Tough shells carry Terps through rugged title game
By Mike Lopresti, Gannett News Service
By Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY
Maryland relied on seniors Juan Dixon, left, and Lonny Baxter when it needed them most.
ATLANTA — Slowly, with the methodical will of a champion, one team took command on a night of stressed-out offense. It may have looked ugly. But not in Maryland.
Scratch another school and coach off the wannabe list. The Terrapins and Gary Williams have joined the club.
They are national champions now, confirmed on a Monday night of clawing defense and muscular purpose, overpowering Indiana, 64-52.
Final Four MVP Juan Dixon took Maryland the last step with 18 points, including the critical 3-pointer that gave the Terrapins the lead for good 9:44 from the finish line, and ignited a 22-8 sprint to the finish.
Lonny Baxter added 15 points and 14 rebounds, joining fellow seniors Dixon and Byron Mouton in a completed mission.
"The reason I'm here," Williams said, sitting next to his seniors, "are the three people next to me."
Indiana's surprising run through the NCAA Tournament ended with 34.5% shooting, and a gaping 20-2 Maryland advantage at the free-throw line. The Hoosiers did not get to the line in the second half.
"We haven't really faced a defense that could do the things that they did," said Indiana's Tom Coverdale.
For decades, the Terrapins watched as their ACC cousins — Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State — cut down nets. For nearly a quarter-century, Williams has been a winning coach, without the title that cements a reputation.
All that was over Monday night. In the end, the Terrapins were where many expected, this No. 1 seed with veteran leadership, determined to get what they so narrowly missed last spring. Led by the fiery coach, whose time had finally come with his alma mater.
"Things have never worked out quite right," Williams said. "This year, they did.
"These guys never wavered. You could tell the first day of practice the intent of this team."
"This was his year," Baxter said. "It's about time. He got what he deserved."
Dixon had set Monday's tone the day before.
"I want to go out on top," he said Sunday.
By late Monday night, he had, with a championship won with more grit than polish, on a night when offenses often gasped for air.
"I feel like I'm dreaming now," he said.
This was a struggle of airballs, shots hitting the side of backboards, stolen passes, missed chances.
It was Maryland taking the ball relentlessly at the Hoosiers, drawing fouls, piling up the free throws.
"We had to foul them," said Indiana coach Mike Davis. "They were pointblank for layups."
Indiana missed its last five free throws of the first half, but the second half was even worse. They did not get to the line at all.
The Hoosiers shooting had carried them so far. They had hit 55% to march into the championship game. But not nearly enough would fall Monday. They scored only eight points the last 9:50, after Dixon's 3-pointer, as Maryland took over.
Among the casualties was Big Ten player of the year Jared Jeffries, held to eight points. And the Indiana bench that scored 42 points against Oklahoma Saturday on this night had 11.
"It's very rewarding as a coach to see a team play defense like that for 40 minutes," Williams said.
"We had to really grind. They played some great defense on us. It took us 25 minutes before we finally got something going."
"I feel that we could have won," said Kyle Hornsby, who led Indiana with 14 points. "But I'm sure every team that loses this game feels like they could have won."
The moment of decision came when Indiana took its one and only lead on a Jeffries basket with 9:53 left in the game.
Dixon quickly answered from the wing, a reawakening after being stopped by Dane Fife and going scoreless for 20 minutes.
"To tell you the truth, I don't remember seeing the score at the time," Dixon said. "II was just trying to be patient. I tied to let the game come to me.
"Steve Blake made a great play. He was able to break the trap. My man helped. He made a great pass. I made a tough shot."
Just like that, with the heavy momentum of a game hanging on it.
"It just tells you," Davis said, "he has no fear."
The basket righted the game for Maryland, as Indiana's offense crumbled for good.
The first half was a struggle for both. Maryland broke to a 23-11 lead, with 11 of the points from Dixon, then missed its next eight field-goal attempts in a row.
Indiana shot only 32%, missed five straight free throws and scored 25 points — the lowest first-half output in a championship game in 18 years.
Still, the Maryland halftime lead was only a fragile-looking 31-25. An ominous omen for the Terrapins, given Indiana's talent for second-half fights to the finish.
Indeed, the Hoosiers had a rally left in them. With 11:41 left, they pulled even, and then Jeffries gave them a 44-42 lead.
It lasted just seconds, long enough for Dixon to get open, and then Maryland was off, to finish the business it had set out to do.
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those real softshell crabs are going to taste great with virtual pizza
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MARYLAND TERPS |
