Duke Falls Short At Maryland, 72-60

Sunday, February 11

College Park, Md.

5 p.m.

Duke University

Maryland

Duke Falls Short At Maryland, 72-60

2/11/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

By: Duke Sports Information

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Josh McRoberts scored 20 points and Greg Paulus had 12 for Duke, but it wasn't enough as the Blue Devils fell by a score of 72-60 Sunday. The Blue Devils' previous three losses were by a combined nine points and Duke did cut Maryland's lead to 56-50 late in the game before falling by 12 points.

James Gist had 16 points and 10 rebounds, freshman Greivis Vasquez scored a season-high 18, and Maryland handed No. 16 Duke its fourth straight loss 72-60 Sunday, the Blue Devils' longest skid in 11 seasons.

Maryland (18-7, 4-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) took control with a 29-4 run in the first half, then used a late surge to hold off a comeback bid by the skidding Blue Devils (18-7, 5-6).

Duke's last four-game losing streak was from Jan. 3-13, 1996.

The Blue Devils cut a 20-point deficit to 58-52 before Ekene Ibekwe and Mike Jones had two baskets apiece in a 10-2 spree that made it 68-54 with 3:33 left.

That was enough to assure the Terrapins an important victory in their bid to get back into the NCAA tournament after a two-year absence.

Down 40-28 at halftime, Duke closed to 50-43 on a three-point play by McRoberts. Vasquez followed with a tough layup, then added a follow-shot for an 11-point cushion.

But the Blue Devils weren't done. A driving layup by Martynas Pocius and a dunk by McRoberts made it 56-50 with 9:51 to go, and Maryland coach Gary Williams quickly called a timeout in an effort to stop the momentum shift.

It didn't work. The Terrapins committed a turnover following the break, and freshman Eric Hayes botched a layup on their next possession. Duke wasn't any better, however, and Vasquez snapped a series of missed shots and turnovers with a layup for an eight-point lead.

Maryland went 16-for-29 from the floor and forced 12 turnovers in the first half.

Paulus opened the game with a 15-foot jumper and three-pointer, but Duke missed seven of its next eight shots and committed seven turnovers while Maryland took control.

After Ibekwe recharged the crowd by scoring five straight points, Vasquez made a three-point play and a 3-pointer to ignite a 14-0 run that made it 19-7. Paulis snapped the Blue Devils' drought with a jumper, but the Terrapins responded with 10 straight points, including a 3-pointer and a three-point play by Gist, to go up by 20 with 8:54 left in the half.

Duke then used a 15-4 surge to close to 33-24 before D.J. Strawberry made two straight baskets to stem the charge.