in 2008. A year later, Serena again triumphed.Last year, the American sisters met in the fourth round, with Serena winning en route to her sixth title at the All

COLLEGE PARK, Md. Wholesale Custom Saints Shirts . -- There were a lot of lofty expectations on the Maryland basketball team at this point last season, as the Terps were ranked in the Top 10 by several outlets.That is certainly not the case this year, though No. 25 Maryland could be a factor in the Big Ten and nationally come March.The Terps open the season at home Friday at 7 p.m. against American, a member of the Patriot League whose campus in northwest Washington, D.C., is about 12 miles southwest of College Park.American coach Mike Brennan, a former assistant at Georgetown, is well aware of the Maryland program.You always want to challenge yourselves and see where you stack up at the beginning of the year, said Brennan, a former player at Princeton in his fourth season with the Eagles. It is exciting; it is good for recruiting. The guys like it; they like the challenge.Maryland was 27-9 last season and lost to Kansas in the regional semifinals in the NCAA tournament. Terps outscored opponents by an average of 75.7-66.7 last season while AU was outscored 65.7-57.6. The Terps won the battle of the boards by an average of 35.1-32.5.But Maryland lost two key players to the NBA. Freshman center Diamond Stone was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers and senior forward Jake Layman was taken by the Portland Trail Blazers.In addition, graduate senior Rasheed Suliamon, a transfer from Duke, exhausted his eligibility while Robert Carter Jr., a transfer from Georgia Tech, left a year early to play pro ball in Italy.The good news is that Melo Trimble, an all-conference guard, decided to return for his junior year after working out for NBA teams. He is the team leader among returnees in points (14.8), assists (4.9) and rebounds (3.9).Trimble is expected to play Friday despite hurting his ankle and playing just nine minutes in a 95-61 exhibition win against Division II Catawba on Saturday.Besides Trimble, the Terps have a strong freshman class, with point guard Anthony Cowan, 6-foot-7 forward Justin Jackson and 6-7 guard Kevin Huerter. Cowan and Jackson each had 15 points against Catawba.They are three young guys who are further along than the rest of them, Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. Theyll all be ready to help us. Theyre ready to play.Anthonys something we really havent had since weve been here, Turgeon added. Hes fast -- probably one of the fastest guys in the league. He can really defend, pick it up full court and pressure the ball. Hes fast on the break and hes a pass-first point guard, which is great for our team right now.Maryland also has graduate transfer L.G. Gill, from Duquesne, who had 13 points against Catawba, and Dion Wiley, who missed last season with a right knee injury.Trimble and Cowan are both products of Prince Georges County, Md., and played for the same club program. Both played in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC), as Trimble starred at Bishop OConnell in Virginia and Cowan played at St. Johns College High in Washington.Hes a really good passer who can shoot, Trimble said of Cowan. But hes mostly a pass-first point guard, which is something thats good for our offense. With Anthony being here, I can play off the ball, which is something I havent (done) since I was in high school.The top player for American is Delante Jones, who averaged 12 points last season as the Patriot League Rookie of the Year. The Eagles are picked to finish fifth in the 10-team Patriot League after going 12-19 last season.The teams last met in December 2008 at Maryland; the Terps won 67-51. On Dec. 22, 2007, in College Park, the Eagles pulled a 67-59 upset against Maryland and former coach Gary Williams, who was an American University assistant early in his Hall of Fame coaching career. Ben Grubbs Jersey . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. Willie Roaf Jersey . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. http://www.customsaintsjersey.com/custom...arge-1372e.html . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. LONDON -- The Latest from Wimbledon (all times local):---7 p.m.A few hours after playing in separate matches on Centre Court at Wimbledon, Serena and Venus Williams teamed up to reach the semifinals in the womens doubles tournament.The American sisters beat Elena Vesnina and Ekaterina Makarova 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-2 on No. 2 Court.Serena also beat Vesnina in the singles tournament, advancing to the final at the All England Club for the ninth time. Venus, however, lost her semifinal match to Angelique Kerber.The Williams sisters have combined for 11 singles titles at Wimbledon and five as a doubles team -- the last coming in 2012.Overall, Serena and Venus have won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles.---3:43 p.m.Angelique Kerber has reached her second Grand Slam final, beating Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 in the Wimbledon semifinals.Kerber, who won the Australian Open this year, will face Serena Williams in Saturdays final.Kerber beat the younger Williams sister in the Australian Open final for her first major title.---3:39 p.m.Angelique Kerber is serving for the match while leading Venus Williams 6-4, 5-4 in the Wimbledon semifinals.---3:06 p.m.Angelique Kerber won the first set of her Wimbledon semifinal match against Venus Williams 6-4.Kerber, the Australian Open champion, held for only the second time in the set in the final game. Venus held her serve only once.---2:49 p.m.Angelique Kerber leads Venus Williams 3-2 in the first set of the Wimbledon semifinals, with neither player able to hold serve so far.---2 p.m.Serena Williams is in the Wimbledon final for the ninth time.The six-time champion beat Elena Vesnina 6-2, 6-0 on Centre Court, breaking the Russians opening two service games in the first set and all three in the second.Williams is now 9-1 in Wimbledon semifinals, with her only loss at that stage coming against older sister Venus in 2000.Serena will face either five-time champion Venus or Angelique Kerber in Saturdays final. Those two play later Thursday on Centre Court.Serrena and Venus have met in four Wimbledon finals, with Serena winning three and Venus winning one. Wayne Martin Jersey. ---1:49 p.m.Serena Williams has again taken a 3-0 lead, this time in the second set, by breaking Elena Vesninas opening two service games in the Wimbledon semifinals.Williams already won the first set 6-2.---1:38 p.m.Serena Williams won the first set of her Wimbledon semifinal match against Elena Vesnina 6-2.The top-seeded Williams, a six-time champion at the All England Club, broke Vesninas serve twice at the start of the match for 4-0. She then held twice more to take the set.---1:20 p.m.Serena Williams is off to fast start in the Wimbledon semifinals, breaking Elena Vesninas serve twice to take an early 3-0 lead on Centre Court.---12:20 p.m.If Serena and Venus Williams with their semifinals on Thursday, they will face each other in the Wimbledon final for the fifth time.Serena beat her older sister in the 2002 and 03 finals, but Venus won the next one in 2008. A year later, Serena again triumphed.Last year, the American sisters met in the fourth round, with Serena winning en route to her sixth title at the All England Club.The Williams sisters also met in the semifinals in 2000, with Venus winning and going on to win her first Wimbledon title.---12:05 p.m.Serena and Venus Williams will be back on court, separately, to play for a spot in the Wimbledon final.Serena, a six-time champion at the All England Club, will be first on Centre Court against Elena Vesnina in the semifinals. Following that match, five-time Wimbledon champion Venus will take on Angelique Kerber.The winners will play in Saturdays final.But Serena and Venus wont be done after their singles, and neither will Vesnina. The American sisters will play in the doubles tournament on No. 2 Court later Thursday, taking on Vesnina and Ekaterina Makarova in the quarterfinals. ' ' '