Maryland participated in their final ACC basketball media day on Wednesday, where they were picked to finish 7th in the 15 team league. There were several highlights from the event, which we've captured below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Turgeon: "We're pumped for Maryland Madness in Cole Field House. Our players are excited to see a packed house and it's going to be fun."</p>— Maryland Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/TerrapinHoops/statuses/390568119371956225">October 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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I think just about everyone is looking forward to Friday's events in Cole. Mark Turgeon also said again that Friday's Maryland Madness will serve as a dry run for possibly holding an annual game there each season:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Mark Turgeon says Maryland Madness will hopefully be a dry run for possible annual game at Cole Field House. <a href="http://t.co/POFNzdkHqA">http://t.co/POFNzdkHqA</a></p>— Terrapins Insider (@TerpsInsider) <a href="https://twitter.com/TerpsInsider/statuses/390578339598983168">October 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Also, this was hilarious. Gotta love Lefty:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Mark Turgeon says Lefty Driesell called him "like seven times" after it was announced Maryland Madness would be at Cole Field House. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Terps&src=hash">#Terps</a></p>— Daniel Martin (@DMartinCSN) <a href="https://twitter.com/DMartinCSN/statuses/387771758704885760">October 9, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Turgeon also said again that he hopes Nick Faust will be the player Maryland puts on the opposing team's top defender:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Turgeon: "Nick Faust is going to guard the best player every night and he has the ability to do that." <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ACCMediaDay&src=hash">#ACCMediaDay</a></p>— Maryland Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/TerrapinHoops/statuses/390569540834185216">October 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Dez Wells seems to think that this is impossible, because Nick won't be guarding him during games:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Nope!! That is me!!RT <a href="https://twitter.com/TerrapinHoops">@TerrapinHoops</a>: Turgeon: "Nick Faust is going to guard the best player every night and he has the ability to do that."</p>— Dez Wells (@Dez32Wells) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dez32Wells/statuses/390593565367484416">October 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Apparently the most frequently asked question involved Maryland and the B1G:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Pie chart breakdown of questions asked Evan Smotrycz and Nick Faust today in Charlotte. <a href="http://t.co/Gafpcen77U">pic.twitter.com/Gafpcen77U</a></p>— Alex Prewitt (@alex_prewitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/alex_prewitt/statuses/390488914315579392">October 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Alex Prewitt also asked ACC Commish John Swofford about Maryland only playing Duke in Durham:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Swofford says Duke not going to Maryland 'isn't particularly unusual," even though it's never happened. <a href="http://t.co/MFgUSfv0TL">http://t.co/MFgUSfv0TL</a></p>— Alex Prewitt (@alex_prewitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/alex_prewitt/statuses/390569027543654400">October 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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So something that has never happened isn't unusual, especially when you factor in that the same thing applies to UNC and NC State. Check out Alex's story on that here.
This year's ACC will feature 15 teams for the first time, playing an 18 game conference schedule. Adding Notre Dame, Syracuse and Pitt will make the ACC the premier conference in college basketball this season. It also means Maryland has a tough road in conference play. We'll have more on that in the coming days.