A wave of confusion washed over Xfinity Center on Tuesday night. The game was getting late — too late for Northwestern to still be hanging around with the seventh-ranked Terrapins men’s basketball team.
At a stoppage in play with less than eight minutes to go, the Terps faithful fell silent, hunkering down in their seats. The Terps were trailing, 45-43, to a team they defeated by 13 points on the road less than three weeks ago.
Where were the Terps from three days ago? The Terps that made Ohio State look like a Division II opponent in a 100-65 walloping?
The team never put together a decisive run in regulation. After guard Melo Trimble’s game-winning attempt from deep barely grazed the rim, Turgeon slogged onto the floor, his hands on his hips and his head shaking.
“I was nervous about this game,” Turgeon said afterward.
The Terps scored first in overtime, but Northwestern hung tight, and at one juncture, took a one-point lead. But the Terps wouldn’t let up, refusing to be upstaged on their home court.
Center Diamond Stone, who the Terps have relied on in close Big Ten matches, scored five straight points to snap a tie, and forward Robert Carter Jr. sunk two free throws in the final seconds to seal the 62-56 win.
It was the polar opposite of Saturday’s blowout, but a win’s a win. Here are my postgame grades:
Guard Melo Trimble: A-
Trimble was the only Terp in double-figures at the end of regulation. He only attempted one free throw, but the sophomore sensation found points around the rim with reverse layups and floaters. He also dished out a game-high six assists, including a key dime to Stone to break a 55-55 tie in overtime. Trimble finished with a game-high 18 points.
Guard Rasheed Sulaimon: C+
It was a very odd game for Sulaimon, who is starting to become inconsistent on the offensive end. After torching the Buckeyes for 22 points, the Duke transfer scored two points against the Wildcats. He is to be commended for holding Northwestern guard Tre Demps to 3-for-14 shooting, but Turgeon also needs Sulaimon’s offense.
Forward Jake Layman: B+
Layman didn’t provide much scoring (eight points on 2-for-7 shooting), but the lanky senior did everything else well. He hauled in seven rebounds, blocked three shots and forced three steals. With 33 seconds remaining in the second half, Layman blocked Wildcats forward Aaron Falzon’s three-point attempt to help set up the Terps’ final possession.
Forward Robert Carter Jr: B
On a night the Terps struggled on the glass, Carter brought down a game-high 14 rebounds. His overtime free throws sealed the win, too. I’d like to see Carter take more than five shots, though, plus he committed five of the team’s 16 turnovers.
Center Diamond Stone: B
The freshman was far from dominant on either end of the floor (he had zero rebounds), but Stone took matters into his own hands when the team needed scoring in overtime. He got into foul trouble, which limited him to 15 minutes, but he finished with 11 points.
Guard Jared Nickens: C-
Nicken’s first 3-pointer bounced in, but he never found a rhythm. Assistant coach Bino Ranson frantically motioned to Turgeon to put Nickens into the game when the score was tied with about a minute remaining in regulation. The Terps whipped the ball around the perimeter to the sophomore, but he couldn’t bury the 3-pointer.
