SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Sixth-seeded Maryland tries to continue its pursuit of a third straight Final Four appearance when it meets No. 7 Michigan State, the last team to accomplish the feat, in the semifinals of the South Region.

Maryland (21-9) and Michigan State (21-12) have combined for five Final Four appearances and two national titles in the last four years. The Terrapins won their first national title last season and the Spartans won in 2000.

The Terrapins rode the momentum of Drew Nicholas' buzzer-beating shot in the first round for a 77-64 victory in round two against Xavier. Nicholas and Ryan Randle each scored 17 points for Maryland, which shot 52 percent (30-of-58), the 13th time it topped 50 percent.

One reason for Maryland's dominance was a 23-0 edge in bench points. Jamar Smith made all six shots for 12 points off the bench.

Terrapin seniors Nicholas, Steve Blake, Tahj Holden and Calvin McCall are 13-2 lifetime in NCAA Tournament games.

Blake owns 969 career assists and is in fifth place on the NCAA's all-time list. Nicholas leads the team with a 17.8 scoring average after averaging just 6.3 points as a reserve in three years.

Michigan State (21-12) was ranked 10th in the preseason before stumbling in a pair of losses in the Great Alaska Shootout and losing its first three Big Ten Conference road teams. But the Spartans have been a different team in the NCAA Tournament, rolling to a pair of easy victories, including a 68-46 rout of Florida on Sunday.

Freshman Maurice Ager scored 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting and Erazem Lorbek and Chris Hill each added 12 for Michigan State, which shot 56 percent and held Florida to its lowest point total of the season. The Spartans moved into the "Sweet 16" for the fifth time in six seasons.

Hill is averaging 15.8 points and is shooting 46 percent from the floor in his last five games.

Michigan State is averaging 73.5 points in the last two games after scoring exactly 54 in each of its two previous games.

The teams are meeting for only the second time. Michigan State posted a 95-75 rout on December 29, 1955.

The winner will face Texas or Connecticut on Sunday.