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It's crunch time.

With two weeks to go before the ACC Tournament, the Terrapin men's basketball team has three different paths it can take with respect to the NCAA Tournament: The Terps, currently on the bubble, can play their way in and solidify a firm spot in the field of 65, they can play their way out, or they could remain on the bubble.

Tonight's game at Wake Forest begins a crucial three-game stretch that could end up deciding the Terps' fate. Win all three and the Terps are in. Lose all three and they're out. Anything else, and it will come down to the ACC Tournament.

"We gotta win these next three games," senior forward James Gist said. "It's gonna take a lot of work, but we gotta work hard. This is what you signed up for. This is what it's like this time of year. Just gotta be ready. Gotta lock down and work hard for this."

The players are approaching tonight as a must-win game. Coach Gary Williams says he is preparing for it like any other game this season.

"Every game in the league is just like this game," he said. "There's no difference between our game and most of the games being played this week, so we prepare for the game just like we've been doing all year. You prepare what worked last time against Wake - you certainly look at that. And you look at Wake if they've changed, if we've changed, and you go from there."

Wake Forest (16-9, 6-6 ACC) may be just an average team when it comes to the ACC, but the Demon Deacons have been almost perfect at home with a 14-1 record.

The Terps (17-11, 7-6) have played relatively well away from Comcast Center, but they have dropped their past two games.

The game at Miami, however, didn't exactly provide a hostile atmosphere. Tonight will be a rowdy crowd, though, and a win would be an impressive one to add to the resumé.

"It's a must-win game for us," sophomore guard Eric Hayes said. "And we just gotta go down there ready to play and get that win."

Williams wants his team to focus solely on what it controls and not other games around the country that could affect the Terps' NCAA Tournament situation.

"Well I think that's the key - not to worry about if this team beats that team or, 'I hope they lose,'" Williams said. "We have to play. We have to win our games. And that's how you have to look at it. That's a lot of wasted energy this time of year worrying about that, worrying about the NCAA. You can worry about it, but it doesn't do you any good. What's the point? The point is to do everything you can to prepare for your game."

Before agreeing that tonight was a must-win game, senior center Bambale Osby said the Terps needed to start playing with a sense of urgency.

It was clear that there wasn't any urgency against Virginia Tech or Miami, and Williams even said the tough loss to the Hokies might have spiraled into the Miami game.

In those two games, the Terps had a margin for error. Now, that's not the case.

"We gotta put all that stuff behind us now," Williams said, "and just play well."

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