Duke-Maryland: Blue Devils Use 18-7 Late Run To Close Out Pesky Terps

No. 7 DUKE 78, MARYLAND 67

Beleaguered Maryland pulled out the retro Hamburgler-yellow uniforms last Saturday and upset then No. 3 North Carolina, behind a triple double by Greivis Vasquez and a season high 22 points for Cliff Tucker.

The throwback unis were back when Duke arrived last night at the Comcast Center, and the magic worked for the first 34:16 of the game.

While Vasquez wasn’t running around throwing up bombs like he did against the Heels, Maryland only shot eight three-pointers (only making only three) as opposed to making 13 treys last Saturday.

The Terps played solidly, looking like a team worthy of an invitation to the NCAA tournament.

In spite of their reduction in offensive firepower and a fourth foul on Vasquez with 17:42 left in the game, Gary Williams’ Terps played hard and played well. They kept the high-scoring Blue Devils, who had clobbered them by 41 points in Durham last month, in check right up to the 5:44 mark. And then it happened.

With the exception of games against UNC where the Terps seemingly score at will, Maryland is a team that struggles with its half-court offense.

If you listen closely to their coach, he subtly points out that they frequently forget to run their half-court offense, when the pressure is on or, if they do run it, they run it badly. To the untrained eye, it frequently appears that they don’t have one at all…

At the 5:44 mark in last night's game, Duke had pulled even yet again to tie the game at 60-60. That’s when it happened. With Vasquez in foul trouble, the Maryland half-court malaise reappeared. Gerald Henderson hit a three and then Kyle Singler hit a three, giving Duke a sudden and insurmountable lead.

The Terps went back into their offensive shell and managed to respond with just seven points in the final 4:16, while the Blue Devils put up 18. Game over.

Henderson scored 19 points for Duke, who was ending a three-game ACC road losing streak.

It was just the fifth win for Duke in the last 12 games at Maryland.

Elliot Williams had 15 points and Jon “Crazy Face” Scheyer added 12 for the Blue Devils (23-5, 9-4 ACC).

Landon Milbourne scored 19 points for Maryland (17-10, 6-7), which played much of the second half without leading scorer Vasquez, who was saddled with foul trouble.

Despite the loss, Williams lauded his team's performance.

"We didn't get the win, but you know what? I know what we did out there tonight and how hard we worked to get where we had a chance to win that game," he said."We're going to be tough the rest of the way, I guarantee you."

(AP Photo/Rob Carr and Chuck Liddy/Raleigh News & Observer)