THREE POINTERS

1. GET OUT THE WRECKING BALL

Virginia will be on an emotional high closing out University Hall, but the Terps can’t fall into all the hoopla.

The Cavaliers were the unwilling victims to visit College Park for the final game at Cole Field House, so they may want to turn the tables as they end a 41-year tenure at one of the ACC’s most recognizable venues.

The emotion of Senior Night helped carry the Terps to a win Wednesday against Miami, so expect Virginia to play better than their record may suggest Sunday afternoon.

2. BETTER START

When they visited Comcast Center last month, the Cavaliers scored the game’s first 13 points and led by nine with just 10 minutes remaining. It took a furious comeback for the Terps to give coach Gary Williams his 349th win that evening, and it’s something the Terps may not be able to replicate on the road.

The Terps have only won one road game this season (at Georgia Tech), so becoming accustomed to the setting early will be vital for a team in need of a win.

3. PATH OF LEAST RESISTENCE

By running at their shooters, the Terps challenged Miami to get the ball to the rim Wednesday night – a strategy that was successful in holding the Hurricanes to just seven 3-pointers. Many of those shots came off of curls, meaning the Terps were making it as tough as possible for Miami to beat them from the outside.

Senior guard Sterling Ledbetter and junior guard D.J. Strawberry need to continue their stronger perimeter defense and allow shot-blockers Ekene Ibekwe and James Gist to make life difficult for Virginia’s guards as they drive toward the basket.

Guards J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary are capable of dribbling the ball into the paint, but the Terps should concede that in an effort to keep them from draining heartbreaking 3-pointers.

JUMPBALL

SHOOTING PERCENTAGE

It may be tough to believe, but the stat sheet doesn’t lie – the Terps actually outshot Miami Wednesday night. Making 40 percent of their shots from the field helped the Terps best the Hurricanes (39 percent) by four points.

Perhaps as important as the field goal percentage, the Terps converted on 82 percent of their free throws, including 16-of-20 in a close second half. (Miami shot just 6-of-11 from the line in the final 20 minutes.)

The Terps shoot at a higher clip than the Cavaliers and score more points per game overall.

Virginia should be pumped up playing in their arena’s last game, but that could hinder the Cavaliers’ shooting percentage just as much as it could help.

ONE-ON-ONE

TERPS’ JAMES GIST vs. CAVS’ MATT CAINE

While Virginia’s guards combined for 36 points in the teams’ first meeting, junior forward Jason Cain created a presence by grabbing 13 rebounds. Cain was also steady from the free-throw line in that game, making all seven of his foul shots.

Gist was just 2-of-8 against Virginia and has failed to add consistent scoring from his post position. The Terps can get away with just seven points from Gist- like he added Wednesday – as long as he’s strong defensively and hits the open jumper. Gist was 3-of-5 against Miami with two blocks in just 22 minutes off the bench.

THE MATCHUP

Maryland TerrapinsVirginiaCavaliers

17-11 (7-8 ACC), RPI #53, SOS #1014-12 (7-8 ACC), RPI #79, SOS #41

WHEN: Sunday, 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: University Hall, Virginia

T.V./RADIO: FSN

DATA: The Terps try to get to .500 in the ACC to give themselves a shot at an at-large NCAA tournament bid.

TERP TRACKER

TEAM STATS

 TerpsUVA

Average PPG78.668.9

Field Goal %.451.425

3-Point %.376.338

Free Throw %.736.756

Rebounds/G39.337.3

Assists/G15.811.7

Turnovers/G16.614.7

INDIVIDUAL STATS

TERPS

POSMINPTSREBAST

G D.J. Strawberry30.410.23.54.0

G Mike Jones22.810.13.21.5

F N. Caner-Medley33.015.46.22.0

F J. Gist22.18.54.71.1

F E. Ibekwe23.111.16.70.9

UVA

POSMINPTSREBAST

G S. Singletary34.118.24.34.4

G J. Reynolds32.916.33.13.3

F A. Joseph29.710.14.60.5

F J. Cain26.37.87.60.6

F T. Soroye19.82.13.90.1

THE HALL CLOSES

Virginia to play its last game in University Hall

Opened in 1965, University Hall has housed several sucessful Virginia teams over the years. Former coach Terry Holland and legendary center Ralph Sampson are reportedly expected to attend the final game played at the 8,457-seat arena.

Similar to the Terps’ move to Comcast Center, the Cavaliers will transition to the state of the art 15,000-seat John Paul Jones Arena next season.

One of U-Hall’s most memorable games came 16 years ago on March 6, 1983, when the Terps visited for Sampson’s Senior Day. Trailing by one point, the three-time National Player of the Year missed two free throws in the final seconds, but fellow senior Craig Robinson tipped the rebound back to Sampson, who made a jumper to win the game for Virginia.