Courtesy of Morgan State Athletic Communications
The medical crisis impacting the nation and the world has caused sports across the globe to come to a standstill for the time being. For example, the Olympics scheduled for the summer of 2020 in Japan has been postponed until 2021.
While we wait on the sports world to get back on track, this is a good time to revisit the illustrious past of Morgan Athletics. Over the next few weeks we will tap into the archives for historic game recaps and stories.
Here's what happened on January 8, 2010:
Terps Fail to Survive Bear Attack, 66-65
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Morgan State's basketball program had never beaten an ACC opponent, until tonight.
Reggie Holmes scored a game-high 25 points to lead Morgan State to a 66-65 upset victory over Maryland on Wednesday night at Comcast Center before 15,138 fans.
The Terps were held to 26-of-73 (35.6%) shooting as they had their seven-game winning streak snapped, and fell to Morgan State for the first time in school history.
The Bears entered the contest with a 0-5 record against Maryland in a series dating back to 1988.
Maryland (11-3) opened the ballgame with a 9-2 as a result of transition baskets off of missed shots by the Bears. But Morgan State maintained its composure by playing tough man-to-man defense, scoring out of their halfcourt sets, and pounding the glass. Dave Neal's jumper from the baseline as time expired gave Maryland a 36-33 advantage at halftime.
Neal was the most consistent scorer for the Terps and finished with 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting.
Morgan State (6-8, 1-0 MEAC) miscues early on in the second half helped ignite an 18-2 run by the Terps. Troy Smith's errant inbounds pass was scooped up and hammered down by Adrian Bowie to give Maryland a 54-40 lead with 12:26 remaining.
But the Bears would not go away.
Holmes, who had seven points in the first half, exploded for 18 second half points to help the Bears rally from behind.
Jermaine Bolden nailed a 3-pointer to complete a 21-5 run that put the Bears up 61-59 with 2:15 left. After Greivis Vasquez made two free throws for Maryland, Holmes scored on a tip-in to put the Bears back in front.
Following two free throws by Neal to tie the ballgame at 63, Holmes hit his 5th three-pointer of the night to with :49 seconds left on the clock.
The Terps had a chance to tie the ballgame down the stretch when Landon Milbourne made a basket in the lane and was fouled by Bolden with 29.8 seconds left, trailing 66-65. He missed the free throw.
Vasquez' desperation heave in the final seconds fell short to seal the victory, handing the Terps their first home loss of the season.
"I've been watching Maryland all my life," Holmes said. "It means a lot to finally beat them. I can tell my son someday that I beat Maryland. It feels good."
Rogers Barnes finished with 11 points and five steals, while Marquise Kately and Kevin Thompson finished with 10 points each. Thompson, a 6'8" true freshman, also collected his fifth double-rebounding performance as he finished with a game-high 13 boards. As the Terps settled for jump shot after jump shot, Thompson either grabbed an offensive rebound or made a routine put-back off of a missed shot.
"We didn't run our offense properly once we got the lead in the second half," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "We settled for jump shots, and you know, when you shoot 1 for 14 from the three-point line, that's a pretty good indication maybe you should be doing something else with the basketball."
Vasquez led the Terps by converting 5 of 21 from the field, scoring eight of his 19 points from the charity strip.
??Vasquez got one more chance with a last second heave from beyond half court that went over the backboard.
Maryland's most consistent defensive, post player Landon Milbourne (15 points), summed up the game's storyline perfectly.
"They came up here fired up, we didn't," said Milbourne. "They hit some open threes. They got to the basket, they got some rebounds, and the game went their way. That's what happens if you come out and play hard. You usually get the win. I think they played harder than us tonight."
BEAR NOTES
? The Bears made 8 of 19 shots from three-point range for the game.
? The Terrapins (11-3) dropped their first game since late November and saw their nine-game home winning streak squashed.
? For the game, the Bears' held Maryland to converting only 1 of 14 shots from three-point range and had 21 turnovers.