Maryland wearing the bulls-eye as defending national champ

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Now that Gary Williams has captured college basketball's ultimate prize, his next challenge is to put together a team worthy of defending the national championship.

"It's different, something I've never done before," he says. "I like the idea."

The Terrapins are without four starters from the team that went 32-4 and beat Indiana for the school's first NCAA title. But Williams is still counting on making a third consecutive trip to the Final Four.

It won't be easy, for reasons that extend beyond an overhauled roster. For the first time, Maryland will be wearing the bull's-eye that comes with the title of "defending national champion."

"The only way that happens is when you win a national championship. We have always shot for other guys, and I know how that feels," Williams says. "What you have to do with that is use it as a matter of pride. We won't let anyone come in here and take away from us what we have tried to establish. You can't go over the line and be cocky, though. Last year's success doesn't guarantee us anything this year."

Led by wiry guard Juan Dixon, beefy center Lonny Baxter and lanky forward Chris Wilcox, the Terrapins went unbeaten at home in their final season at Cole Field House. Maryland stumbled in the Atlantic Coast Conference semifinals against North Carolina State, but earned a top seed anyway and swept past the competition in the NCAA tournament.

The 64-52 victory over Indiana capped a magical year for Williams, who worked diligently for years to rebuild a program that suffered through an inordinate amount of failure and heartache.

As they cut down the nets last April at the Georgia Dome, the Terrapins sheared away the memories of the cocaine-induced death of Len Bias and the years of probation and losing that followed.

The rebuilding game

Williams essentially had to rebuild the program from scratch upon arriving at his alma mater in 1989. He needed only a few seasons to turn the Terrapins into winners, but until 2000 he never could get past the round of 16 or overcome the aura of ACC-rival Duke.

All that changed last season, when Maryland won its first outright regular-season conference title since 1980 on the way to becoming NCAA champs.

Now they've got a title to defend. But Dixon, Baxter and Wilcox are in the NBA, and Maryland must also make do without small forward Byron Mouton, who averaged 28 minutes, 11 points and 5 rebounds.

Point guard Steve Blake is back to direct the offense, but now most of his passes will be headed in the direction of former reserves Drew Nicholas, Tahj Holden, Ryan Randle.

"It's on me, and I'm looking forward to it," Blake said. "I've got to play a big part on this team this year, in terms of leadership and direction. I've got to score more, too."

The situation is far from desperate. Nicholas averaged 21 minutes off the bench, Holden started 11 games and Randle, a junior college transfer, improved dramatically as the season developed.

"It's not a big issue," said Holden. "We had guys in front of us who were consistent, but essentially we had eight starters last year."

The residual effect of winning the national championship is much more attention, from the media and the rest of the basketball world. Williams has been inundated by interview requests, but his focus hasn't wavered.

"It's been a little crazy," he said, "but I always grab a couple hours before practice to gather my thoughts."