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Late collapse to Duke paints (im)perfect picture of Maryland’s season

Luke Jones

If you’ve been seeking the abridged version of a frustrating season for Maryland, the final 10 minutes of an 87-71 loss to Duke on Friday night revealed everything you needed to know about the Terps. After an impressive performance over the first 30 minutes against the second-seeded Blue Devils in the ACC tournament quarterfinals, the Terps were in position to challenge the No. 5 team in the country, trailing 63-60 after a Dino Gregory layup at the 10:13 mark. All-ACC senior Nolan Smith was ineffective throughout the night and left the game with a toe injury with just under seven minutes left. The normally sharpshooting Blue Devils were a paltry 3-for-15 from beyond the arc. And despite a huge night from  all-conference senior Kyle Singler (29 points for the game), the Maryland defense swarmed the ball on nearly every possession, leaving a perimeter-dependent team with few open looks. Opportunity was sitting right there as Maryland had essentially made it a 10-minute game against one of the best teams in the country. It wasn’t the near-perfect performance they needed to secure the upset, but Duke’s struggles had allowed an energized Maryland team to hang around. And then, like we’ve seen all

Maryland-Duke: Turtle Power live chat at 7:00

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat as the Terps take on Duke in the ACC quarterfinals*** After snapping their three-game losing streak with a 75-67 win over N.C. State Thursday night, Maryland (19-13, 7-9 ACC) faces No. 5 Duke (27-4, 13-3 ACC) in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament at 7:00. The Terps will try to beat Mike Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils for the first time this season, falling twice in the regular season. A win would place them in the semifinals (against the winner of Virginia Tech-Florida State) for the first time since 2009 when the seventh-seeded Terrapins defeated a tough Wake Forest squad in the quarterfinals, a feat that essentially punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament. Tonight’s game will be televised locally on WNUV-TV 54 and on ESPN2 (for those outside the ACC Network region). The Turtle Power live chat will be open beginning at 7:00 and remember to follow us on Twitter (@WNST) for the quickest updates and analysis regarding the happenings at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Terps pass easy test over N.C. State in ACC tourney opener

Luke Jones

Give Maryland credit for not mailing it in after losing three straight to finish the regular season. The seventh-seeded Terps did what they were supposed to in a 75-67 victory over N.C. State in the opening round of the ACC tournament. It wasn’t the prettiest performance, but it didn’t need to be against the Wolfpack, who couldn’t have put forth a more lifeless effort in the likely final game of the Sidney Lowe era. Jordan Williams’ 16 points and 13 rebounds punched Maryland’s ticket for a second-round matchup against Duke on Friday night, giving the Terps a third opportunity to gain a win over the Blue Devils in 2011. The Terps held N.C. State to 33.8 percent shooting and an anemic 2-for-17 performance from beyond the arc, interrupting an alarming trend of sloppy perimeter defense over the last month. The Wolfpack’s leading scorer Tracy Smith — dealing with a sore knee that forced him to come off the bench — lacked his normal energy, and sophomore Scott Wood (0-for-6 from 3-point range) failed to find the rhythm he enjoyed against the Terps last month. Maryland (19-13) exploded to an early 12-2 lead and never trailed in the game, dictating the

Maryland-N.C. State: Turtle Power live chat at 7

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat beginning at 7:00 as the Terps face N.C. State*** The ACC tournament is underway in Greensboro, N.C. as the Maryland Terrapins (18-13, 7-9 ACC) take on N.C. State in the first round at 7:00 p.m. The winner earns the daunting task of facing Duke on Friday night As improbable as it is, the Terps will attempt to grab the first of four victories needed in the next four days to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Anything less and Maryland will accept the reality of missing the Big Dance and having to settle for a likely invitation to the NIT. Tonight’s game will be televised on ESPN2 with Mike Patrick and Len Elmore calling the action from the Greensboro Coliseum. As always, join us in the Turtle Power live chat beginning at 7:00 and follow us on Twitter (@WNST) for the quickest updates and analysis of the happenings in the ACC tournament.

Do you really care about this NFL money brawl?

Nestor Aparicio

I saw all of this coming three years ago in Palm Beach, Fla. at the NFL’s annual winter meetings amongst owners, NFL front office leaders and coaches. The owner’s voted to terminate the collective bargaining agreement, the words “uncapped year” become all the rage and here we are now at the fringe of a full-scale work stoppage, meltdown and the end of the world as we know it. I’ve spent a LOT of time over the past three years talking to virtually everyone I know in the NFL community about every facet of this negotiation in the hopes that I’d somehow be “expert” on what’s happening down in D.C. this week. I really thought that fans would be thirsty for what’s really happening behind the scenes and that somehow, there could be a happy ending behind the red, white and blue shield for 2011 football. Now that the witching hour has arrived it’s become very clear to me that the issues that are making the fight — percentages, salaries, trust, open books, medical insurance and a myriad of other arguments that have made 66 rounds of negotiating feel worthless — none of these are of any interest to most NFL

Maryland’s J. Williams, Stoglin grab ACC honors

Luke Jones

Having completed one of the most successful seasons by a big man in the history of Maryland basketball, Jordan Williams was selected to the all-ACC first team on Monday afternoon. The sophomore from Torrington, Conn. received 210 points from the 75 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association, second-most overall behind Duke’s senior guard Nolan Smith who was the only unanimous choice. Virginia Tech senior — and Baltimore native — Malcolm Delaney, Duke senior Kyle Singler, and Boston College junior Reggie Jackson round out the first team of all-ACC players. Williams led the ACC and was third nationally in rebounding (11.6 per game) and posted a single-season school record of 23 double-doubles in his second season in College Park. His 16.9 points per game average was sixth in the conference and 54.1 percent field-goal percentage was second in the ACC. The national recognition continues to pour in for Williams as he also earned third-team selections on the FOXsports.com and Yahoo! Sports All-America basketball teams. Point guard Terrell Stoglin capped off a spectacular finish to the regular season by grabbing all-freshman honors, joining North Carolina’s Kendall Marshall and Harrison Barnes, Wake Forest’s Travis McKie, and N.C. State’s C.J. Leslie. The freshman

Terps set to play N.C. State in 1st round of ACC tournament

Luke Jones

On the heels of an alarming three-game losing streak to finish the regular season, Maryland had to wait for Sunday’s conference action to learn who it would play in the first round of the ACC tournament in Greensboro, N.C. With Miami falling to Georgia Tech on Sunday, the Terps (18-13, 7-9 ACC) discovered they would play as the No. 7 seed against N.C. State, who fell to Florida State on Sunday evening. Maryland will play the Wolfpack in the conference tournament for the first time since 2009 when the Terps prevailed in another first-round matchup. Knowing they have no chance for at-large consideration after finishing with a losing record in a down year for the ACC, the Terps’ mission this coming weekend is quite clear if they want to avoid their fourth trip to the NIT in seven years and advance to the NCAA tournament: Win the entire thing. Maryland has not won the ACC tournament since 2004 when John Gilchrist earned Most Valuable Player honors by leading the sixth-seeded Terps to wins over Wake Forest, N.C. State, and Duke to cut down the nets in Greensboro. That 2004 edition would mark the end of the nine-team format that included

Terps’ late-season fade continues with 74-60 loss to Virginia

Luke Jones

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Minutes after Maryland’s regular season concluded with a third straight loss, Gary Williams offered a remark that could summarize his team’s entire season. “Close doesn’t count, especially this time of year. You have to figure out a way to win those games.” It’s a mantra that rings true for a team that’s failed to close out victories against top opponents and to complete comeback efforts on several occasions. It’s the reality the Terps now face, needing to win four straight in the conference tournament as their only means to make the NCAA tournament. Continuing their late-season collapse, the Terps fell to Virginia, 74-60, in a game controlled by the Cavaliers all afternoon on Maryland’s Senior Day. The loss leaves Maryland (18-13, 7-9 ACC) with a three-game losing streak to finish the regular season for the first time since 2005 and Williams to search for answers before the ACC tournament in Greensboro, N.C. next weekend. The Cavaliers (16-14, 7-9 ACC) slowed the tempo to their liking, turning it over just six times as Maryland’s full-court pressure failed to produce any points off turnovers. Virginia received career-high performances by junior center Assane Sene (15 points) and junior guard

Maryland-Virginia: Turtle Power live chat at 2:00

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat as Maryland takes on the Virginia Cavaliers in the regular season finale*** COLLEGE PARK, Md. — It’s Senior Day at Comcast Center as the Maryland Terrapins (18-12, 7-8 ACC) close out the regular season by hosting the Virginia Cavaliers (15-14, 6-9 ACC) at 2:00. Seniors Dino Gregory, Cliff Tucker, and Adrian Bowie will be honored as they play their final regular season game in College Park. The senior class has clearly been a disappointment this season with Maryland counting on the three to play bigger roles after losing over half of its point production from a season ago. Despite an NCAA tournament bid looking to be out of reach unless the Terps win the ACC tournament, Maryland will look to close out the regular season on a high note by reaching the .500 mark in conference play and build some momentum heading into Greensboro, N.C. next Thursday. This afternoon’s game can be seen on the ACC Network (WNUV-TV 54 in Baltimore) with Tim Brant and Dave Odom calling the action from Comcast Center. As always, join us in the Turtle Power chat beginning at 2:00 and follow us on Twitter (@WNST) for

Terps make flimsy March statement in 80-66 loss at Miami

Luke Jones

Depending on how you viewed Maryland’s remote NCAA tournament hopes entering Wednesday night’s game at Miami, it might not have mattered how the Terps fared against the Hurricanes. If they needed to win the ACC tournament to secure an invitation to the field of 68, the outcome in the penultimate game of the regular season wouldn’t have changed anything on paper, right? Following a 80-66 drubbing in Coral Gables, the Terps played as though they had similar thoughts in mind. Maryland looked every bit the part of a team with little to play for and after Malcolm Grant’s 3-pointer put the Hurricanes ahead 14-12 with 13:17 remaining in the first half, the Terps trailed the rest of the way. Instead of beating a mediocre Miami squad to declare they would be a difficult out in Greensboro next week, the Terps (18-12, 7-8 ACC) made a different statement entirely by turning in their weakest performance of the season. Their blowout loss at home to Virginia Tech in January was brutal, but at least the Hokies appear on their way to the NCAA tournament — though a home loss to Boston College Tuesday made that less of a certainty for Seth Greenberg’s

Maryland-Miami: Turtle Power live chat at 7:00

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat as Maryland takes on the Canes at 7:00*** The Terps begin the final week of the regular season tonight as they travel to Coral Gables, Fla. to meet the Miami Hurricanes (17-12, 5-9 ACC) in their only meeting of the season. Following a disappointing loss at North Carolina on Sunday that put its at-large hopes essentially out of reach, Maryland (18-11, 7-7 ACC) must focus its attention on finishing the regular season with two wins (the finale takes place at home against Virginia on Saturday) to gain a higher seed in the ACC tournament, where the Terps will look to cut down the nets to earn a spot in the field of 68. Tonight’s game will be televised on ESPNU with Carter Blackburn and LaPhonso Ellis calling the action from BankUnited Center. As always, join us in the Turtle Power live chat beginning at 7:00 and follow us on Twitter (@WNST) for the quickest updates and analysis regarding tonight’s game.

Maryland overwhelmed by UNC, 87-76, as at-large hopes go up in smoke

Luke Jones

In a game the Terps needed to win to keep their at-large hopes alive for a bid to the NCAA tournament, North Carolina was the bigger, stronger, and faster team. Gary Williams called timeout after timeout — burning his last one with 10:32 remaining in the game — to search for the right words or combination of players to ignite a spark. But short of finding Juan Dixon or Greivis Vasquez sitting at the end of the bench — or at least a Lonny Baxter to counterbalance the Tar Heels’ dominant frontcourt — it wasn’t going to matter. The Terps ran into a buzz saw that was simply better than them in an 87-76 loss in Chapel Hill Sunday night. Short of a miracle run in Greensboro, N.C. in two weeks, Maryland saw its tournament hopes fade away in a similar fashion to many of their losses this season. A respectable effort, but just not good enough. North Carolina’s frontcourt combination of Tyler Zeller and John Henson combined for 35 points and 21 rebounds as the Tar Heels racked up 19 offensive rebounds, 14 coming in the first half to build a 43-31 lead at intermission. The Heels’ 46-42 edge

Maryland-North Carolina pre-game notes

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat beginning at 7:30 as Maryland takes on the Tar Heels at the Dean Dome*** With a final chance to make a loud statement for an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament, the Maryland Terrapins (18-10, 7-6 ACC) are in Chapel Hill to take on No. 19 North Carolina (21-6, 11-2 ACC) tonight at 7:45. The Tar Heels are bigger (with 7-footer Tyler Zeller and 6-foot-10 John Henson leading the frontcourt), love to play in transition much like the Terps, and will attempt to stifle Maryland with one of the best defenses in the nation. North Carolina has taken its play to a different level since freshman point guard Kendall Marshall (5.1 assists per game) took the reins of the Heels offense in place of Larry Drew II, who has since left the program. Not to be outdone by Marshall, freshman Terrell Stoglin has exploded for the Terps in recent weeks and will need a big night at the Dean Dome for Maryland to pull off the upset. Stoglin (10.9 points per game) has emerged as the second-leading scorer on the team behind big man Jordan Wiliams (17.2). This one could easily turn

Maryland’s tournament hopes still alive after 78-62 win over FSU

Luke Jones

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — If their NCAA tournament chances were flatlining following back-to-back road losses to Boston College and Virginia Tech, the Terps discovered a pulse, if only a faint one, on Wednesday night. Five Maryland players reached double-digit scoring, and the Terps held Florida State to just 39 percent shooting in the second half to seize a convincing 78-62 win over the Seminoles, their first win over a top-50 RPI school this season. It was the type of performance Gary Williams was waiting for all season despite an ominous start to the evening at Comcast Center. With the “Wall” nearly empty at tip-off (see below) and not filling much more during the game, the veteran coach was clearly displeased with the lack of student support — evident in his post-game comments thanking those in attendance for “not giving up” and pointing out negativity in the student newspaper. Williams couldn’t have felt much better when the Seminoles sprung out to a 9-2 lead two minutes into the game with all points coming from the sharp-shooting Deividas Dulkys. The opening looked and felt like the disastrous 12-0 start against Virginia Tech last month, a game in which the Terps never found

Maryland-FSU: Turtle Power live chat at 9:00

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat beginning at 9:00 as the Terps battle Florida State in their only meeting of the regular season.*** COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Looking for that elusive first win against a top-50 RPI school, the Terps (17-10, 6-6 ACC) are in action this evening against the Florida State Seminoles (19-7, 9-3 ACC) at Comcast Center. With the Seminoles missing leading scorer Chris Singleton and Maryland desperately needing to stack wins in the last leg of the conference schedule, little needs to be said about how important this game is for Gary Williams and the Terps. Florida State has won three straight games against the bottom feeders of the ACC (Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and Virginia) and is looking for its fourth ACC road to further solidify its NCAA tournament resume. The Terps look to continue the success they enjoyed last season over the Seminoles when they swept the season series. Maryland has won three consecutive home games against Florida State and carries a 13-3 all-time home record in the matchup. After being named ACC Rookie of the Week on Monday, Terrell Stoglin aims to continue his hot hand after scoring 25 points each against

Terps finish strong to top NC State, 87-80

Luke Jones

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — With the backdrop of Greivis Vasquez’s jersey being raised to the rafters and the 10th anniversary celebration of the 2001 Final Four team, Maryland had plenty of extra motivation Sunday to rebound from its disappointing two-game road trip that’s left their tournament hopes in major jeopardy. And bounce back they did, using career performances from Terrell Stoglin and Dino Gregory as well as a game-high 26 points from Jordan Williams to give the Terps an 87-80 victory over North Carolina State, giving Maryland (17-10, 6-6 ACC) only its third win of the season in games decided by 10 points or fewer. “It seems like every game when we’re down or when we’re fighting a team we can’t get that win,” Williams said. “And tonight when I looked up and we were about to win the game, I was like, ‘It’s about time, we finally got over that hump.’” The sophomore forward scored 26 points in the first 28 minutes of the game but was held scoreless in the final 12, leaving him one point shy of his career mark. It forced the Terps to look elsewhere for the means to finish off a close game, a

Maryland-NC State pre-game notes

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat beginning at 5:30 as the Terps take on the Wolfpack*** COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Despite Maryland’s NCAA tournament hopes looking bleak with five games remaining in the regular season, Comcast Center is abuzz for tonight’s contest with NC State. Former Terp and current Memphis Grizzlies guard Greivis Vasquez will have his No. 21 jersey raised to the rafters at halftime in what figures to be an emotional moment in College Park. And while he wouldn’t admit, Gary Williams has some extra incentive taking on NC State with former Maryland athletic director Debbie Yow now holding the same position in Raleigh. Despite the subplots, the Terps (16-10, 5-6 ACC) desperately need to stack wins to keep their remote tournament hopes alive and figure to have an excellent chance against Sidney Lowe’s Wolfpack. North Carolina State (14-11, 4-7 ACC) has won two in a row against Clemson and Wake Forest but has underachieved in what appears to be Lowe’s swan song season with the Wolfpack. Maryland has won seven straight against the Wolfpack and looks to rebound from a disappointing 0-2 road trip with critical losses at Boston College and Virginia Tech in the

After falling to Virginia Tech, Maryland must look to backcourt future

Luke Jones

It was an entertaining and highly competitive game in Blacksburg, but it produced the tired final act we’ve seen too many times this season. Despite plenty of opportunities, Maryland fell short against Virginia Tech, 91-83, on Tuesday night, downgrading the Terps’ faint NCAA tournament hopes from life support to a virtual flatline with five games remaining in the regular season. Dropping to 5-6 in the conference and being swept by a third ACC team — the Hokies joining Duke and Boston College as schools with two wins over Maryland — simply won’t garner any deserved consideration for the tournament in a down year for the ACC. Barring a miraculous finish unseen since the Terps’ ACC tournament championship in 2004, Maryland will find itself playing in the NIT for the first time since 2008 when current seniors Adrian Bowie, Cliff Tucker, and Dino Gregory were finishing their freshman year. As deflating as that reality is in the middle of February, a tiny beacon of hope shined at Cassell Coliseum with the impressive performance of freshman Terrell Stoglin. The shifty guard scored a career-high 25 points — 15 coming before intermission after the Terps had fallen behind by 10 points early in

Maryland-Virginia Tech: Turtle Power live chat at 8:00

Luke Jones

The reeling Terps are desperate for a win to preserve their faint NCAA tournament hopes as they take on the Virginia Tech Hokies in Blacksburg at 8:00. Tonight’s game will be televised on the ACC Network (WNUV-TV 54 in Baltimore) with Tim Brando and Dan Bonner calling the action from Cassell Coliseum. As always, watch the action with us in the Turtle Power live chat beginning at 8:00 and remember to follow us on Twitter (@WNST) for the quickest updates and analysis!

Maryland releases 2011 football schedule

Luke Jones

The University of Maryland revealed its 2011 football schedule Monday afternoon and will begin the Randy Edsall era in a nationally-televised primetime game on Labor Day. The Terps kick off the 2011 season against Miami at Byrd Stadium, marking the second straight year Maryland will begin its season on Labor Day after beating Navy at M&T Bank Stadium last season. The opener against the Hurricanes will mark the first time the Terps have opened the season against an ACC opponent since playing North Carolina in 2001. Even more intrigue would exist in the opener against Miami should former Hurricanes head coach Randy Shannon accept Maryland’s offer to become its new defensive coordinator, replacing the recently-departed Don Brown who accepted the same position at the University of Connecticut. “We were approached by the ACC about playing Miami in a primetime national broadcast on ESPN,” Maryland director of athletics Kevin Anderson said in a released statement. “Based on the positive experience that our student-athletes and many of our fans enjoyed last season playing on Labor Day, we agreed to the request.” Other highlights include a Sept. 17 home game against rival West Virginia as well as a meeting with Notre Dame at

Tournament hopes grow fainter in Terps’ 76-72 loss to BC

Luke Jones

He might not be Mr. October, but Boston College’s Reggie Jackson dealt a postseason blow to Maryland that would have made the Hall of Fame slugger proud on Saturday afternoon. Jackson’s career-high 31 points on 12-for-16 shooting led the Eagles to a 76-72 victory over the Terps in Chestnut Hill, putting Maryland’s NCAA tournament hopes on life support with six games remaining in the regular season. Five Maryland players reached double figures, but the Terps could not overcome Jackson’s heroics as the junior guard went 5-for-7 from beyond the arc to give the Eagles the season sweep. Boston College improved to 6-5 in the ACC while the Terps dropped to 5-5 in the conference. Dino Gregory led the Terps with 15 points while freshmen guards Pe’Shon Howard and Terrell Stoglin each had 14 points and combined for 10 assists. Jordan Williams, frustrated for much of the afternoon by double-teams in the paint, finished with just 12 points and eight rebounds. Other than a brief time early in the first half, the Eagles had no problem with Maryland’s full-court press and shot 48.2 percent from the field, often getting easy looks in the process. The game featured two of the biggest

Maryland-Boston College: Turtle Power live chat at 1:00

Luke Jones

***Watch with us in the Turtle Power live chat beginning at 1:00 p.m.*** Seeking their first top-50 RPI win of the season and revenge after a home loss in December, the Terps travel to Chestnut Hill to take on Boston College at 1:00. Maryland (16-8, 5-4 ACC) sorely needs a victory against the Eagles (15-9, 5-5 ACC), who have dropped four of their last five games in conference play. The Terps are winners of five of their last six, but only one (a 79-77 win over Clemson) has come against a team in the top 100 of the RPI — not exactly a major boost to the team’s NCAA tournament hopes. Boston College bested the Terps in College Park on December 12, scoring the game’s final seven points over the closing 2:40 of the second half to give the Eagles a 79-75 victory. The home loss snapped Maryland’s 15-game winning streak at the Comcast Center. The road team has won the last six regular season games in the all-time series. This afternoon’s game can be seen on the ACC Network (WNUV-TV 54 in Baltimore) at 1:00 p.m. with Tom Werme and Cory Alexander calling the action from Conte Forum. As

Terps squash Longwood, now face make-or-break road stretch

Luke Jones

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — You’d be hard pressed to find a more lopsided affair than independent Longwood traveling to Comcast Center to meet the Terps on Wednesday night. With just one starter taller than 6-foot-2, the Lancers were overmatched, overwhelmed, and overawed by Maryland in a merciless 106-52 beating. The Terps (16-8, 5-4 ACC) exploded to an early 11-0 lead and never relented as junior Sean Mosley led all scorers with 20 points while sophomore star Jordan Williams dealt with surprising foul trouble against the undersized Lancers (8-19), finishing with just nine points and 11 rebounds. Maryland held an overwhelming 55-28 edge on the glass, its biggest margin of the season. Six players reached double-digit scoring for the Terps as they concluded the non-conference portion of their schedule, finishing a perfect 10-0 at home against out-of-conference foes. Perhaps more impressive than the scoring output was the Terps’ season-high 28 assists, giving them 55 in their last two games. “You still have to make shots,” said Gary Williams, who earned his 665th career victory to pass legendary UCLA coach John Wooden on the all-time wins list. “It’s one thing to make the pass, but we finished off some really good passes

Back in Peter’s arms: When corporate media does business with Orioles the fans lose the truth

Nestor Aparicio

On Tuesday night we learned what we’ve known for months – Peter G. Angelos and WBAL Radio are going back into business together once again for the 2011 Orioles season and beyond. The old man finally gets his eternal wish – to be the king of the AM band on summer nights on a dying radio station that no one listens to anymore but cadavers and people in his age demographic who still think a “smart phone” is one with an answering machine. Funny, this is the same WBAL-AM 1090 that was also wrongfully denied media credentials the past few seasons and was considered persona non grata the nanosecond that John Angelos cut the CBS Radio deal four years ago with 105.7 FM and only after Bob Phillips squandered the longtime rights to the Ravens and allowed Ed Kiernan and the boys on TV Hill to swoop in for the purple roadkill for 98 Rock after the brand was built on the FM dial. It’s like jumping in and out of sleeping bags for both franchises and these two corporate monoliths as a formerly lucrative revenue stream – local radio rights – continues to dry up as sports fans go

Terps rebound against Wake Forest, 91-70

Luke Jones

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Bouncing back quickly from an 18-point loss to your biggest rival is always a challenge, even when the next game is against the worst team in the conference. Despite Gary Williams’ concern that his team would come out flat Saturday afternoon, the Terps did exactly what was expected of them as they blew out hapless Wake Forest, 91-70, at Comcast Center. Maryland controlled the tempo throughout the afternoon, holding a double-digit lead for a large portion of the game. After the Demon Deacons narrowed the edge to 60-50 with 10:07 to play, the Terps used a 13-0 run to hammer the final nail in the coffin and improve to 5-4 in the ACC. Jordan Williams matched a career-high 27 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for his NCAA-leading 20th double-double of the season. Adrian Bowie added 13 points and six assists and Cliff Tucker chipped in 10 points off the bench. Defensively, the Terps forced 19 turnovers, scoring 21 points off the Wake Forest miscues. “You get knocked down [after a loss], you get up,” the Maryland coach said. “It’s no more complicated than that.” The Terps (15-8) didn’t need much to knock down the Demon Deacons

Is Vlad simply Sammy Sosa version 2.0 for Orioles?

Luke Jones

It may have come seven years too late, but the Orioles finally persuaded Vlad the Impaler to bring his free-swinging talents to Baltimore. And before you shout charges of negativity and raining on a feel-good parade — fans in this town deserve a celebration as much as any city in baseball after 13 years of hell — I’ll admit to sharing enthusiastic visions of Vladimir Guerrero raking baseballs into the left field seats at Camden Yards. Guerrero brings an imposing presence to the heart of the lineup and should — along with veteran first baseman Derrek Lee — offer the legitimate protection that Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters, and Adam Jones painfully lacked a season ago. He should make the team better in 2011, though how much is up for debate. My hesitation isn’t even about the $8 million price tag that so many statheads will whine about with accusations of the Orioles bidding against themselves and blocking Nolan Reimold and Felix Pie for the possible luxury of another two wins (in terms of WAR or “wins above replacement” for the sabermetrically-challenged). The reality is sabermetrics and responsible spending habits don’t exist in a vacuum when you’re playing the free-agent market

Lights go out on Terps in 80-62 loss to Duke

Luke Jones

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — As media waited for Gary Williams’ post-game press conference, the lights went out in the auxiliary gymnasium where the Maryland coach speaks to reporters after games. It was an appropriate ending to a disappointing night for the Terps in an 80-62 loss to No. 5 Duke, a game in which Maryland tried to climb back in it at several points behind an electric atmosphere at Comcast Center. Poor shooting, the surrendering of second-chance baskets, and lackadaisical perimeter defense spelled out what anyone who watched Wednesday night’s game could plainly see. “It’s a team thing,” said Williams, questioning his team’s energy level much like he did after a home loss to Virginia Tech two weeks ago. “You have to be ready to play. You have to believe that you can win that game. That’s what we have to work on.” To beat Duke, Maryland (14-8, 4-4 ACC) needed to play a near-perfect game to compensate for their deficiencies on the perimeter, using its size and playing tough defense (ranked ninth in the nation in opponent field-goal percentage entering Wednesday night’s game) to knock off the more-talented Blue Devils. The Terps did neither as Duke (20-2, 7-1 ACC)

Maryland-Duke pre-game notes

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat as Maryland battles Duke at Comcast Center beginning at 9:00*** COLLEGE PARK, Md. — All season the Terps have been slapped with the “not quite good enough” label after a number of opportunities to knock off quality opponents only to fall short every time. Maryland (14-7, 4-3 ACC) will have another chance — perhaps its best one — tonight as No. 5 Duke (19-2, 6-1 ACC) comes to College Park for a rematch less than a month after the Blue Devils bested the Terps in a narrow 71-64 contest at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 9. The Terps are riding a three-game winning streak while Duke has had three days to stew over its embarrassing 93-78 loss at St. John’s on Sunday afternoon. Despite being the consensus favorite in the ACC all season long, the Blue Devils find themselves tied for first place in the conference after North Carolina’s blowout over Boston College Tuesday night. Maryland must rely on its defense to contain the sharpshooting Blue Devils and should be up to the task on paper. The Terps rank ninth in the nation in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to just

Orioles agree to 1-year deal with Duchscherer

Luke Jones

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail reiterated his desire at FanFest Saturday to add a veteran starter to the rotation mix with spring training just two weeks away. Just over 24 hours later, the Orioles appear to have found their man, agreeing to a one-year major league contract with veteran right-hander Justin Duchscherer — with all of 32 career starts — late Sunday night, according to multiple media outlets. The 33-year-old has a 33-25 career record in eight seasons with the Athletics and Rangers, spending most of his career as a reliever while making two All-Star teams (2005 and 2008). However, Duchscherer has battled health problems the last two seasons, pitching just 28 innings last season before undergoing hip surgery and missing the 2009 campaign with shoulder and back issues as well as a bout with clinical depression. His best season came in 2008 when he went 10-8 with a 2.54 ERA in 22 starts for Oakland. Duchscherer threw in a workout for the Orioles on Friday and had reportedly narrowed his options to the Nationals and Baltimore before agreeing on the one-year deal. Given his health issues in recent seasons, any deal with the veteran was expected to be

Terps not pretty, but pick up 74-63 win at Georgia Tech

Luke Jones

Gary Williams admitted moments after a 74-63 win at Georgia Tech Sunday night he does not have a very pretty team this year. But the Maryland head coach would rather win ugly than lose with style any day of the week. It fits his personality, and this year’s team epitomizes the underdog, scrappy persona Williams has carried throughout his brilliant 22-year career in College Park. The Terps failed to make a 3-point field goal (0-for-6) and went scoreless for nearly five minutes late in the second half as they wilted against the Georgia Tech press, but Maryland’s defensive efforts managed to take care of the Yellow Jackets at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, a place where Georgia Tech was undefeated in conference play and had defeated its three opponents (North Carolina, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech) by a combined 70 points. The Terps picked up their third conference road win of the season, a mark no other ACC team has reached at the end of January. The only outcome you can expect from Maryland (14-7, 4-3 ACC) on a given night is Jordan Williams to lead the way in points and rebounds, doing so again with 21 points and 15 rebounds after

Maryland-Georgia Tech pre-game notes

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat beginning at 7:45*** The Terps conclude their January schedule in Atlanta with a key road test against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Both teams stand at 3-3 in the ACC and can pull into a three-way tie for fourth with a victory at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Maryland (13-7, 3-3 ACC) will fight the temptation to look ahead to its return meeting with Duke — who was blown out by St. John’s at Madison Square Garden earlier Sunday — and attempt to become the first ACC team to beat the Yellow Jackets (10-9, 3-3 ACC) in their home building this season. Georgia Tech, however, will be missing a key member of its rotation with Brian Oliver out with the flu. He scored 28 points off the bench in the Jackets’ impressive 15-point victory over Virginia Tech earlier in the week. Tonight’s game will be televised on Fox SportsNet (Comcast SportsNet locally) with Tim Brando and Mike Gminski calling the action from Atlanta. Watch the action with us in the Turtle Power live chat and remember to follow us on Twitter (@WNST) for the quickest updates and analysis.

Orioles FanFest brings optimism, but questions remain for 2011

Luke Jones

Thousands of Orioles fans flocked to the Baltimore Convention Center on Saturday to mentally thaw out from the recent snow and shift their attention to spring and another baseball season. As is the case every year at this time, the optimistic superlatives were flying from every direction. Buck Showalter received a standing ovation when introduced to the crowd, proving he’s still the toast of the town — at least in the baseball sense — after leading the Orioles to an uplifting 34-23 record in the final two months of 2010, avoiding the 100-loss mark for a team that appeared destined at the end of July to finish as the worst team in franchise history. Second baseman Brian Roberts declared himself as healthy as he’s been in two years after missing over 100 games with an injured back and dealing with concussion symptoms that lasted until Christmas. And numerous players and coaches spoke about the marked improvements in the lineup — and defensively — with the additions of veteran first baseman Derrek Lee, third baseman Mark Reynolds, and shortstop J.J. Hardy. Some even reminded everyone the Orioles had the best record in the American League East over the season’s final two

Bowie leads Terps to blowout at Virginia, 66-42

Luke Jones

Given the Terps’ past struggles in Charlottesville and the snow-challenged, six-hour trek they experienced just getting there Wednesday night, you can understand fans’ trepidation entering Thursday’s contest at John Paul Jones Arena. On top of that, if you were told Jordan Williams would be held to just four points and six rebounds — snapping his school record of 13 consecutive double-doubles — you might have said a 24-point victory would have been more likely for the home Cavaliers than visiting Maryland. However, seniors Adrian Bowie and Cliff Tucker combined for 35 points and the Terps used a dominating second half on their way to a 66-42 blowout win over Virginia as Maryland (13-7, 3-3) evened its mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The win marks the Terps’ largest margin of victory ever in Charlottesville Despite a commendable effort by seven-footer Assane Sene and the Cavaliers defense to stifle Williams, the Terps looked to their seniors to pick up the offensive slack, and that’s exactly what they did. Bowie’s season-best 22 points were one shy of his career high, and Tucker’s 13 marked the eighth time in nine games the sixth man has reached double-digit scoring.  Their efforts were more than

Maryland-Virginia: Turtle Power live chat at 7:00

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat at 7:00 as Maryland takes on the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena.*** The Terps travel to Charlottesville to take on the Virginia Cavaliers in the first of two meetings this season as both teams try to rise from the middle of the pack in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Maryland (12-7, 2-3 ACC) begins a two-game road trip after a badly-needed win over Clemson last Saturday afternoon. The Cavaliers (11-8, 2-3 ACC) are coming off a victory over Georgia Tech last Saturday, snapping a three-game losing streak in Tony Bennett’s second season as head coach. Sophomore Jordan Williams will look to build upon his record 13th straight double-double, an achievement he reached against the Tigers last weekend. Williams also eclipsed the 500-rebound mark on Saturday, becoming just the third Maryland player and 20th ACC player overall to reach the plateau as a sophomore. Joe Smith and Buck Williams were the first two Terps to grab 500 career rebounds in their first two seasons in College Park. The Cavaliers are led by senior guard Mustapha Farrakhan, who averages 13.0 points per game to lead their four-guard starting lineup. Seven-footer Assane Sene starts

Maryland-Clemson: Turtle Power live chat at 2:30

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat at 2:30 as Maryland takes on the Clemson Tigers at Comcast Center.*** COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Good afternoon from College Park as the Maryland Terrapins (11-7, 1-3 ACC) hope to erase the nightmare that occurred less than 48 hours ago in a humbling 74-57 loss to Virginia Tech, the Terps’ worst loss in the history of the Comcast Center. Desperately needing a victory to boost their confidence — not to mention their NCAA tournament hopes — Maryland will face a tough test against Clemson (13-5, 2-2 ACC), winners of eight of their last nine and coming off a 75-65 loss at North Carolina (where the Tigers have never won). The Tigers are led by talented senior guard Demontez Stitt, who averages 13.3 points per game, and forward Jerai Grant, who scores 12.3 points and grabs 6.9 rebounds per contest. Despite the troubling loss to Virginia Tech on Thursday night, Jordan Williams posted his 12th straight double-double, matching Len Elmore’s school record set in 1973-74. Maryland is currently tied for eighth in the Atlantic Coast Conference and can ill afford their third straight loss to begin 1-4 in the conference. This afternoon’s game

Maryland embarrassed by Virginia Tech, 74-57

Luke Jones

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — After a devastating second-half collapse against Villanova last Saturday, the Terps desperately needed to make a statement to build their confidence, their ACC stature, and their push for the NCAA tournament. If an embarrassing 74-57 defeat to Virginia Tech is their best proclamation, the Terps need to take a long look at themselves after their largest margin of defeat in the nine-year history of the Comcast Center. The Hokies (12-5, 3-2 ACC) sprinted out to a 12-0 lead as the Terps (11-7, 1-3 ACC) failed to score before the first media timeout, throwing up wild shots and making poor decisions as they didn’t know what hit them. It didn’t get any better after that. Virginia Tech guards Erick Green (24) and Malcolm Delaney (19) combined for 43 points to overwhelm the Terps’ backcourt. The Hokies shredded the Terps with 42 of their 74 points coming in the paint. The Hokies’ zone defense collapsed the lane — holding Jordan Williams to just two points in the first half and 11 for the game — as Maryland’s guards failed to knock down perimeter shots. Maryland’s starters combined for just eight points in the first half. And aside from

Maryland-Virginia Tech pre-game notes

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat at 9:00 for tonight’s contest between Maryland and Virginia Tech.*** COLLEGE PARK, Md. — As Baltimore continues to lick its wounds from the Ravens’ disappointing exit from the postseason last weekend, the Terps take center stage after suffering their own Saturday collapse against Villanova in Philadelphia, surrendering a 12-point, second-half lead on their way to a 74-66 loss. Needing a win to boost their spirits after a disappointing 1-2 road trip, the Terps (11-6, 1-2 ACC) return to College Park to host the Virginia Tech Hokies (11-5, 2-2) tonight at 9:00 in a nationally-televised game on ESPN2. Maryland’s six losses have come by a combined 35 points, but after coming up empty in the non-conference schedule in terms of impressive wins — and no, a meeting with Longwood on February 9 won’t help — the Terps need to begin stacking wins in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Hokies enter tonight’s game at 2-2 in the ACC with a 29-point win over lowly Wake Forest last Saturday. Virginia Tech is led by senior guard (and Baltimore native) Malcolm Delaney, who averages just under 19 points a game and had some not-so-flattering remarks about

With latest win, Pittsburgh isn’t just our Daddy — but now our Granddaddy, too

Nestor Aparicio

These postseason losses are getting harder and harder for Baltimore to shake off. Like you, I awakened on Sunday to the sounds of silence. Like you, I spent the better part of Saturday night and all day Sunday and parts of the last two days trying to figure out and process just what the hell happened after 6 p.m. at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Drew, Glenn and I have a little tradition going now where we shoot the postgame “gut reactions” as we cross the Fort Pittsburgh Bridge back into the city and as we chatted that same sick, sinking feeling grabbed me as I saw the city and the bridges behind me as we pulled out of the city – we lost to Pittsburgh again and we have to wait another year (at least) and wait for the stars to align yet again to have a chance to vanquish our oppressors. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTWmmvvef4Y[/youtube] No matter the opponent, all of these postseason wins and losses take on memorable twists and turns but this recent vomiting of a 14-point, halftime lead to the dreaded Pittsburgh Steelers after blowing the home field advantage six weeks earlier on a blown assignment on Troy Polamalu

Maryland-Duke pre-game notes

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Turtle Power live chat as Maryland battles Duke at Comcast Center beginning at 9:00*** COLLEGE PARK,

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