One of Those Days Nights
Maryland's season came to a sudden end last night in Raleigh, as Notre Dame drubbed the Terps, 80-49, in their Elite Eight match-up.
The Irish were the #1 seed in the Region -- they were "supposed" to win. But they didn't just win last night, they thoroughly dominated the Terps on both ends of the floor, putting on a clinic and demonstrating why, all season long, they have been considered one of the top two or three teams in the country. For their part, the Terps had one of those nights when nothing was clicking. It happens. It happens to every team. And last night it happened to Maryland. And so Notre Dame advances to the Final Four, while the Terps return home to College Park, their season over. Congratulations to Notre Dame for their win and their outstanding performance.
It's difficult, so soon after a loss like last night's, to have perspective on the season. To say that we are hugely disappointed at how things ended would be an understatement. But as disappointed as the BCs feel personally, as fans, we are so much more disappointed for the players and the coaches. The photo on the front page of today's Washington Post Sports section says it all . . . tears and despair.
We can't just forget a game like that, just because we want to. But we're doing our best to take a step back and try to remember all the really great stuff about this season that came before last night.
Putting things in perspective, regardless of how it ended, we had a great ride this season. All the cardiac arrest games that turned out so well. The thrilling weekend in Greensboro, capped off with an ACC Tournament Championship! And the road to Raleigh . . . with that amazing and improbable comeback win over the defending National Champions. Wow. After that, the Terps were one of only eight teams left standing at this point in March, and that's a pretty damn darn good accomplishment.
And so we say thank you to the Terps. Thank you for a great season. Thank you for all the fun. Thank you for all the excitement. We are confident that the players who will be back next season will build on the accomplishments of this one, and use last night's loss like they used last year's loss to Georgetown -- as motivation to get even better.
To those Terps whose college careers are over -- Netta, Anjale, and Kimmie -- all we can say is a very special thank you, and extend our hope that each of you finds success and happiness in whatever comes next in your life.
Thank you, Terps. Good Luck, Seniors.
posted by BasketCases @ 8:30 AM
27 comments
27 Comments:
I AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENTS - VERY ENJOYABLE SEASON AND GOOD LUCK TO THE SENIORS. THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THIS TEAM WERE SO MUCH FUN TO BE A PART OF AND THANK YOU BRENDA FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO BRING THIS BASKETBALL PROGRAM TO SO MUCH SUCCESS. WE HAVE SOME OUTSTANDING YOUNG WOMEN WHO WILL BE PLAYING IN COMCAST NEXT SEASON AND I WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER THRILLING BASKETBALL SEASON. THANK YOU AGAIN.
Very enjoyable season, indeed. Looking forward to next season (and already have my season tickets renewed)! A big thank you to Anjale, Netta, & Kim - best wishes to each of them as they move into their next chapter! Go Terps!
Loved all the highs and lows with these cardiac kids!! Best of luck to the seniors and thank you for all your blood, sweat and tears over the years.
All the number 1 seeds seemed to put on clinics in moving forward!! And again we have conference rivals going at in the Irish versus the Huskies.
Congrats to our All-American....and all the Terrapins! We are so proud.
Very well said BC. Always remember these are kids that are playing who are growing up in front of our eyes. Great group of kids and wish them all well in whatever they do - now and in the future.
You are right (not only right but wise), and I am grateful to you for being able to step back from the horror of last night and honor the greatness of the team, the season, and the seniors whose careers ended on such a disappointing note. You are right. You are absolutely right.
And I still wish they had managed to make it to 50 points.
As I am sure they do.
Sigh. Here's to next season. Go, Terps. We will always love you.
Thanks, BCs, for your dedication and your eloquence. I know from experience that this blogging business is hard work. See you next year.
Any truth to the notion that Muffitt ran up the score?
NO QUESTION THAT MUFFITT RAN UP THE SCORE - MUFFITT LOST OUT TO BRENDA ON MALINA HOWARD (2012 RECRUIT) SO SHE PROBABLY WANTED TO RUB IT IN. MUFFITT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE CLASSY.
Well if true, karma is a you-know-what. I guess from my point of view, all of these kinds of games are to the good - everyone learns something and it serves us Terps later. We still had a great season - I never in my wildest dreams thought we'd be in the Elite 8 at the beginning of the year - all the credit to the coaches and players. Thanks to both for a great 5 month season.
It was a very good season. The Duke game was something special to witness and so was the ACC championship. I don't understand how you get blown out like that in the elite 8, but hopefully it will be motivating for next year. I don't want to see a repeat against unconn on national tv.
Will miss seeing Kim, Kizer on the court. Best to all of the seniors. I'm sure they will be very successful in life.
Looking forward to next season.
I saw The Washinton Post writer, Gene Wang, in the hotel lobby at 12:30 agter the game. He was checking out and heading back to DC. I asked him to be nice, when he wrote the article and he nodded yes. I jokingly told him the team had been kidnapped on the way to the arena. Thanks BCs for the great coverage. I go here first to read your blog.
LOL. Yes the team must have been kidnapped...because that wasn't my Terps. That was that team that showed up and played VTech a couple of months ago.
More highs than lows this year so I'm happy. I'll be very curious to see how goes next season. I have a feeling Mincy is going to be a beast. I'm also interested to see how Whitney Bays turns out. Next year should be her year to really show her skills since she will be a year removed from her injury. Of course, that's if she doesn't transfer. Also, want to see Devaugh and how she comes back--her year to really shine also. She will get tons of minutes--even more next year with Kizer gone.
thank you lady terps for a great season! I hope whitney stays to often kids leave thinking the grass will be greener , but it doesn't happen.
Can't wait til next year!
As hard as such a loss has been for us fans, I can only imagine the kind of body-blow it must have been for our young Terps.
The story of the Notre Dame game is a bitter one but it is not the whole story of who they are and what they can do. We are here cheering for them now and we will be here cheering for them next fall when they go back out to play again.
And thanks again to the BCs for your thoughtful coverage.
One thing this post never mentioned was that the Terps played undisciplined basketball against Notre Dame. They got away with that against teams like Louisville, Navy, and Texas A & M. At this level, you have to do at least the simple things, such as boxing out and, well. They were totally out hustled by Notre Dame.
No doubt, a terrible performance and I can't seem to wrap my head how you could show up to a game for a shot at the final 4 and play like that. To get beat is one thing but to get pummeled is something completely different. The Terps aren't an final 4 team--an elite team. They are an elite 8 team--a very good team. I hope this game is motivation to become a great, elite team---a final 4 team.
Overall a very good season though. I had so much fun at the Duke and the DE game. I'm sure AT will be even better next year---3 pot shot---and I hope the rest of the Terps will get better also--and again, use the game against ND for motivation to want more than to be a very good team.
I wonder if the weak pre-conference schedule left the Terps a tad unprepared (in the tourney) vs. top teams. The year that Maryland won the Natty, the ACC was very strong, i.e., 3 of the final 4 teams. So that season their ACC schedule prepared them for tourney-level play. I"m glad that the Terps will be playing UConn and I hope they add more similar teams to the schedule in the future.
No doubt....hoping they lay off the cupcakes in non conference play next season. UCONN will clearly be a tough test. I'm hoping DE is on our schedule again next year and hoping Rutgers gets added back.
Let's not rush to judgement: Duke was highly ranked all year, played Notre Dame and Purdue in the preseason, and was nevertheless handled without great difficulty by Stanford.
It would appear that the ACC as a whole hasn't been playing at the highest level over the past few years: there hasn't been an ACC team in the Final Four since the Tarheels lost to Tennessee in 2007. Whatever has happened has happened in more places than just College Park.
True--good point. The ACC is down a bit in the last fews years. Duke, like MD is a very good team,but not an final 4 team. NC has totally fallen off--although they should get back next year to being good again. Of course, FSU had a bad year and GT is always GT--tough and good--but not great (lack of scorers always hurts them).
With all of the talent MD has, they really should be an elite team next year. The talent is there for them to win the national championship. Duke, same thing really. The talent is there to contend for the national championships, not just to make the Sweet 16 or the Elite 8.
Btw, the Georgetown coach is leaving for Auburn. Good riddance to bad rubbish (and by bad rubbish, I mean her classlessness and general lack of grace).
As as follow-on to my 1:30 comment, try to put yourself into the shoes of Stanford fans, who have now seen their team go to the Final Four five consecutive years and have not come home with the championship.
Yes, poor Stanford fans...to come so close so often and not close the deal. Almost like LSU years back.
Good riddance to the Georgetown coach. She was classless unlike Brenda Frese who is super classy always in victory and in defeat.
I think we have the potential to be even better next year. Howard and Pfirman should be able to contribute as freshman. Here's hoping Coach Kyle has another good offseason training regimen with the team. Remember how much Hawkins and Mincy improved this year; hopefully everyone can get better next year.
I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE GEORGETOWN COACH - BRENDA IS SUCH A BETTER HUMAN BEING. YES, NEXT YEAR OUR GIRLS WILL CONTINUE TO GET STRONGER - GREAT RECRUITS, KATIE RUTAN, AND MORE EXPERIENCE FROM ALYSSA'S CREW. PLUS MORE SPECIALNESS FROM TIANNA. LOOKING AHEAD TO MORE EXCITEMENT. THE ACC IS LOSING GROUND - BRENDA AND DUKE MAYBE THE ONLY TEAMS THAT MAKE THE NCAA TOURNEY.
I think NC will be back. They have some recruits coming in and will having players coming back from injury.
I am looking forward to seeing Mincy develop even more. I think next year we will see more consistency. I think at times this year--both offensively and on defensive--she wasn't consistent game in and game out. It is what makes AT an all american--consistenly (minus a game or two here and there) great.
I hate when college basketball season is over--men's and women's. What to watch--nothing but baseball and golf. YUCK. I go through withdrawals not being able to see my Terps play. Bring on the WNBA even if that means I have to feel frustrated because by the Mystics organization.
Just a note concerning Whitney Bays. She has had problems all year with her repaired knee. She keeps tweeking it. The last game she played in, she came to a sudden stop and something gave her pain. She left the game and Matt was looking at it. I think, till it heals completely and she gains confidence in it, she won't see extensive playing time. It's a shame, we may never see her fulfill her potentional. I hope that's not the case. I had a conversation with her early in the season and she shared the knee problem information with me.
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