After 2nd-half tie, Terrapins outlast Hoosiers 80-68 in close contest

A lot can change in a year, but IU’s 80-68 loss against Maryland proved that not much is different in Assembly Hall.

The Hoosiers were tied with the Terrapins at 54-54 in the second half, before Maryland reeled off a 24-9 run that lasted up until the final minute. The loss had the feel of many IU contests from a season ago. More than anything, it proved that there is still growing to be done in Bloomington.

“When you don’t have veterans that hand it down year-to-year in the program, then it becomes a problem,” he said. “And that’s what we have to deal with. I’ve said it before, a player-led team is far better than a coach-led team."

Almost is a word that was associated with IU on many occasions last season. A near-win against Maryland can now be added to the list.

While that word couldn’t be uttered in IU’s last crack at the Big Ten/Atlantic Coast Conference Challenge, Crean said he thought IU could have come away with this year’s contest.

“The people that do the scheduling again put us against a very good team in this challenge,” he said. “Last year we didn’t have a shot. This year I’m disappointed.”

The part of the game Crean seemed the most disappointed with was the defense. His players agreed.

“We were more focused on the offensive end,” junior guard Verdell Jones said. “We thought we could outscore them tonight.”

After the game, Crean talked about effort and the three senior leaders lined up on the other side of the court. Two of them, guard Greivis Vasquez and

forward Landon Milbourne accounted for 42 of Maryland’s 80 points.

One of the oldest and most experienced players on IU’s team, junior guard Jeremiah Rivers, said IU has yet to realize the importance of every play.

“We just gotta be more understanding of how vital each possession is coming down the court,” he said. “They’re so experienced, they have great coaching, great players, All-Americans on that squad.”

Although it isn’t evident in the score, IU played Maryland tough and nearly gave it a third consecutive loss. But 32.9 percent shooting on field goals and 16 turnovers wouldn’t allow an early-season upset.

IU stepped up its tempo in the first half and forced 12 turnovers from a team that averaged only 10.7 misplays going into the contest. Vasquez was billed as one of the nation’s best guards. He had spurts where he wowed, but other moments where he simply seemed out of it.

He was cold from the field and seemed to lose the calm with which he is known to play. At one point, he nearly bounced the ball out of bounds off of his own foot.

But, like veterans do, he found a way to contribute. He was 13-of-14 from the free-throw line and ended the game with 23 points and eight assists.

Vasquez was also 4-of-14 from the field, which tells the story better than the amount of points he scored.

Neither team shot particularly well or handled the ball any better than the other. In the end, it came down to defense and decision-making, an area IU has admittedly had trouble.

Several plays ended the way a drive by freshman guard Maurice Creek did, when he streaked up the left side of the court and flew toward the basket.

Instead of leaving with a basket or a foul, he clanked the ball off the backboard and Maryland recovered an errant rebound.

It doesn’t get any easier for IU, and Crean said this game was one IU could have used with Pittsburgh and Kentucky just around the corner.

“This game didn’t look like the way we practiced the last couple games,” he said. “And that’s disappointing. I’m down about the loss. I’m not down on them.”