
While Jimmy Patsos uncorked a virtuoso postgame news conference when Loyola won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title last week, Shane Walker was transfixed by something far less animated than his gregarious coach.

Skim through James Padgett's career highs in several categories, and there's one striking feature.

Maryland's chronic issue for four months, the one thing the Terrapins never could solve, was an inability to finish what it started. No surprise, then, the Terps finished exactly as they started in their first tests in November -- receding in the final minutes against a talented team.

Maryland searched for more than three months for a quality victory.

Playing at home against plodding Delaware State is nothing like facing a Top 25 team at Madison Square Garden, so it was only natural for Maryland to experience a letdown against the Hornets.