MBB: North Carolina 84, Maryland 73

[FerryFor50]

But they're getting the UNC ref job today...

[ArkieDukie]

I agree 100%. Pretty blatant.

[Duke79UNLV77]

UNC leads the ACC in could and FT differential year in and year out. Even 2 years ago when they only won 4 or 5 conference games. Duke hasn't led the conference for over a decade. UNC also has given up the fewest FT attempts in the country this year. Absurd.

[sporthenry]

And to top all of that off, Henson throws down an unnecessary dunk to finish the game. I hope UMD gets to see them in the ACC tourney.

[Duke79UNLV77]

Classless way to UNC to close it out. Jam with the shot clock off by Henson and then Barnes taunts the crowd.

[FerryFor50]

My favorite call was the phantom foul on Len after the missed Henson dunk. Or the numerous missed pushes under the basket (both on rebounds and made shots).

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Whatever, I hate them both. But a 0-0 tie just isn't possible. So, I guess I'd rather see UNC playing off a win rather than a loss come Wednesday.

[Duvall]

Classless way to UNC to close it out. Jam with the shot clock off by Henson and then Barnes taunts the crowd.

It is amazing what they get away with that would get Duke crucified by the press.

[weezie]

Yeah well, I'm peeved at uva for ch-o-king at fsu.
Another weenie score thanks to the snoozy uva game offense.

I hear they are considering installing a hockey horn at JPJ in Cville to wake the attendees up whenever the hoos score.

[MCFinARL]

My favorite call was the phantom foul on Len after the missed Henson dunk. Or the numerous missed pushes under the basket (both on rebounds and made shots).

I liked the "foul" on Pe'shon Howard when he stole the inbounds pass near the end of the game--and judging from the words I clearly saw cross Mark Turgeon's lips on TV, he liked it about as much as I did. ;)

[rsvman]

I liked the "foul" on Pe'shon Howard when he stole the inbounds pass near the end of the game--and judging from the words I clearly saw cross Mark Turgeon's lips on TV, he liked it about as much as I did. ;)

It was Faust who made the steal. It was his fifth foul.

[FerryFor50]

I liked the "foul" on Pe'shon Howard when he stole the inbounds pass near the end of the game--and judging from the words I clearly saw cross Mark Turgeon's lips on TV, he liked it about as much as I did. ;)

I turned it off once I realized it was over. They had their own part in the meltdown... Stoglin's ball hogging, dumb turnovers... but they definitely lost their composure due to the officiating. Weren't they supposed to have home court advantage?

[davekay1971]

I turned it off once I realized it was over. They had their own part in the meltdown... Stoglin's ball hogging, dumb turnovers... but they definitely lost their composure due to the officiating. Weren't they supposed to have home court advantage?

Home court advantage against UNC means the fans in the stadium are as ticked about the screw job you're getting from the refs as you are. Of course, for the Maryland team, that means the Maryland players on the bench have to keep ducking in case the batteries thrown from the stands at the refs are accidentally aimed a little low.

[dukebballcamper90-91]

I had to cut the sound off during the game because of the cussing coming from the crowd.

[Cameron]

Alex Len had a brilliant game today for Maryland. The seven-footer from the Ukraine, who is just a freshman, had 12 points, 9 boards and 4 blocks against UNC's abundantly lengthy and athletic front line. Color me impressed. He might turn into something special. The spindly and fleecy smooth Len (for a man of his stature) certainly has the genetic makeup working to his advantage.

I used to despise Maryland, too, but really haven't much since the Greivis Vasquez's days. Although certainly prone to controversial comments -- "Cameron is my house," etc. -- personally I loved the kid's never-let-up demeanor. Greivis was one of the great characters in the ACC's recent memory and his tireless pursuit of success and veneration a true reflection of his coach, Gary Williams.

I hope Mark T can return the Terrapins to their early 2000s glory.

[gep]

I used to despise Maryland, too, but really haven't much since the Greivis Vasquez's days. Although certainly prone to controversial comments -- "Cameron is my house," etc. -- personally I loved the kid's never-let-up demeanor. Greivis was one of the great characters in the ACC's recent memory and his tireless pursuit of success and veneration a true reflection of his coach, Gary Williams.

I second the emotion. I think Greivis was both a "character" and a fierce competitor... a truly "love to hate" player. I actually started "liking" Maryland with Juan Dixon... I thought he was a fierce competitor, but also classy and gracious... and Gary Williams for recruiting Juan when no one else would touch him with a ten-foot pole. I even remember (somewhat) that there was an ACC alumini game (or some-such) in Cameron, and when Juan was introduced, the Crazies gave his a rousing standing ovation. But, that being said, Maryland and their "treatment" of JJ, etc was not good... between the Juan and Greivis period, I guess?

[burnspbesq]

Maybe it shouldn't be, but my attitude toward anything that happens between those two is "a plague on both your houses."

[shoutingncu]

Classless way to UNC to close it out. Jam with the shot clock off by Henson...

I think it's been established that Henson is pretty immature. I want to like him so much more than I do...

[sporthenry]

After watching UMD, I feel a bit conflicted about the whole situation. Most of their fan base really is the scum of the earth. However, I seem to like most of their current players and I like Turgeon (along with the likes of Bennett, Donahue, etc.). I think the ACC has a very bright future which will also make it very hard on Duke in the future but so be it. But UMD has a very bright future with Faust, Howard, and Len who to be honest if he played more in the Duke game I thought would have gave Duke tons of problems. I won't go as far to say I like UMD but their players seem like players of character. Not to mention, they got absolutely hosed by the refs.

[RoyalBlue08]

I think it's been established that Henson is pretty immature. I want to like him so much more than I do...

A perfect time for the million dollar coaches to actually teach a student something. Somehow I get the feeling that Roy is going to let this opportunity pass though.

[Billy Dat]

Classless way to UNC to close it out. Jam with the shot clock off by Henson and then Barnes taunts the crowd.

This really disturbs me...I had the Holes pegged as having no cojones whatsoever and this report leads me to believe they might have some backbone. I hate being put in the position to defend UNC, but is it so hard to imagine what that cretin crowd may have been yelling at them? I give any away team at College Park a ton of leeway for any apparant innapropriate behavior they may display. Image what their walk-ons may have done if given the chance? Now that's a group whose been through the fire...

[roywhite]

Harrison Barnes -- a profile in courage?

From the N&O game coverage (http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/02/04/1830572/live-updates-unc-on-the-road-at.html)


“It was a lot of pain,” Barnes said after he scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half. “It was like somebody shot me in the ankle. I think that’s about how much pain there was. Because it was already hurt. Then you do the same thing again to it, it [was] a lot of pain.”

He said he entered the game feeling about 60 percent healthy but asked if there was a chance he’d miss it, Barnes didn’t hesitate with his answer.
“Thought never crossed my mind,” he said. “I was always going to try to go out there and do as much as I could.”

[DukieInBrasil]

It is amazing what they get away with that would get Duke crucified by the press.

Expectations? Maybe people just expect UNC to be a bunch of classless jerks and as such, acting that way is just normal for them.

[oldnavy]

Harrison Barnes -- a profile in courage?

From the N&O game coverage (http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/02/04/1830572/live-updates-unc-on-the-road-at.html)

I am not surprised that the press has HB playing on a badly broken ankle that would be a career ending injury for a mere human. It is all part of the marketing plan to ram this kid down our throats as the best thing since, well Michael Jordan...

I almost threw up when Patrick said that Harrison Barnes was a "very capable ball handler" after HB brought the ball up the court uncontested when Marshall went out. PLEASE ROY, LET HB HANDLE THE BALL MORE, PLEASE!!!!

The amount of praise they heap on this kid is unprecedented IMO. He is a good player with obvious strengths (good shot, good 1-2 dribble pull up), but many weaknesses (doesn't rebound, poor handle when attempting to drive, average or less defender, less than average passer, etc...) but if you were to never actually watch him, you would think that he was an unstoppable machine from the press he gets.

Len Elmore commented that HB was a top candidate for NPOY.... I would argue that he is actually the 3 or 4th best player on his team.

[slower]

I am not surprised that the press has HB playing on a badly broken ankle that would be a career ending injury for a mere human. It is all part of the marketing plan to ram this kid down our throats as the best thing since, well Michael Jordan...

I almost threw up when Patrick said that Harrison Barnes was a "very capable ball handler" after HB brought the ball up the court uncontested when Marshall went out. PLEASE ROY, LET HB HANDLE THE BALL MORE, PLEASE!!!!

The amount of praise they heap on this kid is unprecedented IMO. He is a good player with obvious strengths (good shot, good 1-2 dribble pull up), but many weaknesses (doesn't rebound, poor handle when attempting to drive, average or less defender, less than average passer, etc...) but if you were to never actually watch him, you would think that he was an unstoppable machine from the press he gets.

Len Elmore commented that HB was a top candidate for NPOY.... I would argue that he is actually the 3 or 4th best player on his team.

It's just more of the same media scripting from your old reliable media monkeys. The HB script was set before the season began. I think they feel that the more times they repeat a name that rings a bell with the public, the more interest it will generate. Having said that, despite my personal distaste for HB and his apparent calculated image management, it remains to be seen whether he will fail (relative to his hype) or succeed in the NBA.

Mike Patrick is, by almost any measure, an incompetent. Elmore, of course, skirts the razor's edge of just admitting his Duke hate. It's a travesty that so many of our games are marred by their presence, as well as that of Karl Hess.

[MCFinARL]

It was Faust who made the steal. It was his fifth foul.

My bad--Howard had fouled a few seconds before and I misremembered.

[acciconoclast]

I'm all about contesting till the bitter end but if you full court press/double team half court down 7 with 7 seconds left well you can expect a response. At some point esp in the final 10 seconds if the game is completely unwinnable you have to man up and concede, say we will fight again another day IMO

[#1Duke]

I had to cut the sound off during the game because of the cussing coming from the crowd.

Yes, I HATE cussing in a college basketball game. I especially hate when some coaches pray and bless themselves before a game and then curse like drunken sailors.... "F" this and "GD" that when the cameras on them and the entire national audience can readily surmise what they are saying. I hate it when watching games with kids and having to say " yes, he swore and used terrible language and he shouldn't have, that is no way to act etc.".