Feature photo courtesy of Maryland Athletics.
Maryland Terrapins point guard Melo Trimble stood at the free throw line, his team trailed 61-56 with four minutes and 11 seconds remaining in the game.
While Trimble sank both free throws, former Terps point guard Grevis Vasquez entered the building. Maryland alum Scott Van Pelt and mascot Testudo embraced Vasquez before a sellout crowd gave him a roaring standing ovation. Trimble then hit a three to tie the game at 61.
“I asked [Vasquez] when he came in, and he said it was about the five minute mark,” Turgeon said. “I said it was all him, the reason we won.”
With strong play from forward Robert Carter Jr. and guards Rasheed Sulaimon and Trimble, and the support of a sell-out crowd, the No. 3 Terps defeated Georgetown 75-71 to improve to 2-0.
Terps win pic.twitter.com/uZEnmbQSpR — Alex Flum (@alex_flum) November 18, 2015
“We think we’re going to win close games,” Turgeon said. “We get enough stops and we score. When you have a guy that can get to the foul line like Melo, it really helps you.” Trimble shot two of six from the field in the second half, but made up for it at the line. In a rambunctiously supportive atmosphere, Trimble went to the free throw line seven times in the second half. After making only one of four free throws and scoring seven points in the first half, Trimble made 12 of 14 in the second and posted 17 points. “I just don’t rely on my jump shot,” Trimble said. “I like getting to the basket and drawing fouls. That’s what I’m good at. That is one of my strengths. That is what I did in the second half.” But Trimble and the Terps struggled in the first half, especially in the first couple of minutes. The Hoyas opened the game on a nine to nothing run before guard Rasheed Sulaimon hit a jumper to give the Terps their first two points of the evening, two minutes and 27 seconds into the game. Sulaimon was also the last person to score in the first half, as he knocked down a three on a pass from forward Jake Layman to tie the game 33-33 with 23 seconds remaining. Sulaimon and Carter Jr. carried the team in the first half.
The two transfer seniors combined for 17 points, six assists and five rebounds in the first half. They made all seven of their shots from the field.
“Once we got in a groove we kind of took off, especially in the latter parts of the game when it meant the most,” guard Rasheed Sulaimon said. “We just believed in each other and we made every play that we needed to win this game.”
The Terps trailed 61-54 with five minutes and 48 seconds remaining in the game. After a thirty second timeout, the Terps began a 21-10 run that helped them close out the game.
With the game tied at 68 and one minute and 18 seconds remaining, Layman once again found Sulaimon for three. But this time it would be the game winner.
Turgeon was impressed with Sulaimon’s performance. “[Sulaimon] was great defensively, his leadership was terrific,” Turgeon said. “He’s such a good playmaker for us.” And he liked the shot too. “Of course he hit the big three,” Turgeon said. “That thing went up about 20 feet up in the air.” While the eventual game-winning shot brought a smile to Turgeon’s face, it also ignited the Maryland fans’ excitement. The shot came before not only more than ten thousand Maryland fans, but a plethora of Terps legends; Gary Williams, Walt Williams, Joe Smith, Vasquez, etc. On a night where Maryland basketball returned to the national stage, the Terps fittingly came out on top. “Today was definitely good for college basketball, it was great for college basketball in this area,” Turgeon said. “This is a game we are going to be talking about for a while.” Following the win, Terrapin faithful filtered down onto the court to watch a live shooting of Van Pelt’s late night SportsCenter show. Between Vasquez’s entrance, Van Pelt’s homecoming and a win over another local major program, Turgeon and his team couldn’t help but feel the excitement in College Park. “I’ve coached in a lot of buildings,” Turgeon said. “Ooh, that was pretty special tonight.”
Sulaimon and the Terps are fired up about their second victory of the season. pic.twitter.com/S3r1aMgDuw — Alex Flum (@alex_flum) November 18, 2015
- Associate Head Coach Adam Hughes named Maryland Volleyball head coach - January 23, 2018
- Terps land three-star tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo - August 18, 2017
- Israeli Basketball Player Elevates Sports Over Politics - July 4, 2017
