Maryland tangled with old ACC rival North Carolina Tuesday night in a highly entertaining game. See the biggest takeaways from the Terps’ hard-fought loss, their first defeat of the season.
WASHINGTON — The Maryland Terrapins traveled down Tobacco Road to visit their old ACC rival the North Carolina Tar Heels Tuesday night in what might have been the most entertaining game of the young college basketball season. UNC led most of the way and eventually prevailed 89-81, but the game was a back-and-forth, heavyweight bout and a possible preview of a late-March NCAA Tournament matchup. Follow along as we break down the biggest take-aways from Maryland’s biggest test in a season full of promise in College Park.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
The game could have gotten away early
North Carolina hit two early buckets, Melo Trimble turned the ball over, and the Tar Heels had a chance to go up seven or eight points in the opening two minutes with the Dean Dome ready to explode. Instead, the Terps turned UNC over twice and got back-to-back buckets on a hook shot from Jake Layman and a running layup from Robert Carter to stem the tide and set the tone for the rest of the night.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
When Trimble doesn’t take control, the Terps lose identity
Maryland committed seven turnovers in the first 4 minutes 27 seconds, including three by Trimble. North Carolina pushed the pace up and down the floor, as the Heels are wont to do, and Maryland got out of what they do best, trying to keep up. We mentioned in this space last week that teams that like to run at a slower tempo had run into some early trouble this season, and Maryland looked out of sorts playing their opponents’ game at times in the first half.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
Nickens, Sulaimon could make a difference as shooters
Both teams scorched the nets from deep, finishing a combined 21-for-39 (54 percent) but were 19 for their first 29. We already know Trimble (4-5 from three) can shoot, but his teammates emerged early. Jared Nickens hit his first two shots from behind the arc while Rasheed Sulaimon buried his first five. But neither made one the rest of the way. More on that later.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
Turgeon is on to something with the 1-3-1 trap
Early in the second half, Maryland switched into a high 1-3-1 trap, forcing North Carolina to try to pass over the top of the lanky Jake Layman at the point, completely throwing off the Tar Heels’ tempo. It’s the kind of defense that might work as a change of pace for lots of teams, but could be a consistent weapon for a squad with the height and length that Maryland possesses. UNC finally hit a couple threes that led Maryland to return to man-to-man, but one senses that won’t be the last time we see that strategy employed this year.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
The Trimble Maryland needs emerged
Trimble’s eight turnovers (and the team’s 22, seven more than North Carolina) were undoubtedly the fatal flaw Tuesday, but Trimble also set a career high with 12 assists. He also led the way on the scoreboard with 23 points, but it’s Trimble’s ability to make his teammates better and get them good looks that will be the difference in how far into March Maryland’s season extends.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
Maryland is still learning how to play together
It may not have been a turning point, but as North Carolina began to pull away in the second half, Sulaimon was blown up by a UNC screen and dropped to the court. When he popped up, he had harsh words for his big men, particularly Carter, who either did not call out the screen, or didn’t call it loud enough for Sulaimon to hear. It was a reminder that other than Trimble and Layman, none of these players have had any game experience playing together before last month.
This also applies to tempo, which Maryland has shown it is at its best when it controls the game (277th slowest in the country). The Terps got caught up trying to keep up with North Carolina early and it cost them their legs late. When the legs go, so do the shots, which stopped falling late as UNC pulled away. Dictating pace will go a long way for the Terrapins.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
North Carolina is the best team in the country
Coming in, North Carolina was shooting just 32.1 percent (221st in the country) and taking just 28.1 percent of their shots from behind the arc (313th). They went out and knocked down 9-of-13 from deep in their first game with Marcus Paige (who was 4-5 from three) back in the lineup. But the Heels also out-rebounded Maryland, just the second time that’s happened (also vs. Georgetown) to the vertically blessed Terps this year. UNC returns a huge percentage of their scoring from last season and looks like a team already rounding into form. KenPom.com had the Heels seventh overall, with the third-most efficient offense coming into Tuesday night. They can only go up from there.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
