Opposites will clash when Maryland meets UTEP in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo., on Thursday morning.

The game will be old hat for one team and a return to grace for another. Maryland (19-11) is making its 11th-consecutive NCAA appearance, while UTEP (24-7) returns to the dance for the first time after a 12-year absence.

"We're extremely happy to be here," said UTEP head coach Billy Gillispie. "It has been a really fun year this year. Our guys have worked hard every single day. We are grateful to the selection committee for the opportunity to be here and tomorrow we are going to try to give it our best effort."

The Miners, who received an at-large big, enter the tournament as the 13th seed in the Phoenix regional. UTEP's bid came after winning a share of the WAC regular-season title and posting one of the biggest turnarounds in NCAA history. UTEP has won 18 more games this season (24) than it did in 2002-03 (six).

UTEP's success can largely be credited to newcomers Omar Thomas, Jason Williams and Filiberto Rivera.

"As soon as we signed OT (Omar Thomas) and Jason (Williams), I knew we were all winners," Rivera said. "We just tried to put ourselves in this competition. I am glad we signed here and are in the tournament now. We will try and pick it up so we can stay."

The trio has amounted for 50 percent of the Miners offense this season with Thomas averaging 15.5, Williams hitting for 11.6 and Rivera knocking in 11.2 points per game.

"It just started to hit me at the shoot around, that we're really here in Denver playing for a national title," said Thomas. It definitely feels good. We deserve to be here."

UTEP will have its work cut out with four-seed Maryland, who enters the game ranked 19th in the Associated Press poll and 21st in the USA Today/ESPN poll.

"They are very athletic and very, very talented," said Gillispie. "I think they are well coached and both stronger and quicker thank us. I think they are a scary team not just for us, but for everyone in the tournament."

Maryland gained an automatic bid by winning the ACC Championship last weekend after defeating Duke 95-87 in Greensboro, N.C. The Terps were 7-9 in the league during the regular season.

During their 10-year run in the NCAA Tournament, the Terps have had seven Sweet 16 appearances, two Final Four showings and the 2002 NCAA title.

This season they have gotten to the dance with nine freshman, two juniors and just one senior.

Sophomores John Gilchrist (15.6 ppg), Nik Caner-Medley (12.4 ppg) and Chris McCray (10.8 ppg) have paced the Terps' youthful movement. Jamar Smith, the team's lone senior, has provided guidance, averaging 12.9 points and 8.9 rebounds.

The two teams will lace it up and tip off at 10:40 a.m. MST.