For the men's basketball team, tonight is a good news-bad news situation.

The good news is that even though it drew only 3,729 for its first-round National Invitation Tournament game with Marquette, it will play a second-round game at 7:30 tonight in Rec Hall.

The bad news is that the Lions will have to play Atlantic Coast Conference representative Maryland (19-13). The Terrapins advanced to the second round with a 91-81 victory over Massachusetts last Thursday night.

The general consensus was that the Lions (22-8) would hit the road after hosting Marquette. So hosting Maryland was unexpected, but welcomed.

"I was extremely pleasantly surprised," Coach Bruce Parkhill said. "I think it's a great opportunity for our fans to see a real talented, very good basketball team. They're from a great league and it's certainly exciting for us."

"I was surprised," center Ed Fogell said. "I had a feeling we were going to get Maryland. I was surprised we had it here, but I think it's a good opportunity for us to get a good win."

The Terrapins are led by Jerrod Mustaf and Tony Massenburg, who average 18.3 and 17.7 points per game, respectively. Mustaf scored 23 points against UMass.

"(Mustaf) and Tony Massenburg have carried the load for us this year," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "(Mustaf) played well against Massachusetts. He scored some big baskets down the stretch for us and we broke it open late in the game."

Williams said his team's style of play is to use the fast break, score a lot of points and play good defense. The Terrapins have three other players who are averaging in double figures -- Walt Williams (12.7), Teyon McCoy (10.8) and Jesse Martin (10.2).

Williams said the Terrapins can't change their style of play for Penn State.

"We have to play our game," he said. "Neither team makes a lot of changes and we have to get our guys ready to play."

"The only time I've seen Maryland play is when they beat North Carolina," Parkhill said. "I think they've had a real good year and they'll be one of the best teams we've played all year. We know we have our work cut out for us."

Williams said he would rather have played at home. And, like many other coaches, Williams thought his team should have been in the NCAA tournament. He said that might have been a factor in the Terrapins' slow start against the Minutemen.

"I think we got motivated," Williams said. "We were disappointed we didn't get in the NCAA tournament and we weren't emotionally into the game in the first half. But as time went on I think we got our concentration back."

"They're a team that certainly could have made a strong case for making it into the NCAA this year," Parkhill said. "They could have something to prove in that regard."

Another motivational factor for Williams may be the controversy surrounding his team. Two years ago Coach Lefty Driesell was fired after Len Bias overdosed on cocaine.

Now, the Terrapins have been banned from postseason play and television starting next year because of alleged infractions caused by Bob Wade.

Parkhill said he was concerned about how the Lions would match up with the Terrapins.

"They probably provide as much matchup problems as any other team we've played all year with the exception of Temple," Parkhill said. "But we're not intimidated by them."

Fogell said the Lions must rebound well and play "hard-nosed" defense if they hope to beat the Terrapins. However, he is downplaying the importance of the game.

"Obviously it would be a great win for us," he said. "But we're just looking at this as another game right now. Everyone that is playing basketball right now is a good team, and we feel that we're a good team."

Notes: Tonight's game will likely not be telecast, either nationally or locally. ESPN did not pick up the game and 5,500 tickets needed to be sold 24 hours before tipoff so that a local station could broadcast the game.