COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Midnight Madness at the University of Maryland was a celebration of the past, a glimpse toward the future and a housewarming party rolled into one.

	Terrapins fans got to celebrate a new title in a new building.

The defending NCAA champion Terrapins formally opened their lavish new on-campus home, the 17,950-seat Comcast Center, on Friday night.

College basketball practice were allowed to start at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, and a number of programs took advantage of the weekend start for a Midnight Madness.

Maryland's event featured many of the staples of the past, such as a laser show, dunking lines and a short scrimmage. But this was unlike any of the 32 versions of Midnight Madness that preceded it.

For the first time, the Terrapins were coming off their first NCAA title. And they were strutting their stuff in a different building.

The $107 million Comcast Center replaces Cole Field House, which served as the Terrapins' home for 47 years.

''It's great to leave Cole with a national championship. That place really deserved it,'' coach Gary Williams said. ''But we're really looking forward to this year. The Comcast Center is as good as any on-campus arena, if not the best. This place was built for basketball. It's incredible how you can see from the highest seats.''

Unlike Cole Field House, the Terrapins' new home has a television screen on the scoreboard. Ninety minutes before midnight, fans were treated to a look back to Maryland's run to the title, culminating with the 64-52 victory over Indiana in the championship game.

''That's really the first time I've seen it. I guess we won,'' Williams deadpanned.

The Terrapins will hang the championship banner before the regular-season opener against Miami of Ohio on Nov. 24. By then, the players should be used to their new surroundings.

''This place is really, really big,'' senior forward Tahj Holden said. ''It's very nice, they did a very good job. All the bright lights, all the seats, it seems like we're an NBA team now.''

Steve Blake, the lone returning starter from the team last year and a starter on the squad that also went to the Final Four in 2001, can't wait to start playing in his new home.

''I like it. It's going to be great, it's going to be loud,'' he said. ''Twenty years from now, people will remember that we were the first team to play here. It's nice to be here to open the building. It's the start of something new.''

Kentucky: Celebrating 100 years
Kentucky used Midnight Madness to kick off the celebration of its 100th season of basketball.

The crowd chanted ''TUB-BY, TUB-BY, TUB-BY!'' as coach Tubby Smith ran onto the court, grabbed a microphone and introduced former coach Joe B. Hall, who led Kentucky to the 1978 national championship.

A giant blue and white cake was then wheeled onto the floor as the crowd sang ''Happy Birthday'' to the program. Bill Keightley, the team's equipment manager for the past 42 seasons, then burst out of the cake to applause and laughter.

Michigan State: Izzo the rock start
Michigan State had a ''Let the Music Play'' theme at the Breslin Center and the highlight came when coach Tom Izzo repelled from the ceiling while dressed like Bruce Springsteen then danced to a parody titled ''Born in the U-P Eh,'' a reference to Izzo being native of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Kansas: Welcomed do-nuts
Kansas fans packed Allen Fieldhouse for ''Late Night with Roy Williams,'' which opened with the homecoming tradition of a sorority and fraternity sing-off.

''The doughnuts they passed out are really exceptional,'' said Seth Giles, a junior more interested in the food than the coach. ''Oh, and the basketball team is good, too.''

Arkansas: Something's different
Arkansas' basketball veterans sense something different with new coach Stan Heath on the job -- a sense of camaraderie and a change in tempo that Razorback fans will be sure to note.

''I think we're a lot closer as a team,'' senior guard Charles Tatum said. ''We've done a lot of things together that we would have never done with (former coach Nolan) Richardson. That's helped a lot with our chemistry.''

Senior forward Carl Baker said Heath's style is definitely different from that of Richardson, whom the university fired in March.

''I was recruited for a fast-paced style, pressing and running,'' Baker said. ''We'll still keep the tempo up, but not as fast as it was.''

Arizona: Gardner sharp at stroke of midnight
More than 11,000 fans packed McKale Center to watch Arizona begin its basketball workouts.

The White team tied the Blue team at 35 to end a 20-minute scrimmage that capped the Midnight Madness festivities. Senior Jason Gardner and sophomore Dee Dee Wheeler combined to win the 3-point contest, defeating sophomore guard Jason Ranne and freshman Katrina Lindner 7-2.

In the dunk contest, freshman Andre Iguodala used a high-flying dunk, jumping from just inside the free throw line for a one-handed slam.

Fellow freshman Hassan Adams provided stiff competition, successfully dunking on bounce to himself about seven feet from the basket for a one-handed jam.

The Wildcats, who finished 24-10 last season and lost to Oklahoma in the Sweet 16, are picked to get to the Final Four for the second time in three years.

Arizona is also the preseason pick to win the NCAA title as it features every starter and nine returning players from last season's Sweet 16.

Indiana: 10,000 watch the Hoosiers
Indiana opened by practicing in front of the largest Midnight Madness crowd in Mike Davis' three-year tenure as head coach. Coming off a national runner-up season, about 10,000 fans cheered wildly at the Hoosiers' first practice.

"The expectations are high, we're going all the way,'' shouted Brian Ossip, an 18-year-old freshman from Philadelphia. "But no matter what they do, we're going to be behind them.''

Gonzaga: Life without Dickau
Gonzaga takes the basketball court for the first time since All-American Dan Dickau graduated, as the Bulldogs begin preparing for a fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament.

Dickau has moved on to the NBA Atlanta Hawks, but Gonzaga's cupboard is far from bare.

The Bulldogs led the nation in rebounding margin last year, averaging 8.9 more boards a game than opponents. The team this year is taller that last year, including returning 6-foot-8 Zach Gourde, 6-foot-8 Cory Violette and 6-foot-9 Ronny Turiaf.

They are joined by junior redshirt Richard Fox (6-11), redshirt freshmen Dustin Villepigue (6-9) and incoming freshman Sean Mallon (6-8).

"It starts with Cory, Zach, Ronny and Richard,'' coach Mark Few said. "All four as a group are certainly as good as anybody has in the country.''