Maryland could ill afford an 0-3 ACC start with #1 North Carolina and 5th ranked Duke on the horizon...making their contest with Wake Forest all the more crucial. And did we mention they'd be minus Eric Hayes for the third straight game?
The Terps rallied from an early 13-4 deficit to take a five point lead into halftime--and fought off several Demon Deacon charges to prevail 71-64...and found themselves a new folk hero, if just for one evening. Freshman Adrian Bowie won the Comcast Center crowd with 32 strong minutes, scoring 10 points (including a pair of clutch free throws midway through the second half), grabbing 8 rebounds (more on that later) while tallying 2 assists and 3 steals. And more than a few fist-pumping moments for the College Park faithful.
Bowie's ability to handle the ball in the halfcourt set gave Greivis Vasquez a chance to breathe offensively, and the sophomore responded with 22 points on plenty of strong drives to the basket (6 of 9 shooting from inside the 3-point stripe).
Rebounding was a teamwide effort- after losing the battle of the boards for three straight games, the Terps outrebounded the Demon Deacons 24-16 after halftime...while Bambale Osby notched 11 boards, coach Gary Williams credited his guards with taking care of the perimeter--and there were plenty of loose balls outside with Wake missing 25 of 30 three-pointers.
What happens now? The Terps prepare for #1 North Carolina--and fans should temper their expectations for Bowie; many a freshman has shined against Wake Forest before falling flat against UNC--at the Smith Center. But there is reason for optimism with Bowie, Tucker and Braxton Dupree all contributing over the first few months of their college careers.
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