PressBox: Terps Stay Alive, Date With Duke Next

Terps Stay Alive, Date With Duke Next

By Kevin Heitz

The Terps aren't ready to pack it in for the season just yet.

Led by Jordan Williams' 16 points and 13 rebounds, Maryland topped North Carolina State, 75-67, Thursday night. Dino Gregory added 11 points to help the Terps snap a three-game losing streak.

"The players did a very good job of preparing," coach Gary Williams said. "In other words, we lost three games last week and had a tough type of week. A lot of things happened that weren't good and we were tough enough to come into practice and work on some things that we thought we needed to do to get ready to play tonight's game.

"We learned we could win. Winning is a fragile thing. We lose tough games and the doubts start to creep in."

There is no time for doubts to creep in, as the Terps have a less than 24-hour turnaround before facing Duke at 7 p.m. today.

"We'll be ready to play," Williams said. "Whatever happens tomorrow night, we'll be ready to play, I guarantee that."

MIAMI WINS A STUNNER

Maryland may have kept its season alive, but Miami stole the show yesterday in Greensboro.

In the often-ignored opening game of the tournament, the Hurricanes rallied from 10 points down during the final 42 seconds to tie the game and eventually steal a 69-62 overtime victory from Virginia.

The Hurricanes were led by Julian Gamble, who came off the bench to score a season-high 11 points in 15 minutes, adding five rebounds, two blocks and a steal.

"The way this year has gone, we've always had adversity and we always like to come back and fight from those things," said Gamble, who nearly won the game in regulation, just missing a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. "Even when we were down with 40-some seconds left we had no quit in us, we were going to fight until the end. Virginia cooperated a little bit and we capitalized on those opportunities."

The Hurricanes' reward for one of the most dramatic victories in recent tournament history is a date with conference-champion North Carolina, again at 12 p.m.

WAKE PUT OUT OF ITS MISERY

Boston College did what needed to be done -- it brought Wake Forest's miserable season to an end. It was like watching the end of “Old Yeller” as BC took Wake into the forest and… let’s stop there.

Three Eagles players scored at least 20 points en route to an 81-67 thumping of the Demon Deacons. Reggie Jackson led the way for Boston College with 27 points while Joe Rapani added 22 and Biko Paris scored 21.

Boston College faces Clemson at 2 p.m. today.

HOKIES' DANCE HOPES STAYIN ALIVE

During the final game of the night, Virginia Tech beat Georgia Tech, 59-43, to keep its tournament chances alive.

Malcolm Delaney led the Hokies with 15 points, and Jeff Allen added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

"We're trying win a championship right now," Delaney said on HokieSports.com. "The [NCAA] tournament will speak for itself. We haven't won the ACC Tournament championship. We're just trying to get there.

"The last two games, we weren't having a lot of fun. When we're playing good defense and getting out in transition, that's when we play fun. We just had to get back to doing that."

Up next for Virginia Tech is a 9 p.m. matchup with Florida State.

Posted March 11, 2011