Bar none.
Whatever.
One night, the Terps win when Lonny Baxter barely exists. Another, they win when the other team makes Juan Dixon practically vanish for 20 minutes. They get caught up in Kansas’ running game, and they win. They get bogged down in Indiana’s halfcourt game, and they win. They get into a physical war with Connecticut, and they win. They can win every which way you make 'em. And now they’ve won the big one.
Way to go Terps!!
Big ACC fan here. But both teams left their skills at home tonight. A very poorly played game.
I’m really glad I watched the women’s game last night. At least I got to see one good, well played basketball game this weekend!
Fear the Turtle!! 
As a U of Maryland Class of '95 Grad let me just say this: “YES!! FINALLY!! WE HAVE A CHAMPIONSHIP!!”
The game was sloppy on both sides, lots of nerves. But we just had too many options for them to handle. We played great defense. We owned the inside, we killed them on the glass, and Dixon was all-universe! You can’t stop that!
Here we go Terrapins, here we go! [clap, clap]
What? 'Cause the Terps won?
Worst thing about the game: It really was ugly to watch. Great and memorable games have an undeniable flow and a defining moment. Last night had neither. However, I was happy with either team winning and one ugly championship game does not mar an otherwise entertaining tourney.
Best thing about the game: When Greg Gumbel signed off it means another 354 days until I have to listen to Billy Packer analyze a game.
No, because it was a lousy game! I was rooting for the Terps, but…Both sides had poor passing and ball handling, unforced turnovers, terrible decisions on offense, dumb fouls. I could go on and on.
Contrast it with the well played and well coached women’s final game of Sunday night, and you’ll see what I mean. That game was played at a level one would expect an NCAA championship game top be played at. The men’s game looked about like a Saturday afternoon pick-up game, in which all the players were unfamiliar with each other.
Congrats to Maryland for winning a championship, but it was a poorly played game by both teams, and ugly to watch.
Maybe a good way to sum up the men’s game…
They played the entire game as if they never got rid of the expected nerves of the opening 2 minutes.
Congrats to the Terps.
The reason this game looked ugly was because both teams thrive on defense and their defenses make opponents turn the ball over, rush/panic, take bad shots, get out of rhythm, etc. Both teams seemed nervous and tentative at first, but they settled down played tough “D” most of the game. Look at the shooting percentages.
Maryland was able to do to Indiana what the Hoosiers had done to Okie, Kent St, Duke and that is get them out of their rhythm and disrupt their mindset. After IU had a small lead with about 11 minutes to go, Maryland tightened up its defense even more and IU blinked, Maryland didn’t and that was that.
The free throw discrepancy bothers me (IU 2/7; UM 20/28), but the way IU was missing them it probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway.
Right now, I think Jared Jeffries would be a dominating professional player, in the WNBA that is. There’s no way he’s ready to bang inside with real men, so I hope he returns to school with about 20 lbs of additional muscle next year. Otherwise, he’s just potential, sitting at the end of an NBA bench for a few years, cashing his big checks.
[raises the Championship banner]
[raises Juan Dixon’s jersey]
[raises Lonny Baxter’s jersey]
Orange Bowl Football team.
Rising academic standards/reputation.
New state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center.
Life is good in College Park these days.
