The University of Maryland fell to 15-5 overall, and 3-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a blowout 84-64 loss at Duke. Down 10 points with 11:35 left in the game, Maryland was not able to get any closer as the Blue Devils extended out their lead.

Duke did a good job of converting MD’s turnovers into points, and Maryland was unable to force the Blue Devils of turnovers of their own. Duke Freshman Guard Rasheed Sulaimon had a big game, scoring 25 points.

The Good:

1) Len bailed out Faust on the opening basket, and attacked the rim. He would draw the foul, and get to the line. Len delivered MD’s best dunk of the year on a reverse from the baseline. This pulled the Terps within 3 at 12-9. After an Aronhalt turnover, Len got the ball back for MD with a block on Cook. This led to a MD basket on the other-end. At 34-24 Duke, Len finally called for the ball again, and earned a foul on Plumlee. Len was able to roll to the rim, and score through a foul with 30 seconds left in the 1st half. Len followed a Wells miss to make it a 8 point game.

2) Wells crashed the boards on Layman’s missed 3, and scored MD’s first basket of the game. He also had MD’s 2nd basket on a miss from Cleare.  Keeping MD in the game, Wells knocked down a 3 to make it 10-7 Duke over Wells. Wells had 5 boards, 5 minutes into the game. With MD down 8, Wells scored inside, while being fouled. Wells had a big block in help defense at 34-30 Duke. Wells had MD’s first basket of the 2nd half as well.  Wells had another block in transition defense. Going at Jefferson, Wells got to the line again.

3) Getting good positioning, Mitchell scored making it a 12-11 game. He would follow a miss from Howard, and his own miss – to score again, and put the Terps up 13-12. Backing down his defender, Mitchell scored to make it 29-22 Duke. Going and getting it off the rim, Mitchell scored again. Mitchell followed a Faust missed 3, and got to the line, early in the 2nd half. Beautiful work in the post from Mitchell, to get MD back within 13 at 68-55. Mitchell had 13 points, and 7 boards (including 6 on the offensive end).

4) Howard did a good job setting up Faust for an open 3 in the middle of the 1st half.

5) Faust hit an open 3 to make it 18-16 Duke. Faust showed good persistence to cause a turnover, and get a FG (off goal-tending). This made it 34-27 Duke.  He had a nice rebound off a missed 3 from Layman. Faust hit an early 3 to start the 2nd half.

6) Cleare had a nice move inside, to get MD within 7 at 27-20. Good rebound off a missed Duke FT with 2 minutes left.

7) Layman buried a 3 pointer, with just under 5 minutes left in the 1st half. This got Maryland back within 4 at 34-30 Duke. He scored with 4 minutes left on goal tending from Plumlee.

8) Aronhalt hit an important baseline jumper with a minute left in the 1st half. An Aronhalt 3, made it 58-49 Duke. Getting his own miss, he found Padgett for a layup.

9) Padgett’s layup made it 61-51 Duke.

10) Entering the game for MD in the 2nd half, Allen got his first basket with aobut 10 minutes remaining. Nice job of attacking the basket.

11) Maryland won on the boards 42-30.

The Bad:

1) Faust had trouble handling the ball on the first possession of the game. A Faust turnover led to a Sulaimon dunk, and a 10-4 Duke lead. At 29-20 Duke, Faust showed some explosion to get to the rim, but he didn’t finish, as he missed the layup. Grabbing a long rebound off a missed Layman 3, Faust forced an ill-advised 3 point attempt of his own. At 56-46, Faust ran himself into a turnover. Duke went right back down the court, found Hairston for a layup.

2) Len got to the line on MD’s first offensive series, but missed both of his foul shots. With MD down 10-7, Len did not get back down the court, which allowed for a dunk in transition from Plumlee. Being defended by Jefferson, Len was called for steps. 11 minutes into the game, Len had 1 FG attempt.  Down 9, Len missed a 3rd FT attempt. Backing down Plumlee at 38-30 Duke, Len should have scored.  The shot attempt from Len, with Duke up 66-53, was forced. I thought Plumlee came out to start the 2nd half with more energy, and that energy was not mentioned by Len.
2a) Len simply did not have enough touches. Yes, Duke was doing what they could to take him out of the game. Yes, MD’s guards and wings have trouble getting the ball inside to Len. Still, there were too many possessions where Len did not touch the ball. The game plan should have been finding Len, and attempting to get Plumlee in foul-trouble.

3) Wells was called for steps, with MD leading 2-1. Down 24-18, Wells could not complete the old fashioned 3 point play. MD got the ball back after his miss, and he missed a 3 point attempt as well. With just under 18 minutes left in the 2nd, Wells had a turnover. Down 8 (54-46) MD did not need the 3 point attempt from Wells.

4) Coming off of an in-bounds , Cook was allowed an open 3, putting Duke up 4-2.

5) Down 18-13, Mitchell would pick up a charge for his 2nd personal. Mitchell was called for steps, after grabbing a lop inside from Faust.

6) Trailing 21-16, Faust missed a 3 point attempt, and the Terps did not get back quick enough.  Sulaimon would hit his 3, and Duke would go up by 8.

7) Coming out of a timeout, Aronhalt was easily stripped of the ball. Out of another MD timeout, Aronhalt turned it over again with 12:30 left in the 2nd half.

8) Maryland was trailing 29-20, when Howard attempted to attack the rim. I liked the aggression from Howard, but not the decision. On the verge of being down double-figures, I think you have to give your best offensive weapons a chance to eat into that lead. At 37-30 Duke, Howard again attacked the rim, but missed a basket he should have made. Howard was not able to corral a give-and-go from Len with 9:40 left.

9) Cleare had MD’s 8th turnover, with his pass out of bounds with 2 minutes left. As time wound out on the 1st half, Cleare picked up his 3rd foul, allowing Jefferson to score and get to the line. Cleare picked up his 4th foul with 13:22 left in the 2nd half.

10) 4 minutes into the 2nd half, Duke had pushed the 8 point half-time lead out to 12. With 5:41 left, the lead was 19, and the rout was on.

11) Layman had a 3 point attempt blocked by Duke, with MD down 62-52. I would have liked to have seen Layman put it on the floor, and go to the rim.

12) Down 15 points with 7 minutes left, Allen threw up an ugly brick from outside.

13) All 5 of Duke’s starters scored in double-figures, and Duke shot 52% from the floor.

14) Maryland was 5 of 18 from 3 point land.

15) I did not like Coach Turgeon’s uses of his timeouts. There needed to be better adjustments.

The Ugly:

1) Allen was not available in the 1st half due to a disciplinary decision.

2) With MD trailing 14-13, they turned it over on the in-bounds, leading to a 3 pointer from Sulaimon. Made worse by a foul from Howard. Sulaimon would make his foul shot for the 4 point play.

3) Sulaimon’s 4th 3 pointer made it 27-18. After an Aronhalt 3, Sulaimon hit his 6th 3 to make it 61-49 Duke. I found myself wondering just what it would take, to see adjustments from the MD bench?

Chris Stoner
Chris Stoner

Owner

Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.

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