Terpmania

ATLANTA -- "Gary! Gary! Gary!"

That was the chant coming out of the Maryland section with about 25 seconds to go, the Maryland fans realizing the conquest was complete. Mighty Wake Forest was going down, and the Terps would be playing Saturday afternoon in the ACC tournament semifinals.

"Gary" is, of course, Gary Williams, the former American University, Boston College, and Ohio State mentor who is wrapping up his 20th season coaching at his alma mater and who was himself savoring one of the sweetest triumphs he's had in a long while, a 75-64 victory over a Wake team that has more talent, but, at the present time, far less heart than than the Maryland Terps.

You'd have to think this victory would ensure an NCAA bid for the Terps, who are now 20-12 and on the upswing. It's no lock, but it does look good.

Boy, these seasons seem long. When Wake Forest took care of BC by a 83-63 score back on Jan. 14, the Deacons looked like Final Four material. They seemed to have every base covered. Now they look somehow disoriented, starting with guard Jeff Teague, who was playing as well as any lead guard in America back then and who tonight was never a factor, not crashing into the scoring column until the game was 29 minutes old and his team was down by 13 (52-39).

The Terps have had a long, strange trip themselves. They bested potential Final Four finalist Michigan State early on, but they also somehow managed to lose at home to Morgan State. They lost by 41 at Duke.

Gary got himself embroiled in a battle with his own AD's office and there were cries for his scalp as people pointed out that since winning the national title the Terps have sputtered.

There may be some quibbles with Gary's recruiting of late, but never doubt that the man can coach. This is the time you want to be at your best, and right now his Terps are a committed, spunky, ball-moving, defending all-for-one-and-one-for-all basketball team, led by a wonderful all-around 6-foot-5 guard from Caracas named Greivis Vasquez.

Vasquez continued his brilliant play with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists against Wake Forest. Three teammates joined him in double figures as Maryland never surrendered the lead after gaining a 28-26 advantage late in the half.

Fear the Turtle.