ORLANDO, Fla. — In Xavier’s 76-65 win over the Maryland men’s basketball team on Thursday evening, Musketeers guard Trevon Bluiett dribbled while running out the shot clock on his team’s final possession, placing the ball in front of guard Melo Trimble when the buzzer sounded.
With 12 seconds remaining, Trimble dribbled the ball up the court. While the Musketeers played lax defense, guard Kevin Huerter called for the ball under the basket, but Trimble instead dribbled out of the game clock in the NCAA tournament Round of 64. When the contest ended, Trimble pulled his gold jersey over his head as the Xavier players celebrated.
In his postgame press conference, Trimble slouched his head into his arms on the podium.
The junior was reacting to perhaps his final Maryland game. He’s been the Terps’ top player in late-game situations throughout his three-year career, but he couldn’t save his team Thursday. While the Musketeers built a comfortable lead, Trimble scored two points in the final 16 minutes.
“We all like to put pressure on one person,” forward Justin Jackson said. “Melo has made a lot of great plays for us. But it’s just in the flow of the offense, whoever’s hot.”
Trimble has perhaps been the best player of this generation for Maryland. After joining a team that finished 17-15 in the 2013-14 season and lost five players via transfer, Trimble led the Terps to three consecutive NCAA tournaments. He scored the most points on the squad each year and has become a national star with his late-game poise, his most recent flash a game-winning 3-pointer against Michigan State on March 4.
As the lone returning starter from last year’s Sweet 16 team, Trimble has received compliments from opposing coaches for his ability to control the pace, even when he’s not scoring. The Upper Marlboro native has also helped Maryland’s three freshmen starters adjust this season.
But Trimble has won three NCAA tournament games, all against double-digit seeded teams. He left Maryland’s second-round loss to West Virginia in 2015 with a concussion, and after helping the Terps to their first Sweet 16 since 2003 last year, he scored 13 points on 5-for-15 shooting Thursday. Other Maryland legends who played guard, such as Juan Dixon and John Lucas, were known for their deep tournament runs.
“Obviously Melo has carried us to a bunch of victories this year,” Huerter, who scored a team-high 19 points, said. “But it doesn’t always have to be on him. We knew that coming into this game that we needed multiple guys to contribute.”
Trimble’s 3-pointer about three and a half minutes in Thursday was Maryland’s first basket. He capped his seven-point first-half with 16 seconds remaining by stealing a pass and finishing a layup that gave the Terps a 36-35 edge, their first in almost 14 minutes.
He scored four points in the opening four minutes of the second frame. But when Xavier went on a 14-0 run midway through to take a 61-50 lead, Trimble didn’t have an answer. When he overthrew a pass with about 11 minutes remaining, coach Mark Turgeon yelled, pumping his fist. About two minutes later, a pass slipped out of the 6-foot-3, 185-pound guard’s hands and flew out of bounds.
While he took a charge with about four minutes remaining, he didn’t make another field goal. Trimble, who has been known for his ability to draw fouls throughout his career, garnered his first whistle with less than three minutes remaining and shot 2-for-4 from the free throw line.
“Whoever is really going at the time, that’s who we look to,” forward L.G. Gill said. “I wouldn’t say it’s one person in particular. A lot of times down the stretch we do rely on Melo to make a play because obviously that’s what he does. If Kevin’s going, we can allow him to get his shot.”
After the contest, Trimble didn’t resemble the player who’s flashed smiles in the middle of games and fostered his team’s chemistry the past three years. Maryland is 29-8 in contests decided by six or fewer points in Trimble’s career, but in what might have been his final one, he couldn’t muster the heroics.
“It’s been really fun playing with him,” Huerter said. “He’s a guy that’s brought it every game. Hopefully we can see him back to do that again.”
