Terps’ defeat earliest in season in 10 years
Davidson prevails in opener of Asheville Championship
By Edward Lee
Three days after escaping Mount St. Mary’s with a win, Maryland men’s basketball wasn’t as fortunate in its second game of the season.
The Terps’ uneven play in Tuesday night’s season-opening 68-53 victory over the Mountaineers carried over to Friday night’s game against Davidson, and the Wildcats proved to be the more resilient team en route to a 64-61 win in the opening game of the Asheville Championship at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina.
The setback dropped Maryland to 1-1 and was the program’s earliest loss since Nov. 8, 2013, when that squad fell to No. 18 Connecticut, 78-77, in the season opener. The school’s all-time record against Davidson slipped to 8-4 with the Wildcats winning for the first time since Dec. 27, 1968.
Freshman small forward Bobby Durkin came off the bench for Davidson (2-0) to compile 16 points and two rebounds, and redshirt sophomore point guard Angelo Brizzi, a Villanova transfer, chipped in 10 points, six steals and four assists. The Wildcats will meet Clemson (2-0), a 77-76 winner over UAB (0-2), in Sunday’s championship final at 3 p.m.
Fifth-year senior point guard Jahmir Young paced the Terps with a game-high 18 points and seven assists and reached the 2,000-point milestone with his 14th point on the second of two free throws with 3:46 left in the second half. Junior power forward Julian Reese, a Baltimore native and St. Frances graduate, racked up 16 points and 11 rebounds. Maryland will take on UAB in Sunday’s consolation final at 12:30 p.m.
Here are three observations from Friday night’s loss.
Maryland continues to fizzle late
showing (3 of 16) against Mount St. Mary’s. In that game, no Terps player hit more than one 3-pointer.
The Terps’ problems bring to mind how much they appear to miss sophomore shooting guard Chance Stephens. The Loyola Marymount transfer, who is expected to sit out the season after undergoing knee surgery in June, shot 37.5% (49 of 131) from behind the arc last winter and had earned the nickname “Sniper” for his long-range proficiency.
Stephens was expected to fill the role created by Don Carey, who led last year’s squad in 3-pointers (57). Instead, Maryland is left trying to find a competent shooter among its current group.