[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 37 (Tuesday, April 9, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TRIBUTE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. WM. LACY CLAY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 9, 2002

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, it is with much pride and satisfaction that I 
rise today to offer my warm congratulations to my alma mater, the 
University of Maryland, and its coach, Gary Williams and its men's 
basketball team, for winning the 2002 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament 
and being crowned national champions.
  The Terrapins basketball team, led by those heralded seniors, guard 
Juan Dixon, forward Lonnie Baxter, and guard Byron Mouton, secured the 
school's first national basketball title with a 64-52 victory over the 
Indiana Hoosiers earlier this month.
  It was a magical tournament run for Maryland's leader and All-
American, Juan Dixon, who averaged 25.9 points per game throughout the 
tournament and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
  Dixon, the Terrapins' steadiest hand throughout the year, led 
Maryland to a record 32-4 season, with Terrapins winning 19 of their 
last 20 games.
  And now Maryland has the first NCAA basketball championship in school 
history.
  The University of Maryland has a rich basketball history and much to 
be proud of, even before this national title. Its men's basketball team 
has posted 20-win seasons 19 times. They have also been to the NCAA 
Tournament 19 times. Fourteen players have been named All-American.
  But for various reasons, the school had never even reached a Final 
Four until this last season. And it had never won it all until last 
month.
  In their ninth straight appearance in the NCAA tournament, this year 
the Terrapins finally went the distance. Before this year however, 
Coach Williams had been a victim of his own great success. The pressure 
for him to win was incredible.
  Getting into the tournament wasn't good enough for Terps fans 
anymore. For Maryland, March had become maddening, and they wanted a 
championship. And Gary Williams delivered.
  For Williams, this is the culmination of so many dreams. When he 
returned to his alma mater 13 years ago to take over a program 
struggling under probation and with an image problem, this goal seemed 
so far away. But he worked at it every day and now he has reached the 
pinnacle of college basketball.
  For the joyous Terrapin fans, who danced through the streets of 
Atlanta and College Park, this was Maryland's time to be hailed as 
``No. 1''. This was the year to ``Fear the Turtle.''
  Once again, I congratulate Coach Williams, the Terrapins basketball 
team and the entire University of Maryland administration and student 
body for their school's exceptional basketball season.

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