Terps Refuse to Play The Numbers Game

Maryland's Ekene Ibekwe admittedly knows nothing about the Rating Percentage Index and does not particularly care about the mathematical measurement the NCAA selection committee will use to help determine tournament berths and seeding.

All Ibekwe is concerned about is winning as many games as the Terrapins can in the next two weeks, beginning tonight against a Florida State team that is in a similar struggle to make the NCAA tournament. As both teams scramble for at-large berths, coaches at both schools seem equally amused and annoyed by the incessant bracket speculation.

"Bracketology" experts unveil mock tournament projections weekly on the Internet. Most currently have Maryland (16-9) and Florida State (16-7) as two of the first schools excluded from the field. Analysts note that neither Maryland nor Florida State has enough quality victories, an impressive RPI or an adequate road record, although credentials will change over the final four games of the regular season.

"If you tried to keep track of all that stuff, you wouldn't have any time," Maryland Coach Gary Williams said. "I'd rather listen to music than look at that stuff. It's the worst I have ever seen it. And it will continue to [get worse] as there are new ways to get stuff out there. It's everyone's 15 minutes: 'Hey, I have this bracket here.' No one remembers it when the NCAA tournament starts. I think Digger Phelps listed 100 teams making the NCAA tournament so far. I guess it expanded: 'Hey, we're getting seven, maybe nine if we have a good tournament.' "

Even though Williams repeatedly has said the ACC will get at least six teams in the tournament, most projections indicate that the conference will get four or five bids. The leading candidates to earn the ACC's fifth berth are Maryland and Florida State, teams with identical 6-6 conference records.

But analysts such as Jerry Palm say that neither school has accomplished enough at this point to merit an at-large berth over, say, the fifth-best team in the Missouri Valley Conference or the second-place team in the Colonial Athletic Association.

"They are entertainers and they speak from the heart and the information that they have, but at this particular time, none of that matters because we still have games to play," Florida State Coach Leonard Hamilton said. "I'm not going to allow myself to get all caught up in all these things because, if you win enough games, it takes care of itself."

Tonight's game is significant because it is the only regular season meeting between the schools, and the head-to-head result could determine ACC tournament seeding should they finish in a tie in the standings. Both teams also need to enhance specific aspects of their NCAA tournament profiles.

Maryland, which has won three of its past 15 road games, has a 1-5 road record this season, which is tied for the worst mark in the RPI's top 66. Florida State's problem is its RPI of 60, which would be only seventh best in the MVC. Florida State has lost to Duke, North Carolina and Boston College by a combined five points, but its best victory came against middling Clemson.

Finishing 9-7 in the ACC almost always is enough to guarantee a tournament slot; only one team -- Virginia in 2000 -- finished 9-7 and did not receive a berth. In the past 26 years, six teams that finished 8-8 or better in the ACC have been excluded from the tournament.

"This idea about if you finish .500 in the ACC, that's traditionally good enough to get you in," ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said. "But it's traditionally good enough because the eight games that you won would be against really good teams, some highly ranked teams. It was always a necessity that, to win eight games, you'd have to beat some highly rated teams. If Florida State finishes 8-8, with only having beaten the teams at the bottom, who are they going to rely on having beaten?"

Speculation will continue until the selection committee reveals the 65-team field March 12.

When a reporter joked yesterday that Maryland already is listed as a No. 4 seed in next year's tournament projection, Williams said: "That's what is going to happen. It's just like recruiting now, if you don't get started two years in advance, you're not going to make it."

Terrapins Notes: Williams said he is willing to honor Chris McCray on Senior Day on March 1 if the former Maryland player wants to take part in the ceremony before the Miami game. Athletic Director Debbie Yow said such decisions are usually left to the discretion of the coach and that she would support Williams's decision if he chooses to honor McCray, who was ruled academically ineligible Jan. 23. . . .

Freshman Dave Neal is expected to be in uniform for tonight's game after sitting out Saturday's game because he drank alcohol at a campus party, an athletic department source said.