OHI-NO: BOBCATS STUN TERPS
Andrew Zuckerman
Issue date: 12/13/07 Section: Sports
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After a couple of too-close-for-comfort victories against inferior opponents, the upset finally took place.
In an uninspiring and downright ugly performance, the Terrapin men's basketball team lost to Ohio last night at Comcast Center, 61-55. Since coach Gary Williams arrived in 1989, it is only the fourth time in 141 games that the Terps have lost a home nonconference contest.
"I mean, this is super embarrassing. I can't even go out there and go home," guard Greivis Vasquez said. "This is just horrible. We didn't play hard; they outworked us. We weren't ready - once again."
"I'm definitely embarrassed," guard Eric Hayes said. "For Ohio to come in here, being in the MAC conference, and coming in here and beating us on our home floor - it's definitely embarrassing. We took a step back tonight."
Hayes and Vasquez shot a combined 8-for-28 from the floor, including 5-of-18 from three-point range. It was just one of many ugly stats from the game.
Ohio outrebounded the Terps, 37-27, but that wasn't the only glaring problem: The Terps often lacked fundamentals. Cliff Tucker went in for an uncontested layup and hit the front of the rim with the shot; twice Vasquez took a 3-pointer and chose to watch the shot instead of follow it up, as an Ohio player scooped up the rebound in front of him; Hayes, an 83 percent free-throw shooter, missed a technical foul shot.
"There's no excuses," said Williams, who was calm during his postgame press conference. "We have to play better basketball. … I'm the coach, so I take responsibility."
For about 35 minutes, the Terps were outhustled, outworked and outplayed by Ohio. The Terps (6-5) trailed by 17 points at one point in the second half, and when they finally had a run, there wasn't enough time left on the clock to complete the comeback.
Down 58-55 with 51 seconds left, the Terps waited 23 seconds to foul the Bobcats, rather than foul immediately or not at all. The Terps only took two shots - both missed threes - the rest of the way. Once the buzzer sounded, a giddy Ohio squad left the floor, celebrating as if it had just won a national championship.
"There's a lot of people criticizing us recently," Vasquez said, "and we let people talk bad about us because we really don't play hard as a team. And that's how it is - that's where we are right now."
In what has become an all-too-familiar trend this season, the Terps again started off slow. There were too many turnovers, bricks and sloppy passes during a disastrous first half, in which the Terps trailed 12-4 less than five minutes into the game, only scored 10 points in the first 10 minutes and tallied just 23 points.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 22
Jim Ahalt
posted 12/13/07 @ 9:36 AM EST
Here we go again, players not giving thier best against all teams. If Maryland had given the same efford against Ohio that they gave against Boston College we would not be talking about a loss to another weak team. (Continued…)
Jerry
posted 12/13/07 @ 10:19 AM EST
I knew coming into the season that this one would be a labor of love for Gary, given the number of young players on the team. To get out worked like they did last night, however, is inexcusable. (Continued…)
Bench Vasquez
posted 12/13/07 @ 11:37 AM EST
How many more marginal shooting turnover-happy games is this kid gonna have? This season is already over, I can't even imagine what ACC play will be like. (Continued…)
Ryan
posted 12/13/07 @ 12:07 PM EST
I just don't understand what's happened in the last 4 or 5 years. Is it the players we recruit? I feel like we should have been able to recruit much better players after winning a championship. (Continued…)
A Bobcat
posted 12/13/07 @ 12:34 PM EST
Jim,
This "weak" Ohio team you speak of moved up to 52 in the RPI after last night's win.
As an avid Bobcat fan I may be a bit of a homer but I think you and the Terps underestimated a quality squad. (Continued…)
Alum
posted 12/13/07 @ 12:45 PM EST
First and foremost, Gary has worn out his welcome at this school.
There are way too many Gary loyalists. The fact of the matter is that he is not a force in the recruiting market anymore. (Continued…)
aceterp
posted 12/13/07 @ 3:42 PM EST
Its not all Gary. ans I am a Gary Loyalist...Recruiting seems to have become a MAJOR problem for Maryland. I attribute the losses of our assistant coaches to a decline in recruting. (Continued…)
tolu
posted 12/13/07 @ 11:26 PM EST
I'm thinking Greivis might be the spanish Gilchrist.
Juan Dixon
posted 12/14/07 @ 10:04 AM EST
Gary has a done a subpar job the last few years any way you wanna slice it. The recruiting is horrible, we can't recruit in our own area? Ohio's best player is from Bodymore and he dominated us and we couldn't recruit him? How is UMD not gettin the best recruits from this area?
You can blame the assistants all you want but in the end its on Gary, hes the one hiring them and telling them what to do. (Continued…)
Willie Nelson
posted 12/14/07 @ 1:32 PM EST
Scrubs.
GV,
during the next game , attempt to foul out in the first half instead of 10 mins into the second half, that way we can bypass your horrendous shooting percentage. (Continued…)
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