When: 1 p.m. today
Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham
TV: WRAL, WNCT
Radio: WRBZ-850, WDNC-620
Projected starting lineups
Maryland
G Greivis Vasquez 18.1 ppg, 6.3 apg
G Eric Hayes 11.1 ppg, 3.4 apg
F Sean Mosley 11.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg
F Landon Milbourne 14.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg
C Jordan Williams 8.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg
Duke
G Jon Scheyer 19.1 ppg, 5.5 apg
G Nolan Smith 17.7 ppg, 3.0 apg
F Kyle Singler 16.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg
F Mason Plumlee 4.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg
C Miles Plumlee 6.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg
Records: Maryland 16-6, 6-2 ACC; Duke 20-4, 8-2
Player to watch: Bubbly Maryland senior point guard Greivis Vasquez loves the atmosphere at Cameron Indoor Stadium and is likely to banter with Duke's students, win or lose. Vasquez's ability to penetrate and his size at 6 feet 6 should create difficulty for the Blue Devils' defense as he tries to atone for last season's performance (four points, one assist) at Cameron.
Observation: Duke senior forward Lance Thomas is listed as doubtful for today's game after suffering a bruised right knee Wednesday at North Carolina. But teammates said he participated in some drills during practice Friday, wearing a protective sleeve on his knee. "He did a little bit today, and he looks good, so I think he's going to be ready," junior guard Nolan Smith said.
First place at stake for Devils
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said earlier this week that he is trying to bring this team along in a similar manner to his teams of the late 1980s.
Reading between the lines, that means he knows the Blue Devils (20-4, 8-2 ACC) don't have the overwhelming talent of the teams that won two NCAA titles in the early 1990s. But it also means that if things go right, he thinks this team has a shot to grind out a trip to the Final Four the way his teams did in 1986, 1988 and 1989.
Today's game against Maryland (16-6, 6-2) will be a good test of Duke's ability to grind. Senior forward Lance Thomas, Duke's best defender and emotional leader, is doubtful for the game with a severely bruised right knee. This is the type of game that a Final Four-bound team needs to win at home.
