Nik Caner-Medley is often a target of taunts when he plays on the road. He said it would be “funny if somebody went into an arena, like J.J., and didn’t hear anything.”

The preparation for Duke officially begins today, as the Terrapin men’s basketball team returns to practice and students across the campus begin to plan signs and chants that will best pronounce their hate for the rival Blue Devils during Saturday’s game.

But Nik Caner-Medley, the Terps senior captain, has offered a new approach for bothering national player of the year candidate J.J. Redick.

“I think it would probably be funny if somebody went into an arena, like J.J., and he didn’t hear anything,” Caner-Medley said. “It would probably throw him off, because you’re used to hearing stuff.”

The silent treatment of one of college basketball’s most notorious villains would be a far different approach than the four-year starter is accustomed to.

Redick has been the Terps No. 1 enemy over the past four years, highlighted by a scene two years ago where the guard was the subject of obscene chants audible to a national audience.

Last season, fans brought signs making fun of Redick (who leads the country with 28.4 points per game) and fellow pre-season All-American Shelden Williams (18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds), something that doesn’t get ignored by the visitors.

“Maryland is the worst school to visit,” Duke forward Lee Melchionni told ESPN The Magazine last month. “They say things that can bring a grown man to tears if he’s not strong-willed.”

But for players such as Redick, who embraces the enemy role, a hostile environment can be deadly – for his opponents. Redick has called Comcast Center one of his favorite venues to visit, and he leads the Blue Devils (22-1, 10-0 ACC) into town with an average of 20 points in three games in College Park. (He also reportedly likes playing at in-state rival North Carolina, where he poured in 35 Tuesday.)

“Most great players get motivated when people personalize cheers, like it’s happened to D.J. Strawberry at a couple places we’ve played at this year,” Terp coach Gary Williams said. “You can’t do that in [the Duke] game. They’re too good. They’ve got too much pride in their program. They don’t need any extra incentive to play well. So, we’ve got to be really loud and everything, but nothing personal. That’s the way it’s got to be.

“Our students have to understand that they’re a very important part of that game, just like the Duke students are at their game. But we can’t get any obscenities going or anything like that during the game.”

Now officially the program’s most successful coach, Williams’ view is consistent with those who study psychology for a living.

“Coaches tell the players to be prepared for [negative attention] and to take it as a compliment,” said Elizabeth Brown, a sports psychology professor in the university’s kinesiology department. “It really says to the opposing team, ‘We can’t beat you with our physical talent, so we have to try to get an edge mentally.’ So really, it is motivation.”

Caner-Medley said he has gained enthusiasm from the opposition focusing its irritation on him, and he added that it rarely actually makes a player upset.

“Most of the time it’s just funny, because most of the stuff people say is just being part of being in the crowd,” Caner-Medley said. “Nobody takes it personally. I’m sure a lot of it is personal. People are real passionate about basketball and about being a fan, and some people have strong hatred towards players. But you play the game and you can’t worry about it too much.”

Brown also said the home team can be adversely affected if an environment becomes too negative at an event, but the Terps have won three of the last four meetings in College Park despite a fair amount of negative energy filling the building.

And while Brown suggests more positive reinforcement for the Terps and avoidance from profanity Saturday, she admitted she wasn’t aware of any precedent to Caner-Medley’s prophecy of silence.

“I’ve never heard of that,” she said. “But hey, why not? It’s Duke. We’d try anything at this point.”

Contact reporter David Selig at dseligdbk@gmail.com.