Duke@MD 2/11

[YardBirds13]

They won't lose at home to GT and MD.

We will see about BC this week. Duke handled them fairly easily already this year(after those guys were suspended as well). So, we will see but obviously, they are the underdog going into that game.

If they finish 6-10 in the conference, then we can talk. But they have beaten alot of quality teams this year...They have 7 losses now and 6 are to the RPI top 40(with 4 of them in the RPI top 30). The only team outside of that is GT, at GT and they are almost in the top 50.

Not that I disagree with you, but that's the exact same thing you said about the Florida State game. Trust me, I think Duke is very talented and has just not played well down the stretch in a couple games.

However, if I was a Duke fan (as my roommate is, and it is GREAT watching him sweat) I would be absolutely worried about this team. I am shocked they haven't played well and am shocked they are even in this position.

[Sports Guy]

While I appreciate to an extent the Maryland fans are happy with a win, keep in mind you did beat a team with a losing record in the conference. Don't go putting another banner in the Comcast Center, it's a good win but no need to get carried away.

What it does for MD is put a very solid win on their resume, which they needed.

Despite their struggles the last 4 games, Duke has a high RPI, a great SOS and have beaten alot of good teams plus, it is Duke.

MD is still only 4-6 on conference. They have to take care of business at home versus FSU and NC St.

That gives them 6 wins.

I think they can get in with 7 wins if they beat UNC at home. If they fail to do that, they probably need to win 2 of the rest of their road games to make them 8-8.

[mweb]

How can you not be they have lost 4 straight games??!?!?

Now that might be the dumbest comment.

SG is well known for not being the least be worried about things that have obvious reason for concern.

I'd be worried if I'm was a Duke fan, just like I'm worried as a MD fan, not saying their both are in the same position though.

[Sports Guy]

Not that I disagree with you, but that's the exact same thing you said about the Florida State game. Trust me, I think Duke is very talented and has just not played well down the stretch in a couple games.

However, if I was a Duke fan (as my roommate is, and it is GREAT watching him sweat) I would be absolutely worried about this team. I am shocked they haven't played well and am shocked they are even in this position.

I really am not all that worried about them.

My expectations of them this year were not as high as years past...I was thinking they would be a top 3 seed, fighting for 2 in the conference and make the sweet 16...Far cry from the #1 seed, winning the conference and thinking they could/should win the NC.

They don't have an explosive player although i know Henderson can be that guy but he hasn't done it yet on a consistent basis(where was he tonight?)

Because of that, they aren't getting to the line(where they normally would score 15+ ppg) and not getting out on the break. Defensive has carried them for most of the year and they will need that to continue.

It actually may bode well for this team to be a lower seed than normal. Maybe they can sneak up on teams more than usual....Be in the underdog role for once.

[Ruzious]

Ah, what a relief! Finally a win they can really build on. And they better build on it. I was impressed. Now they should realize that they have the talent to beat anyone - other than UNC - in the conference. Gist and Ebekwe continue to impress. I still think they need to get Jones out of the lineup and start the 2 frosh guards. Hayes didn't shoot well, but the team plays better and smarter with him at the point.

McRoberts was easily the best pro prospect in the game. I said last year, he's a better prospect than Sheldon Williams, and he's doing nothing to change my opinion. But other than him, while they're young - I don't see great upside.

[Sports Guy]

How can you not be they have lost 4 straight games??!?!?

Now that might be the dumbest comment.

I will be worried if they lose to Tech at home.

[Mashed Potatoes]

While I appreciate to an extent the Maryland fans are happy with a win, keep in mind you did beat a team with a losing record in the conference. Don't go putting another banner in the Comcast Center, it's a good win but no need to get carried away.

Who's getting carried away here? It was a must win game against a rival and we're excited. Furthermore it's not just about our records, it's about Duke being a pure evil that must be vanquished.

I would also like to jump on the bandwagon of Paulus haters, as long as he's starting at point guard Duke will never be an elite team. Bad jump shot, when he drives he can't finish himself, and turnover prone, awesome combination!

[Pedro Cerrano]

My prediction for the rest of their ACC sked:

at NCSU W

at CLEM L

FSU W

UNC L

atDook L

NCSU W

That makes us 7-9 and we will probably need a win in the ACC tournament to get in. Now there is always the possibility that we win at Clemson since it appears they are not that good after their great start but I doubt we win at Clemson and win out at home.

[Sports Guy]

Its amazing you can find a negative for MD tonight.

Its not negative, its true.

Doesn't that bother you as a MD fan? Don't you want this effort every game? It is obvious they get up for Duke more than anyone and sometimes, the difference in them getting up for Duke and everyone else is too big.

[Sports Guy]

My prediction for the rest of their ACC sked:

at NCSU W

at CLEM L

FSU W

UNC L

atDook L

NCSU W

That makes us 7-9 and we will probably need a win in the ACC tournament to get in. Now there is always the possibility that we win at Clemson since it appears they are not that good after their great start but I doubt we win at Clemson and win out at home.

This game is huge for MD IMO.

They have to follow this good win up with a solid road win. If they lose to State, the Duke win means a little less. If they follow it up and win against State, i think they do enough to make the NCAAs. Vazquez really impressed me tonight and with him, Hayes and Gist and sprinkle in contributions every once in a while from Jones, DJ and Ebekwe, they can be very dangerous.

They have got to ride this wave of momentum though.

[JohnD]

Florida State has gotten REALLY good lately, and almost knocked off BC today. To think it's a gimme at home is a bit over confident.

That said, great win today. I was extremely happy. Though the one frustrating thing was, as mentioned, how Bowers plays like an all-conference center every time he plays Dook, and plays like crap against everyone else.

Oh, and it wouldn't be a Terps thread if I didn't put in the obligatory Dave Neal! reference. He gave them some good first half minutes.

[Flosman]

Its not negative, its true.

Doesn't that bother you as a MD fan? Don't you want this effort every game? It is obvious they get up for Duke more than anyone and sometimes, the difference in them getting up for Duke and everyone else is too big.

Yes it has worried me for a while. But also let's not make it out to be the only time this year they looked like this. Honestly MD gets in big trouble if they get in foul trouble and their offense is horribly inconsistant. But there is nothing negative that can come out of thegame they just played.

[beaner]

Florida State has gotten REALLY good lately, and almost knocked off BC today. To think it's a gimme at home is a bit over confident.

That said, great win today. I was extremely happy. Though the one frustrating thing was, as mentioned, how Bowers plays like an all-conference center every time he plays Dook, and plays like crap against everyone else.

Oh, and it wouldn't be a Terps thread if I didn't put in the obligatory Dave Neal! reference. He gave them some good first half minutes.

FSU blew that game today, they had it won and folded down the stretch. At State is no gimme either, just ask the Heels.

[beaner]

Who's getting carried away here? It was a must win game against a rival and we're excited. Furthermore it's not just about our records, it's about Duke being a pure evil that must be vanquished.

I would also like to jump on the bandwagon of Paulus haters, as long as he's starting at point guard Duke will never be an elite team. Bad jump shot, when he drives he can't finish himself, and turnover prone, awesome combination!

Maryland fans tend to get excited over Duke wins, which I have no problem with. I'm just saying that beating a team with a losing record in the ACC doesn't mean that much. Maryland was favored by 2 in Vegas this morning. Totally agree on the Duke being evil thing!

[ccbird]

A much needed, and well earned victory from Maryland. But now the million dollar question, why on God's green earth can't we play like this against team's not named Duke? As sweet as this win is, it frustrates me even more. My God this was a MUCH different team than we've seen pretty much all season.

Not really. I mean they beat an average ACC team that they matched up with really well. Yeah, they came out and played well for the first ten minutes while Duke was laying an egg. I didn't see anything different than I saw from any of the other games other than they cut down on turnovers. They still got outplayed from the 8min mark in the first half until about the 6 min mark in the second half. Lets not pretend they came out and played a great game tonight. It was a good win in a must win game but honestly there was nothing I saw that leads me believe they can go on the road and beat NC State or Clemson in two more must win games.