Yesssss!!

Well, that's as big as it gets in the regular season. The Terps secured their first trip to the tournament in three seasons yesterday by picking off mighty North Carolina, 89-87.

It's a good feeling to be in, where the Terps belong. I ripped D.J. Strawberry and the seniors earlier, but now they really have become team leaders. Somewhere, somehow, some way, a switch was flipped, and the team hasn't looked back. I remember watching Carolina manhandle now-number-one Ohio State earlier in the season and thinking there was no way the Terps could hang with the team, much less beat them. Things change.

The Terps made a big run in the second half, but even that wasn't particularly dramatic. I mean, the whole thing was dramatic, but there was never any amazing moments. The teams were just trading punches the whole time, with Carolina going up, then the Terps chipping away, lather, rinse repeat. Finally, the Terps made a push on the final straightaway, and just got their nose out in front of Carolina for one split second at the finish line. But hey, that's obviously more than enough. And honestly, it's the way great teams finish. Not sure if Maryland can sustain this level for the rest of the season, but as James Gist says in the article, right now they are a threat to anyone.

The one bad spot as I see it was the ridiculous court storming after the game. Hey, Terp fans? We're not Alabama State, okay? Upset, yes. But let's act like we've been there before, huh? Because we have.

But as for the actual game, there's a lot of credit to go around for the balanced effort. But personally, I'm giving credit to The Montage. Congratulations, men. Soon....the true test will begin.

Hyperlinks:
- Terps' Rally Sets Up Busy March [Washington Post]
- D.J. Strawberry is Going on My Notice Board [No One Appreciates Me]
- It's Time For A Maryland Montage [No One Appreciates Me]

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