ORLANDO, Fla. — Melo Trimble took the last few dribbles of the Maryland men’s basketball team’s loss on Thursday. As the final seconds ticked away, those bounces became slams as the star junior guard lamented the NCAA tournament first-round defeat to No. 11-seed Xavier.
Was that the last possession of Trimble’s Maryland career?
I’m not here to tell the Upper Marlboro native whether to stay in College Park for a senior sendoff or to urge him to succumb to the lure of a potential NBA Draft selection.
I’ve never played basketball even close to Trimble’s elite level. I’ve never talked to a professional scout about his prospects. I’ve never made a university millions of dollars off what basically amounts to free labor via 104 career games — all starts — in one of the program’s most exciting careers.
What I do know, though, is if the ugly upset in Amway Center is Trimble’s final contest with the state flag pattern on his jersey, it’s a sad goodbye.
Trimble went 1-for-9 from three and hit only a third of his 15 shots. He had as many assists as turnovers, while receiving one minute of rest.
He doesn’t have to make a decision for a while — he can keep or remove his name from draft consideration any time before May 24 — and perhaps that’s best.
By then, the sting of the tournament flub should subside, and Trimble can make his best choice about whether to dribble for his hometown program again.
Guard Kevin Huerter: A-
The guard maintained after the game he wasn’t nervous to make his NCAA tournament debut. Believe him. Huerter finished with 19 points, including three treys. After two, he clapped while retreating to defense, a sign of his comfortability in the biggest game of his career. He was most upset the season ended for the Terps’ seniors, but that offensive control, along with four rebounds, five assists and a steal, made for an excellent conclusion in a poised rookie campaign.
Guard Melo Trimble: C+
It figured Trimble might end this season biting a towel in the postgame handshake line before trudging off the court. After all, this year’s Terps weren’t built to win a national championship. The team just didn’t expect the sullen departure to come so soon. Trimble tried to take control with late drives but missed two of his four free throws. Plus, his inconsistency — he made consecutive looks only once in his 15 tries — hindered Maryland’s edge.
Guard Anthony Cowan: B-
Cowan finished the contest with the team’s best plus-minus rating at nine, one of two Terps to finish in the positive. That stemmed from Cowan’s contributions on defense — he notched five rebounds and made a layup off a steal during a second-half press — and at the point with five feeds. But Maryland could’ve used more offensive production from the rookie. He tallied just four points and converted one of his four shots from the field in 25 minutes.
Forward Justin Jackson: B
The freshman defended Xavier’s star guard, Trevon Bluiett, with success for much of the first half, limiting the star to three points. After the break, though, Bluiett overcame Jackson and the Terps’ defense to score 18 points and go 4-of-5 from three-point range. Jackson was efficient on offense, too, totaling 14 points on 5-for-9 shooting, but that wasn’t enough to win his first NCAA tournament contest.
Forward Damonte Dodd: C
Dodd sat back in his locker room chair after the game and took a deep breath, letting the realization his Maryland career was over sink in. The final performance wasn’t a stellar one. He managed two points, made two of his four free throws and never took a shot from the field. That lack of offensive involvement stemmed from his inability to corral rebounds and first-half foul trouble. He had a decent defensive presence, though, with three boards, two blocks and a steal to cap his four years under Turgeon’s tutelage.
