Four years ago, the improbable happened for the Terrapins in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

Now, the Terrapins are hoping to produce a similar miracle.

Maryland is the sixth seed in the ACC Tournament, just as it was in 2004 when the Terrapins were forced to win four games in four days to secure a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

But led by volatile point guard John Gilchrist, the Terrapins, who were 7-9 in conference play during the regular season, knocked off third-seeded Wake

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Forest and second-seeded N.C. State before beat five-time defending champion and top-seeded Duke to claim the title.

The Terrapins (18-13, 8-8 ACC) open this year’s tournament against 11th-seeded Boston College (13-16, 4-12) on Thursday night at 9:30 at

Charlotte (N.C.) Bobcats Arena and could use a Gilchrist-like performance from the equally emotional Greivis Vasquez.

“We have to get tough,” Vasquez told reporters following a 91-76 loss to Virginia in the regular season finale on Sunday. “People who go through this type of situation , if you’re not tough, you don’t go forward in a good way.”

Vasquez averaged 17.5 points per game during the regular season for the Terrapins, who ended the regular season by losing five of seven games to land squarely on the bubble of the 65-team NCAA Tournament. The Terrapins are ranked 69 in several RPI (Ratings Percentage Index), and a deep run in the well-respected ACC Tournament would greatly improve their chances of making the NCAA Tournament.

Williams said he puts little stock in the RPI, but realizes his players are scoping out their chances of making the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year by scouring Web sites.

“It used to be that if you won eight in the ACC, you’re in [the NCAA Tournament],” Williams said. “That doesn’t necessarily hold true anymore with the number of teams that get in the tournament now. We just need to play well in the ACC Tournament.”

Williams said his bench must contribute more during the conference tournament for the Terrapins to avoid missing the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the past four years. Starters, he said, grew tired in the late stretches of games toward the end of the season.

The Terrapins split the regular season series with Boston College, but beat the Eagles in Chestnut Hill, Mass in early February for Williams’ 600th career victory. If Maryland advances to the quarterfinals, it would play third-seeded Clemson (22-8, 10-6), which came to College Park last week and erased a 20-point deficit in the final 11 minutes to beat the Terrapins on Senior Night.

No matter the result of the conference tournament, Williams said his team must cherish the next few days.

“I really believe the ACC Tournament is a special thing for the players, which is the most important thing,” Williams said Monday. “Hopefully, they’ll have good memories of the tournament this year.”