Feature photo by Greg Fiume, courtesy of Maryland Athletics.
Maryland Terrapins head coach Mark Turgeon couldn’t bear to eat, his team had lost back-to-back games for the first time in nearly two years.
“It felt like two months,” Turgeon said.
All Turgeon could focus on was preparing for Michigan. He didn’t say much to his team following its last loss, but met with each of the players individually.
After falling to Wisconsin at home and then losing to Minnesota, which was winless in Big Ten play, the players dined.
“We ate good last night, ate as a team,” forward Robert Carter Jr. said. “We had some hibachi.”
Whatever else the No. 6 Terps did following their pair of losses, it worked. On Sunday, in front of a sellout crowd, they snapped the streak as they downed Michigan, 86-82.
“I just told the guys that we are a heck of a basketball team,” Turgeon said. “We are 23-5. Let’s not forget who we are, what we are about.”
On Sunday, four Terps posted double-digit point totals: Carter Jr. (17), forward Jake Layman (16), point guard Melo Trimble (14) and center Diamond Stone (13).
The bench combined for 18 points as forward Damonte Dodd (7), guard Jared Nickens (6) and guard Jaylen Brantley (5), outscoring Michigan’s bench players by 12.
The Terps came out of the gates strong, jumping out to a 29-13 lead in the first 12:06, their largest advantage of the game. Maryland enjoyed a 17-1 run over a 6:41 span.
Throughout the season, teams have kept the Terps close at halftime, and the story was no different on Sunday. Michigan went on a 13-2 run in less than two minutes and then closed the half on a 6-2 run in the final two minutes. At the break, they trailed the Terps by five.
“[Turgeon said], ‘keep our heads [up] and be prepared,’” Dodd said. “It’s a game of runs.”
In the second half, neither team was really able to field a big run, but thanks to 25 points from forward Mark Donnal, 22 of which came in the second half, the Wolverines were able to climb back into the game. The Terps held Donnal scoreless in the final 5:47 of gameplay.
“Kid was terrific tonight,” Turgeon said. “The one play we didn’t walk through… was the bump-back five man shooting the three. We walked through everything, but they got nine points on that, and our guys never adjusted until that last play.”
Turgeon explained that when forward Zak Irvin committed two fouls early in the first half, he thought it would give the Terps a 15-point lead heading into halftime, but said that Donnal’s success threw the Terps off.
Maryland also struggled to take care of the ball, committing 18 turnovers. Trimble turned the ball over seven times, his most since the team’s loss to North Carolina in December. Against Michigan, Trimble also missed seven of ten field goals.
Trimble committed 11 turnovers and shot 16 percent from the field during the two-game losing skid.
“They did a good job on Melo,” Turgeon said. “On the step-up screens, they came from behind and tipped about three out of his hands. You could tell they really game planned that. They dealt with him off every other screen and they really made him give it up.”
Despite the continued struggles, Turgeon felt that Trimble looked more comfortable.
“Back in the right direction, but just remember this,” Turgeon said. “We were 17-15 before he got here, we’re 51-12 since he’s been here. Don’t forget that. I don’t. I love that kid.”
In the end, Trimble came through in crunch time. He stood at the free throw line, his team clutching on to a two-point advantage. With 5.5 seconds remaining, he made both free throws.
Brantley. intercepted the ensuing inbound pass, and the game was won. As guard Rasheed Sulaimon hoisted Brantley. into the air, Trimble flashed his signature grin.
Just eight days after the team exited the court hanging their heads against Wisconsin and three days after they watched the Minnesota faithful storm the court, they beat Michigan, and it was all smiles, even for the hungry Turgeon.
“[Turgeon] wanted us to smile more, get back to being us,” Carter Jr. said. “We’re a happy team during the games, playing for each other.”
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