Strange but true fact: The Terrapin men’s basketball team hasn’t won at Cassell Coliseum in more than 19 years.
Granted for a good portion of that time Virginia Tech was a member of the Big East and the Terps’ losing streak in Blacksburg, Va., is only three games.
But the Hokies are a tough out on their home floor.
They are 14-0 at home this season, joining Duke as the only ACC squads without a home blemish.
The Terps, though, have won six of their last seven games, including two on the road. Their lone loss in that span was a 21-point loss at the Cameron Indoor Stadium.
In a conference in which eight teams have two or fewer home losses, that’s something to feel good about.
“It’s a home court year in the ACC, but we’ve won [three] on the road,” coach Gary Williams said. “We know what you have to do because we’ve done it.”
Williams estimated that playing at home grants a seven-to-15 point advantage. In a conference marked by parity that can make a big difference.
The Hokies have won four of their six conference home games by six points or less.
Last time the Terps paid a visit, they came up short in a 69-65 loss two seasons ago.
That was each of the current Terps’ only experience in the arena.
“Cassell’s probably one of the loudest gyms in the ACC,” reserve forward Dino Gregory said. “It’s an old gym, real small but they pack a lot of people in there. It’s packed every game.”
But after grinding out wins in three straight games in which they trailed in the second half, the Terps have shown some of the fortitude necessary to pull out such a win.
They can lock up a first-round bye in the ACC and keep the heat on Duke with a win.
But they’re going to have to do something nobody else has done at the Hokies’ house this season.
“It’s going to be real tough,” reserve swingman Cliff Tucker said. “Everybody protects their home court really well. Right now, we’re playing real well, and if we go in there and play the way we’ve been coming we’ll be okay.
Eric Detweiler is The Diamondback’s Terrapin Men’s Basketball Team beat writer. He can be reached at edetweilerdbk@gmail.com. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/edetweiler.