If the coronavirus pandemic hadn’t caused the NCAA to cancel this year’s March Madness, it’s very possible the Maryland Terrapins could still be playing.
The Final Four was set to be held this weekend and who knows how far the No. 12 Terrapins could have gone.
But while basketball junkies across the country struggle with withdrawal this weekend, at least Maryland fans have their memories for comfort. College Park’s overall basketball legacy may be a notch below Kentucky, say, or UCLA. But the Terrapins have had their moments in March.
Here’s our look back at 10 of the most memorable of those moments, including conference tournaments, since this year’s Maryland squad was robbed of the opportunity to play in the Big Ten tournament:
April 1, 2002: Maryland 64, Indiana 52
There’s no other choice for No. 1: Maryland knocked off Indiana to win its first — and only — national championship in men’s basketball. Featuring a backcourt of Juan Dixon and Steve Blake, the Terrapins outworked the Hoosiers in a competitive affair. Dixon hit a dagger 3-pointer late to seal the game. Coach Gary Williams memorably cut the final pieces of the net after the victory.
March 14, 2004: Maryland 95, Duke 87
For the first time in 20 years, the Terrapins captured the ACC title, stunning Duke in the process. The Blue Devils were ranked fifth in the nation at the time and Maryland had entered the tournament on the bubble. But the program completed an improbable run by taking Duke to overtime. Sophomore guard John Gilchrist (right) led with 26 points.
March 24, 2001: Maryland 87, Stanford 73
A year before winning it all, Maryland advanced to the Final Four for the first time in school history with an 87-73 upset over Stanford — a No. 1 seed at the time. Center Lonny Baxter (left) had a game-high 24 points as he dominated inside the paint. In the second half, Maryland hit back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers as part of a 14-2 run to seal the game away.
March 19, 1994: Maryland 95, Massachusetts 87
Maryland’s upset over Massachusetts in 1994 stands out because of what it took to get there. In 1989, Williams (left) inherited a Maryland program that was bogged down from NCAA sanctions and it took time for the coach to rebuild the Terrapins. Finally, in his sixth season, Williams’ program had arrived — knocking off the eighth-ranked team in the nation, coached by John Calipari. Maryland moved to the Sweet 16 with the victory.
March 30, 2002: Maryland 97, Kansas 88
The Terrapins advanced to the national championship by beating fellow 1-seed Kansas. That Jayhawks squad featured three future pros — Kirk Hinrich, Drew Gooden and Nick Collison — but Maryland prevailed thanks to a 33-point effort from Dixon. Dixon shot 10-of-18 from the field and had 11 free throw attempts.
March 11, 1984: Maryland 74, Duke 62
While this game wasn’t in the NCAA Tournament, it’s still noteworthy as Maryland prevailed over rival Duke for its first ACC title since 1958. Star Len Bias (left) had 26 points and was named the tournament’s most outstanding player. It was also the first conference championship for former coach Lefty Driesell, who resigned after Bias’ death in 1986.
March 21, 2003: Maryland 75, UNC Wilmington 73
Maryland didn’t go back-to-back in 2003, but it did produce a memorable moment. Down 1 with seconds left, Drew Nicholas (bottom) drove the court and pulled up from 3 for a buzzer-beater over UNC Wilmington for the win. Nicholas’ shot helped the Terrapins to avoid a first-round exit in
the NCAA Tournament.
March 8, 1958: Maryland 86, North Carolina 74
This group stands out for capturing Maryland’s first-ever conference championship. In 1958, under coach Bud Millikan (right), the Terrapins steamrolled through the ACC tournament and beat North Carolina in a game in which senior Nick Davis starred. With the win, Maryland made the NCAA Tournament for the first time, losing in the east regional semifinal.
March 21, 2010: Michigan State 85, Maryland 83
Sure, losses usually aren’t considered to be a school’s traditional “top moment,” but make an exception for this thrilling game between Maryland and Michigan State in 2010. Greivis Vasquez helped Maryland rally from a 14-point deficit and hit a go-ahead bucket with 6.6 seconds left. But Maryland’s comeback fell short: Korie Lucious hit a game-winning 3-pointer as time expired to send the Terrapins home.
March 21, 2019: Maryland 79, Belmont 77
A first-round win over Belmont may not be the most prestigious game on this list, but this game turned out to be an unexpected thriller. Belmont pushed Maryland to the very last second until the Terrapins held on when Eric Ayala (right) deflected a pass and Darryl Morsell came up with the steal. Maryland, too, trailed by as many as 12.
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