AROUND THE ACC

Maryland may have to improve its rhythm if it wants to dance. The Terrapins committed 26 turnovers in each of their last two games. They lost 89-77 at Clemson Tuesday, but rebounded to beat Georgia Tech 87-84 in overtime at home Saturday. Maryland is squarely on the bubble in the minds of most experts. The Terrapins own a 6-6 ACC record and their Dec. 11 win over Boston College is their only one win over a team currently ranked in the AP Top 25 poll. Head coach Gary Williams said he has had difficulty keeping the Terps' uncertain future off the minds of his players. "They are 18 to 21 and there is a tendency to see the hype," Williams said. "It's hard to hide from the computer or the television or from anything you hear or read about these 65 teams that are going to make the Tournament." Maryland's personnel problems haven't helped it secure the victories it needs to ensure a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Senior guard Chris McCray, the Terrapins' top scorer for much of the season, was lost for the year Jan. 23 due to academic ineligibility. In McCray's absence, junior Mike Jones has stepped up, nearly doubling his scoring average from 7.8 points per game to 15.4. Maryland finishes the regular season with three of its last four games on the road, where it is 1-5 on the season. The Terrapins currently sit in a three-way tie for fifth place in the ACC, two games behind Boston College and North Carolina. If the Terps could pass either of those teams in the standings, they could avoid playing in the first round of the ACC tournament. Although there remains much to be decided over the course of its final four games, most of the talk surrounding Maryland has concerned the possibility of making the NCAA Tournament or heading to the NIT for the second straight year. Williams said he's not only worried about his team's focus on getting into the tournament, but also the national media's fixation on "bracketology." "It's a shame because there are some great regular season games," Williams said. "Our game Saturday with Georgia Tech was a great game... And that should get a lot of attention, not 'Bracket Buster Saturday' or whatever they called it."