Terps Report

Seen and heard last night at Comcast Center:

HELLO, COMRADES — The 4,000-student section that rings the court was named “the Red Army” after a campus-wide poll. Students wore red T-shirts with the logo on the front and a World War II poster of Uncle Sam on the back proclaiming “I want you for the Red Army.”

JUMP-SHOOTING JAMAR — Maryland center Jamar Smith doesn’t mind mixing an occasional 3-pointer with his baskets underneath. Smith has eight double-doubles this season and has made three of 10 3-pointers.

“He wants to show the range of his game,” guard John Gilchrist said. “Some guys like that they can play inside and outside. They’re not old school post players. I feel that’s more of a contribution than being a post player.”

Smith was once a Tar Heels fan so playing North Carolina gave him an adrenalin rush.

“They were my favorite team as a kid until my sophomore year in high school when I started liking Maryland,” he said. “To play teams like this is a dream.”

LET IT SNOW — Maryland forward Ekene Ibekwe is a snow lover. The freshman, who grew up outside Los Angeles, hadn’t seen it until last month. His first snowball fight soon followed.

“It was something out of the movies,” Ibekwe said of seeing snow. “I called my mom and dad. I came here to be in different surroundings. I just wanted something new.”

BOSS WILLIAMS — For all the hoopla surrounding Roy Williams’ arrival after 15 years at Kansas, the North Carolina coach admitted Maryland coach Gary Williams has an edge in the surname rivalry after the Terrapins beat the Jayhawks in the 2002 Final Four.

“Gary is the one that does have a national championship ring,” Roy Williams said, “and I helped him get it since he beat us in the semifinals.”

— Rick Snider