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CNN Live At Daybreak

Maryland Wins NCAA Tournament

Aired April 02, 2002 - 05:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Maryland is the new NCAA champion.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Didn't we just say that?

MYERS: I think we did. But that's what it says right there is I'm supposed to read it. It's a first for them, of course. And I know you lived in Maryland, and so did I. You were near College Park, right, at some point?

COSTELLO: Yes. Baltimore.

MYERS: And I was in Greenbelt and Adelphi. No one can believe I actually lived in Adelphi at the time. But anyway.

CNN "Sports Illustrated's" Larry Smith has highlights from last night's game.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Eight seconds, that's how long Indiana had the lead Monday night and how long it took for Maryland to seize its destiny. The Terrapins took control and never looked back, handcuffing the Hoosiers into three of 16 shooting and just eight points in the final nine and a half minutes.

GARY WILLIAMS, MARYLAND COACH: The pressure, the traps, we tried to mix up straight man with the traps just to keep them off balance. I thought if we could get them out of being able to walk up the ball to get into their half court offense, break up that rhythm, that they'd do a great job with, hopefully they wouldn't shoot as well.

JARRAD ODLE, INDIANA FORWARD: When we did get the lead, you know, we made some, made I don't know how many turnovers we had tonight. We had to have quite a few. And, you know, we just didn't take care of the ball and in the game like that, you know, that team really capitalizes on things like that.

TOM COVERDALE, INDIANA GUARD: I thought their inside defense was great and, you know, that allowed them, they didn't have to double team as much and they could just lock down on our shooters. But, so, you know, we haven't really faced a defense that could, you know, do the things that they did. JUAN DIXON, MARYLAND GUARD: They hit some threes in the first half, but the coach kept us together. We went out and played tough defense and our job was to defend the three and just help on a low post on Jeffries and we played great team defense today.

SMITH: With the Hoosiers locking down All American Juan Dixon, Lonnie Baxter took over. The fellow senior rebounding from a four point effort Saturday night against Kansas to score 15 points and grab 14 rebounds to carry the Terrapins to the title.

LONNIE BAXTER: I just wanted to come in, you know, and just be a force down low, you know, just play to my ability, you know, and just play as hard as I can to win this national championship.

MIKE DAVIS, INDIANA COACH: He's so physical. He was just kind of bullying our guys out of the way. He would step in real hard and he got the ball point blank and once they get it point blank there's nothing you can do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He done it all year and I expected him to do it this game and that's what he did. And in the clutch of the game he came through for us big. And that's what he's there for.

SMITH (on camera): The high tempo game that we expected turned out to be April fool's. Monday night's championship game was the lowest scoring title match in 19 years. But the Terrapins return home with their first NCAA championship in hand. And how fitting is this? The 2002 champions get the win in game number 2002 in school history?

At the final four in Atlanta, I'm Larry Smith.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Thanks a lot, Larry.

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