Vasquez helps Maryland hold off NC State 71-60

College Basketball

Vasquez helps Maryland hold off NC State 71-60

By Emily Seck

Mar 2, 2009

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Somebody forgot to defend Greivis Vasquez. Granted, the game was over, but that didn’t stop Maryland’s guard.

Though the Terrapins were ahead by eight points, and everybody else on the court had stopped playing, Vasquez still took a three-point shot anyway. And he was promptly met with a round of boos from the crowd at the RBC Center.

It didn’t sit well with the fans and the players didn’t appreciate either.

“That was pretty disrespectful,” said guard Javier Gonzalez, who ended the game with 11 points. “Where I’m from we don’t do that. He shot and made it - that’s whatever. They won any way so it didn’t really matter. I guess he was trying to pad his stats.”

Vasquez gave the Wolfpack problems all night, carrying his Maryland to a 71-60 victory over State. He finished with 33 points, his second-highest total of the season.

Though the Pack suffered a double-digit loss, it kept the game within reach the entire night. The final margin of victory, 11 points, was Terrapins’ biggest lead of the night.

Turnovers have been State’s Achilles’ heel all season and this game was no different. The Pack committed 16 turnovers, many of which were the result of poor passing.

Ben McCauley was baffled at the Pack’s “careless passes” and said that some players “didn’t show up to play.”

“To come out and play the way we did, I just don’t understand it,” said McCauley, who finished with 10 points. “We didn’t have the full team out there. Some of us were battling but we just threw it right into their hands.”

Brandon Costner ended the game with 6 points and didn’t start the second half. Costner didn’t attend practice yesterday in order to attend his grandfather’s funeral.

“I don’t know if he’s been in it mentally,” coach Sidney Lowe said. “That certainly has something to do with it. I don’t know if that’s the reason or an excuse, but we need him.”

Despite the loss, there were some bright spots for the Pack’s offense.

Tracy Smith provided the offensive firepower in the first half, leading the team with 12 points, including three crowd-igniting dunks within the first 10 minutes. He almost singlehandedly helped State to its only lead, midway through the second half, despite being double and triple teamed.

He finished with a team-leading 19 points.

“Tracy was playing so well, he was scoring every time he got the ball,” McCauley said. “Sometimes guys on the outside weren’t even looking inside. When he got double team he could’ve kicked it out. I really don’t know what some guys were thinking.”

The loss drops the Pack to 5-9 in the ACC and 15-12 overall. Maryland improves to 18-10 and 7-7 in conference play.

Vasquez got the final word Sunday night, but Lowe wasn’t upset about it. He was just disappointed that State allowed it to happen.

“There have been few games where I’ve gone to the locker room and didn’t think we played as well and we could have,” he said. “You defend until the game is over. You don’t forget it, but you play until the buzzer rings. What bothers me more is that we weren’t with him. That bothers me more.”

Most Recent Comments

RE: Vasquez helps Maryland hold off NC State 71-60

It's a shame that this thing has degenerated into race-baiting and name-calling. I always thought that playing sports, watching sports, and discussing sports was something that civilized folks could do together without race or creed being a point of acrimony (soccer hooligans aside). I guess I'm being too idealistic.

RE: Vasquez helps Maryland hold off NC State 71-60

Iha, welome to the sports board, racist.

Are you going to write about sports today the way you did yesterday?

RE: Vasquez helps Maryland hold off NC State 71-60

i doubt he was joking since he said he is a "racist realist." try reading other posts before you start typing.

actually what made me feel better was knowing that a man born from a Kenyan father and American woman could become President of the United States.

RE: Vasquez helps Maryland hold off NC State 71-60

Again- who cares about Vasquez? They won't go deep in March but I'll be cheering for them if they do, esp against the Tarholes. ABC's.

I care about the State's mens basketball program and how "rank" is now just an adjective or noun instead of what used to be a verb.

Sendick left Low with some great players. The cupboard was not even close to bare. If his recruited players were better than the seniors, why is he not playing them? We've seen them in action, and oh yeah, there's a reason. Player development is going to have to huge this summer and I am not opposed to some Josh Hamilton steroids. (just kidding about the performance enhancing drugs)

Every year same outcome. Next year, I get to hear about injuries or refs or bad luck or Sid's mother (hope she's well) or Sid's flu (wish he would coach like he's well) or Sid's jailbird son. What's up with the comparison's with Coach V? He is NO Coach V. Once again, bringing up ancient history in order to mask his lousy performance. I don't ever want to hear about 198-whatever. Ancient history. Yep good times but not relevant to where we are today. That's all they did last year. That was Fowl-ups great achievement and he's dipping into the same hat again.

I'm so tired of this nonsense. I want a WINNING team with kids that look like they are having fun. ALL SIGNS POINT THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. He was not a good NBA coach and he's clueless at the collegiate level. A pattern has emerged.

Low's ridden Sendeck's back as long as possible and now his well has run dry. It's going to take atleast 4 more years to get this program back with a NEW COACH. So basically if Low does the honorable thing and leaves this year (he won't- who would take him?), then it will be 2013 before we are even middle of the pack again unless we get somebody that's just fantastic.

RE: Vasquez helps Maryland hold off NC State 71-60

I don't know Liberty or Death but I think it was meant initially meant to be a joke. I thought it was funny but did tinge a little with the ignorant posts of Iha and losers who seem like they've never watched the game of basketball. Yeah, trolls with an agenda. At some point in life, just maybe they will let it go. Doubt it though.

I would expect the Tarhole crowd to react that way because they always like to comment about how ignorant State fans are (can't get into college go to state... too dumb for UNC...stupid farmers...etc). That's been going on before I was born. It's funny and we used to be able to get our revenge back when we had a RESPECTABLE TEAM....and we DIDN'T HAVE FOWLUP.

Why don't you just find out who this Liberty or Death really is? OK....that's it Liberty or Death, YOU WILL MEET WITH REV BARBOUR AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF. They will pickett every post you make. You will have to have a diversity statement before every posting that you create. What's more is that you would have to pay Barbour to create the statement for you. After all he's only after the money and the publicty. You could give him both.

Would that make you feel better losers? Get a life.

If you want to look racism in the face, look at the last presidential election. Over 95% of one race voting one way......yeah right. If you can't look in the mirror, do what Javi should have done and keep your mouth shut. Dang. Anything to change the subject from the real problem- LOW'S COACHING AND FOWL-UP'S ADMINSTRATION.

Iha- lose yourself or explain yourself. Quit accusing others of being something they are not. Who's the real racist?

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