By John Solomon
How the government's punishing of the exposure of official wrongdoing can linger for years
Tied at halftime, the Terrapins (23-12) used a 21-2 run to take a 56-38 lead before coasting to the finish. Second-seed Maryland next hosts the winner of the Ohio-Denver game, held late Tuesday.
North Carolina and its four-guard lineup have a chance at another Atlantic Coast Conference championship — thanks in part to a Maryland guard whose last-gasp shot fell way short.
The Terrapins had won three of their last four games, including a victory over then-No. 2 Duke on Saturday. Logan Aronhalt scored 26 points, making seven 3-pointers — both season highs — but no other Maryland player scored more than nine.
Freshman guard Seth Allen overcame eight turnovers to finish with 16 points, including the winning free throws with two seconds remaining, and Maryland upset No. 2 Duke 83-81 on Saturday.
Maryland spread the wealth, with six players — Logan Aronhalt, Alex Len, Jake Layman, James Padgett, Seth Allen and Dez Wells — scoring in double figures. Aronhalt led the way with 13 points, while Padgett poured in 12 on 6-for-6 shooting in his second start of ACC play.
The stream of early season cupcakes didn't leave Maryland soft and weak Saturday when the Terrapins faced Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Although opponents hadn't offered much resistance as Mark Turgeon's squad reeled off 12 consecutive wins, regular practice sessions made his team hard, strong and hungry to devour a real foe.
Pe'Shon Howard might spend as much time in the Comcast Center media room as anyone on Maryland's roster. Even on days when the point guard doesn't duck in, though, he has a pretty good idea what sort of questions coach Mark Turgeon is fielding from scribes.
Mark Turgeon wanted the breakthrough to come this week. Actually, he probably wanted it a month earlier, but at this stage the sooner the better would suffice.
Mark Turgeon's thoughts drifted to Shaquille Cleare specifically and his team's depth in general as he navigated his way home from Verizon Center after Sunday's defeat of George Mason.
Forget the defensive shortcomings Maryland exhibited against Lafayette. Ignore the slog in the Terrapins' victory over Georgia Southern.
Maryland's basketball success in the months to come figures to often flow through sophomore center Alex Len. It did Tuesday night at Northwestern.
Logan Aronhalt's decision to use his final year of basketball eligibility at Maryland meant an opportunity to play in a power conference and pursue a graduate degree in exercise physiology.
Last Wednesday's film session was a rough one for freshman forward Charles Mitchell. Even in an 83-74 win over Lafayette, head coach Mark Turgeon focused on everything that the Terrapins – and Mitchell in particular – did wrong.
Maryland's basketball season commences in a week.
"It was designed for me to get a 3. I just came off the screen a little too far away from the 3-point line," Aronhalt said. "The shot was just too deep. ... I knew immediately it wasn't going in."
Maryland rallies but falls short against North Carolina in ACC semis →
"Padge and Alex were superaggressive on the inside," guard Logan Aronhalt said. "It really opens things up for us."
