Seven years to the day after the Terrapins? last-minute collapse against Duke, Maryland suffered another heart-breaking defeat in College Park. Only this time, it took 20 excruciating minutes for the Terrapins to let an equally significant lead slip away.
After looking like the better team for the first half, Maryland fell to No. 4 Duke, 93-84, before a packed house of 17,950 at Comcast Center Sunday evening.
Somewhat reminiscent of the 98-96 overtime loss to Duke at Cole Field House on Jan. 27, 2001 ? in which the Terrapins blew a ten-point lead in the final minute of regulation ? Maryland (12-8 overall, 2-3 ACC) blew a nine-point halftime lead in its first loss to Duke since February 2006.
Trailing 51-42, Duke (17-1, 5-0) opened the second half on a 6-0 run.
“It gave them confidence,” Maryland coach Gary Williams said. “They were struggling in the first half and it gave them confidence they can play. They?re a good team, that?s all they need. If you let up a little bit, that?s all it takes.”
Duke out-scored and out-rebounded (22-15) Maryland in the second half, and benefited from the Terrapins? 22 turnovers.
“We were in a rush and we were leading,” senior forward Bambale Osby said. “We weren?t behind, and I don?t know why we were in such a rush.”
The Terrapins opened the game with success in the low post, scoring 30 first-half points in the paint. The team failed to go inside in the second half, scoring just 18 points in the low post.
Osby had career-highs with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Fellow senior James Gist scored 26 points and Greivis Vasquez added 15.
Duke – which leads the all-times series 102-60 – won for the third time in the past eight meetings, and improved its record to 3-4 in Comcast Center.
Gerald Henderson scored 23 points and DeMarcus Nelson scored 27 points for Duke. Blue Devils freshman and Upper Marlboro native Nolan Smith scored 14 off the bench.
The Terrapins host Virginia Wednesday (ESPN, 7 p.m.) after playing two top-five teams close ? a fact the players and coaches will take no consolation in.
“I don?t want to take anything positive away from this,” Gist said. “This was our game to win, and we didn?t win this game. We didn?t do what we were supposed to do in the second half. Games that you can win, those are the ones you have to win.”
