It's finally arrived March Madness has begun in Birmingham, Alabama with the Moutaineers and Terps. With a first-year coach in Willard Maryland finds themselves back in the dance. On the other side would be Bob Huggins who has the most active wins in D1 basketball with the absence of Jim Boeheim from Syracuse.
1st half play
In the early goings West Virginia would claim the early lead out of the gate. Forcing five Maryland turnovers the Moutaineers had 10 shots to the Terps just three at the first media break. West Virginia used a (5-10) start from the field to boost their lead to (11-4) at the first media timeout of the game. The game would slow down as over the next stretch of the game the teams would shoot a combined (0-7) leaving the score at West Virginia 13 Maryland 4 at the under 12 media timeout. Maryland had as many shots as turnovers at this moment with six each. More than points scored at just four through almost nine minutes of gametime. It would continue as Maryland couldn't score for over seven and a half minutes in the first half. The Moutaineers 14-0 run gave them a (16-4) advantage early. Maryland would finally break through and go on a 7-0 run of their own to bring the game to (19-13) with just over eight minutes left in the half. Maryland just needed to get going and found themselves at the next break down just (21-18) with a chance to make it a two-point game with a free throw. From snooze to ballgame within minutes. Maryland heating up from the field was (6-12) and right back in the game. Maryland continued all the way to their first lead of the half with just under six minutes left at (22-21) after a three. Maryland's defense seemed to settle in as they were moving between a zone into a matchup man. The closing minutes would be a little bit of back-and-forth action with both teams trading baskets and leads at times. After being down by 12 points almost 10 minutes into the game the halftime score would be Maryland 32 West Virginia 30. Jahmir Young and Hakim Hart each had seven points for the Terps. Both teams made 11 field goals but it would be in very different fashion. West Virginia shot (11-28) from the field while Maryland was (11-19). The Terps closed the first half on a 26-11 run to go into the break.
2nd half and stellar finish
While these teams may have taken a while to get going in the first half it would be the opposite to begin the second. The teams came out firing on all cylinders and from the halftime score of (32-30) after just one media timeout the score was (44-38) in favor of West Virginia. The Mountaineers started (4-7) from the field and used a 13-0 run after being down 38-31 just moments into the second half action. The Moutaineers would continue to ride that wave and seem to control the following minutes. Holding a (51-43) lead at the under 12 break, the flow of the game felt in West Virginia's favor to this point in the half. Kedrian Johnson is a name everyone will take from this game as he was willing the Mountaineers with 23 points at that moment with more in store. Basketball is and always will be a game of runs and this game was just another example. Maryland's turn once again this time a stretch where they went on a 11-3 spurt to bring the game tied. (54-54) with a Maryland free throw coming after the break. Neither team seemed to fully claim control. Out of the break the game once again shifted and following a West Virginia three Maryland called timeout down (59-56). Who would have guessed that Maryland would return the favor and force a West Virigina timeout after going up (61-59). This would lead us to the final stretch where Maryland was up (66-61) heading into the final two minutes of play. Maryland would have the ball up (66-63) with 38.5 seconds remaining with the ball after a major offensive rebound. Final Score Maryland 67 West Virginia 65.
Closing
This is exactly how you want a March Madness to start. A great back and forth game that didn't have a winner until the final seconds. Congrats to the Terps as they move on to the round of 32 in the South region.