Duke Vs Md

[BmoreBoy]

CRY ME A RIVER

So are we in the Rankings next week or not?

GO TERPS!!!!

[glenn__davis]

CRY ME A RIVER

So are we in the Rankings next week or not?

We shouldn't be, not yet at least. This was a great win and showed what the Terps are capable of, but it does not erase the pathetic efforts against UNC, Wake and State.

[sangell2007]

CRY ME A RIVER

So are we in the Rankings next week or not?

GO TERPS!!!!

Hahahahaha that picture has been on my door since the Championship game last year! What an amazing game...and a good but fairly tame riot as far as I could tell. Wow! I must admit, I hated Will Bowers last year, partially because he played against our team in high school and just wasn't that good, so I didn't think he should be at Maryland, and partially because he was just worthless. But he proved himself to me tonight, he's been looking good before but now he's just fine with me. Just....wow. What a game! My heart was right on this one!!!

[nyOsfan1972]

Great win by the terps, the D finally came out and played.

[Hallas]

On the refs: they made some absolutely awful calls, as they always do in this game. However, I noticed a couple non-calls against Maryland that could be charitibly called "make-up calls". For example, after they blew the wrist-slap by Williams on Gist, the next time down they ignored Bowers ramming into a set Randolph and knocking him halfway to Chapel Hill.

Someone needs to make a highlight DVD: "Worst Ref Calls: Duke vs. Maryland". I bet they sell out their stock in a week.

I can partially agree with this sentiment. However, down the stretch, they gave Duke some *huge* non calls.

That Williams elbow was one - that made it a 2 point game. Also, that Randolph elbow/backhand/stiffarm I thought would have been an intentional foul in a more tightly-refed game.

That wrist-slap on Gist also pissed me off, and I rarely see the announcers go so far as to say how terrible a call is, as both Dickie V and the other announcer did on that one.

There were a few non-calls on the Maryland side as well, but I think Duke took the cake as far as the ref game was concerned.

[q4444]

I can partially agree with this sentiment. However, down the stretch, they gave Duke some *huge* non calls.

That Williams elbow was one - that made it a 2 point game. Also, that Randolph elbow/backhand/stiffarm I thought would have been an intentional foul in a more tightly-refed game.

That wrist-slap on Gist also pissed me off, and I rarely see the announcers go so far as to say how terrible a call is, as both Dickie V and the other announcer did on that one.

There were a few non-calls on the Maryland side as well, but I think Duke took the cake as far as the ref game was concerned.

This one was almost as bad as the national semifinals when Baxter, Morris, and Holden all fouled out while Batier(sp? who cares?) didn't pick up his second foul until late in the second half. The Shavlickmyballs offensive foul was unbelievable. Not only did he push off, but he was all over Ibekwe's back to get the rebound. Chalk it up to typical Dook BS.

Edit: The dook faithful are at it again check out the Duke Basketball Report story on the game.

[calsmanystances]

I was very happy with the switch to Bowers and MJ. I, for one, have been a big "Bowers sucks" crowd member and now I want him starting! He still cannot rebound and looks pretty horrible offensively, but against low-post scoring big men he should start. His size just makes these 6-9 265 pound guys have to change their games. Anyone notice how Williams had to be a face-up man when Bowers was in? I thought Boweres did a very nice job on him before tiring noticeably. Also, I think it helps Ekene's energy level to come off the bench right now. My game highlight was when Ekene hit the right-handed jump hook to take the lead at 1:21-I have yelling at the TV all yr for him to take shots like that-he's long, quick and can jump so no one will block that. He's got to take it more often. If we face a team w/o a low-post scorer I would go back to the usual lineup, but when we face the Williams' and Elton Browns' of the game Bowers should start and play at least 20 minutes.

McCray did a fantastic job on JJ R. Really. I was very pleased with his lock-up on him. And JG did a good job on Ewing, I have rarely seen JG play that well in his on-ball defense.

Let us all remember once again how highly rated Dockery was coming out of HS-what a worthless player he is! Talk about non-threat--NCK and MJ played 10 feet off him and he still could not hit a shot.

Great win and great effort.

[Ruzious]

- Phenominal game.

- The refs were bad, but they were bad on both sides and had basically no impact on the game.

- NCM was unreal. It's beautiful to watch when a player is "feeling it", and he was. Can he keep it up, or is this just another streak in his very streaky Terp career?

- A thank you to Duke for not going inside until it was too late.

- With Ewing and Reddick playing together, you can see they really need a PG. They're being asked to do things that they're not good at.

- Kudos to Bowers for tremendous improvement. He'll never be even close to a top player, but who thought he'd reach the level he has - considering where he used to be? It must have taken a ton of work. That's what it's all about.

- How about the 2 coaches? Both were soooo uptight the whole game through. Even after the game, I didn't see any joy in GW's face. Hopefully, he'll relax at some point in the season and maybe even smile once in a while. He's earned the right to feel good about this team.

[JohnD]

Not yet he hasn't. Not when NC State kicks your butt at home. He can feel good after they beat Tech on Sunday and reel off wins against Carolina and everyone else in between. This team should have played like they did last night most of the year and they haven't. Feel good when you show up in games against the best and win the games you're supposed to how you're supposed to.

[Ruzious]

Not yet he hasn't. Not when NC State kicks your butt at home. He can feel good after they beat Tech on Sunday and reel off wins against Carolina and everyone else in between. This team should have played like they did last night most of the year and they haven't. Feel good when you show up in games against the best and win the games you're supposed to how you're supposed to.

At some point, you gotta get some perspective and realize it's just a game and put the NC State debacle in the past. GW doesn't need to prove anything. He's coached a team to the NCAA Championship. And when the team plays as close to perfect as it can - as they did last night - he should feel good about it. He has earned it and then some - no matter what some unappreciative negative fans think.

And if anyone expects the Terps to play that well every night, they are delusional about the talent level they have.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some smiling and feeling good to do.

[JohnD]

Look, I'm happy as heck they won. But all it did was prove this team has underachieved this year. Should they be 3-3, and close to 2-4 this year? Not right now, no. They should have beaten an NC State team that had no business winning the way they did and they should have played defense like that all along. Instead their 3 conference losses were by about 100 points. One of them came at home.

I love Gary and think he's done a tremendous job there and has nothing left to prove to anyone. I have no doubts about what he can do. As for the team he has though, they've got a lot of work to do before they can live up to teams from the past, and I don't even mean just the final four squads. He can relish the win all he wants but in no way at all should he feel confident this team has turned the corner and will reannounce their presence with authority the rest of the way. All they've shown is that they can play with the big boys when it's worth their time.

[photoman]

Look, I'm happy as heck they won. But all it did was prove this team has underachieved this year. Should they be 3-3, and close to 2-4 this year? Not right now, no. They should have beaten an NC State team that had no business winning the way they did and they should have played defense like that all along. Instead their 3 conference losses were by about 100 points. One of them came at home.

I love Gary and think he's done a tremendous job there and has nothing left to prove to anyone. I have no doubts about what he can do. As for the team he has though, they've got a lot of work to do before they can live up to teams from the past, and I don't even mean just the final four squads. He can relish the win all he wants but in no way at all should he feel confident this team has turned the corner and will reannounce their presence with authority the rest of the way. All they've shown is that they can play with the big boys when it's worth their time.

Sometimes I think the fans get lost in wanting to beat Duke so bad that it becomes the only thing important in Marylands season. This is becoming a regular thing with this team, overlooking playing well, or beating teams they should beat, looking ahead to Duke. GW has admitted in the past that hes been guilty of not preparing the team mentally and emotionally inbetween the hyped up rivals. As we have seen, Duke is not even that good for the Terps to have become so unfocused to have played as bad as they have before the Duke game. Maybe now they will be taking each game for what it is, just a game.

[glenn__davis]

Very nice posts from both of you guys. Hopefully, HOPEFULLY this will show the Terps how good they can be when they come out like that every time. As happy as I am for that win, though, they should be 4-2 and a game out of the ACC lead with their most difficult games out of the way. Instead they're 3-3 because they didn't show up for State.

BTW, has anyone else noticed that they seem to come out a lot flatter at home? I believe their home record last year was 4-4 in the conference. Not acceptable.

[Ruzious]

Very nice posts from both of you guys. Hopefully, HOPEFULLY this will show the Terps how good they can be when they come out like that every time. As happy as I am for that win, though, they should be 4-2 and a game out of the ACC lead with their most difficult games out of the way. Instead they're 3-3 because they didn't show up for State.

BTW, has anyone else noticed that they seem to come out a lot flatter at home? I believe their home record last year was 4-4 in the conference. Not acceptable.

Geesh, "not acceptibable". This is a tough crowd. They did win the ACC Tournament. Give them a break. They're college kids - They're going to have some ups and downs. Even the NCAA Championship Terps team had some bumps along the road. And this team is not close to that team as far as talent and maturity. I think there are a lot of unrealistic expectations from the posters here. They still don't have a legit starting center or reliable low post scoring threat, and they still are the ACC's worst 3 point shooting team. So basically, they have big problems inside and outside. Other than that, they're fine. Guys, smell the coffee and be a little realistic. Otherwise, it's hard to enjoy the ride.

[ccbird]

Geesh, "not acceptibable". This is a tough crowd. They did win the ACC Tournament. Give them a break. They're college kids - They're going to have some ups and downs. Even the NCAA Championship Terps team had some bumps along the road. And this team is not close to that team as far as talent and maturity. I think there are a lot of unrealistic expectations from the posters here. They still don't have a legit starting center or reliable low post scoring threat, and they still are the ACC's worst 3 point shooting team. So basically, they have big problems inside and outside. Other than that, they're fine. Guys, smell the coffee and be a little realistic. Otherwise, it's hard to enjoy the ride.

It is so crucial to hold serve at home in the ACC. Road wins are very hard to get. Even in places like Clemson, and Virgina. You have to do better than 4-4 at home if you plan on being in the NCAA tourny. They got real lucky last year that a 7-9 confrence record would have been good enough to get them in, although with the ACC tourny win it didn't matter.