Maryland Terrapins Related Links: Team Page City Page Schedule Stats

Xavier (OH) Musketeers Related Links: Team Page City Page Schedule Stats

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Defending national champion Maryland needed a buzzer-beater to advance. Xavier will probably need a better performance from David West if it expects to reach the "Sweet 16" for the first time since 1989-90.

The schools will meet in the second round of the South Region on Sunday afternoon.

Maryland, which lost four starters from last season's team, barely avoided becoming the first defending champion since UCLA in 1996 to get knocked out in the first round.

Drew Nicholas, the successor to 2002 Final Four Most Outstanding Player Juan Dixon at shooting guard, lofted a 3-pointer from the right side just before the buzzer to give the Terrapins a 75-73 victory over North Carolina-Wilmington on Friday.

Two free throws by Aaron Coombs with five seconds left had given the Seahawks a 73-72 lead before Nicholas took the inbounds pass, dribbled nearly the length of the court and launched a fallaway 3-pointer off his back foot with Anthony Terrell in his face.

With its highest seed ever in the NCAA Tournament, No. 3 Xavier overcame a sluggish start and posted a 71-59 victory over 14th-seeded Troy State on Friday.

West, the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year for the last three seasons, was slowed by foul trouble and had only 12 points.

But the Musketeers, who won for the 17th time in 18 games, showed they have more than just West. Guard Lionel Chalmers hit five 3-pointers and scored 20 points and Romain Sato added 18.

On Sunday, Chalmers and Sato will again be relied to provide shooting from the perimeter and the 6-9 West will need to be more effective inside than he was on Thursday.

Maryland has power on the front line with 6-10 Tahj Holden and 6-9 Ryan Randle, who had 15 points and 16 rebounds in the win over NC Wilmington. Both will be counted on to contain West, who averaged 20.4 points and 11.9 rebounds.

Nicholas and Steve Blake, Maryland's senior backcourt, will be expected to outscore Chalmers and Sato if the Terps struggle to contain West.

The teams have met just once and Maryland posted an 84-74 win in December 1976.

Last year, the Musketeers defeated Hawaii in the first round of the tournament before losing to eventual Final Four team Oklahoma in the second round.