An Inconvenient Truth. Yesterday, Vice President Al Gore interrupted his Democratic presidential primary campaign in New Hampshire . . . racing to New York's LaGuardia airport to catch a commercial flight back to Washington (the first time a VP has flown commercially on official business) in order to cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate.

The date this story was reported? February 3, 2000 --- which just happens to be the last time the Maryland Terrapins beat Duke in Durham at Cameron Indoor Stadium. 9-11 hadn't yet happened. Brenda Frese was nearing completion of her first season as a head coach . . . at Ball State University. Kristi Toliver wasn't even in High School. Shay Doron was a freshman playing in New York at a school named (as Shay's Mother told the BasketCases) after that famous Jew, Christ the King. And, Maryland was on its way to a 5-11 finish in the ACC.

A lot has changed since then. When the Terps take the floor at Cameron tomorrow, they will do so as the reigning National Champions . . . a fact not exactly lost on the Blue Devils. Two of the only remaining three D-I undefeated teams (ACC rival UNC being the third) will be facing off, guaranteeing that there will only be two unbeatens when the sun sets tomorrow. The two teams who battled for the Natty in what can only be described as an instant-classic NCAA final will be meeting each other for the first time since that game last April. If that isn't enough to get the adrenaline flowing, what is?

Al Gore and his staff won't be the only ones glued to their TV sets at 12:30 PM Saturday (on Comcast SportsNet). This is the one Terps' fans, Blue Devil fans and women's basketball fans everywhere have had circled on their calendars, highlighted on their schedules, and have been excited about since the match-up was first announced. It's almost here!

Let's Go Terps!!!!