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Terps

A look at Terps' history against each 2014 men's Final Four team

By David Selig
Baltimore Sun
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Maryland narrowly lost this year's season opener to a Connecticut team that will be playing in Saturday's Final Four. The Terps also have recent history with the other three teams playing in North Texas this weekend.

Maryland narrowly lost this year's season opener to a Connecticut team that will be playing in Saturday's Final Four. The Terps also have recent history with the other three teams playing in North Texas this weekend. (USA Today Sports)

You don't need to think too far back to remember Maryland's most recent games against Kentucky and Connecticut. The Terps opened the 2012-13 season with a loss to the Wildcats at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and returned a year later to lose their opener the Huskies.

Maryland has actually faced each team in this year's Final Four since the turn of the century. Here's a closer look at the Terps' all-time series with each of this year's national semifinalists.

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MARYLAND vs. CONNECTICUT

All-time series: Connecticut leads, 5-2

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Most recent meeting (Nov. 8, 2013): As mentioned, the Terps opened this past season with a 78-77 loss to UConn in Brooklyn. Maryland fell behind by 17 early in the second half before staging a furious comeback that fell short when Dez Wells missed two shots in the closing seconds. It was the teams' first meeting since Maryland beat the Huskies, 90-82, in the 2002 Elite 8.

Quotable: "Obviously this would have been a great win, because Connecticut is going to win a lot of games." – Maryland coach Mark Turgeon.

MARYLAND vs. FLORIDA

All-time series: Florida leads, 2-1

Most recent meeting (Dec. 8, 2003): Coming in with a 4-2 record, the Terps blew a 17-point second-half lead, then fell behind twice in overtime against a Gators team that was ranked No. 1 in the nation. But Maryland got a game-winning 15-foot jumper from sophomore forward Travis Garrison, whose only points of the night pushed the Terps to a stunning 69-68 victory in Gainesville. In a way, it was payback from the previous year, when Florida ended Maryland's 87-game home winning streak against nonconference opponents. Before that, the teams hadn't met since 1932, a game the Terps lost 39-24.

Quotable: "Sometimes, it's grimy, and you have to grind a win out. We showed great character." – Maryland point guard John Gilchrist, who fouled out with 12 seconds left in regulation after scoring 18 points.


MARYLAND vs. KENTUCKY

All-time series: Kentucky leads, 9-5

Most recent meeting (Nov. 9, 2012): Led bysophomore center Alex Len's 23 points and 12 rebounds, Maryland erased a 15-point deficit before falling, 72-69, in the season opener at Barclays Center. Both teams entered the year with promise but missed the NCAA tournament.

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Quotable: "We're going to win and we're going to win this year. We just didn't win tonight." – Maryland coach Mark Turgeon.


MARYLAND vs. WISCONSIN

All-time series: Wisconsin leads, 5-2

Most recent meeting (Nov. 25, 2009): Maryland was ranked No. 21 in the country and hoped to push a higher tempo, but the Terps struggled to adapt to Bo Ryan's slow-it-down, grind-it-out style in a 78-69 loss at the Maui Invitational.

Quotable: "They play their way; we try to play our way. That's his style; that's our style." – Maryland coach Gary Williams.

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