, he grabbed a ball on the right wing, said, "This is my shot," and swished a hook shot from three-point range.
Francis and Terence Morris both said yesterday that Williams has been very quiet and subdued in the last couple of days.
"He's been quiet and he's asked us to keep a low profile as we get ready to play," Francis said. "He doesn't want us out in the malls or anything like that. He wants us to be focused and in our rooms by the usual 11: 30 p.m. curfew on the road. We've had quiet bus rides to practice and from the airport to our hotel."
Morris speaks up
Here's a news flash from the ACC basketball tournament:
Morris can't stop talking sometimes.
"When I'm talking to my friends or someone I know, you can't shut me up," said Maryland's sophomore first-team All-ACC selection.
"I just don't have much to say to people I don't know. It's not that I'm shy. My mother [Roxanne] is the same way."
There is a popular belief that Morris hurts his chances for more national publicity with his lack of flash on and off the court.
Morris said he doesn't care.
"Some people feed off of glory," he said. "But as long as we win, I'm happy."
Morris leads the Terps in rebounding (7.1), blocked shots (68) and free-throw percentage (84) and is second in scoring (15.8) and field-goal percentage (58)."
Capel questionable
North Carolina freshman Jason Capel (9.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg) is suffering from a strained back and is questionable for the Tar Heels' game today against Georgia Tech.
Pub Date: 3/05/99