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| Maryland will face Hawaii in NCAA tournament with a bolstered bench | Maryland will face Hawaii in NCAA tournament with a bolstered bench |
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| SPOKANE, Wash. — Jared Nickens and Jaylen Brantley sat side by side in Maryland’s locker room after Friday’s 79-74 win over South Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA tournament, remaining in their sweaty uniforms as long as they could. They didn’t want the moment to fade. Both marinated in the fact that they had played crucial roles in helping save their team’s season for at least another day. Nickens had provided timely shooting and Brantley had spelled Melo Trimble in the frantic final minutes after the sophomore star had fouled out. | SPOKANE, Wash. — Jared Nickens and Jaylen Brantley sat side by side in Maryland’s locker room after Friday’s 79-74 win over South Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA tournament, remaining in their sweaty uniforms as long as they could. They didn’t want the moment to fade. Both marinated in the fact that they had played crucial roles in helping save their team’s season for at least another day. Nickens had provided timely shooting and Brantley had spelled Melo Trimble in the frantic final minutes after the sophomore star had fouled out. |
| [Terrapins take big lead, then escape vs. Jackrabbits] | [Terrapins take big lead, then escape vs. Jackrabbits] |
| The contributions off the bench illustrated the kind of depth Terrapins Coach Mark Turgeon had hoped to develop for March but was still a lingering question just six weeks ago. Nickens and Brantley were both struggling, and Turgeon was forced to play Trimble and fellow starting guard Rasheed Sulaimon more minutes than he would have preferred. Friday’s nerve-wracking win, which included a nearly blown 18-point lead in the second half, revealed fifth-seeded Maryland for what is: a continual work in progress, a team that is hoping to further adapt when it meets Hawaii in the second round of the South Region on Sunday evening. | |
| [Latest updates from the NCAA tournament] | [Latest updates from the NCAA tournament] |
| “We’re much more complete,” Turgeon said Saturday of contributions from the bench. “Jared was terrific. He made shots. Jaylen came in and really helped us. . . . When you get into foul trouble the way we did [Friday], it’s nice to have quality depth like that, that can keep you at the same level.” | |
| The most difficult challenge would be to come off this high and refocus on the 13th-seeded Rainbow Warriors, as Nickens would later explain. But he was going to enjoy this as long as he could. About six weeks ago, he was mired in the worst slump of his basketball career. | The most difficult challenge would be to come off this high and refocus on the 13th-seeded Rainbow Warriors, as Nickens would later explain. But he was going to enjoy this as long as he could. About six weeks ago, he was mired in the worst slump of his basketball career. |
| On Friday, he hit four three-pointers and scored 14 points to help Maryland weather dangerous foul trouble in the second half. Nickens, who hit just 9 for 48 three-point shots in the first 14 games of Big Ten play, has hit 16 of 34 over his last seven games. | On Friday, he hit four three-pointers and scored 14 points to help Maryland weather dangerous foul trouble in the second half. Nickens, who hit just 9 for 48 three-point shots in the first 14 games of Big Ten play, has hit 16 of 34 over his last seven games. |
| “I’m just trying to keep going and playing well for my team. We were in foul trouble, so I had to step up,” Nickens said. “It got tight at the end. It really opened our eyes up that its March and anything can happen.” | “I’m just trying to keep going and playing well for my team. We were in foul trouble, so I had to step up,” Nickens said. “It got tight at the end. It really opened our eyes up that its March and anything can happen.” |
| [Terps women overcome scrappy Iona to advance in NCAA tournament] | [Terps women overcome scrappy Iona to advance in NCAA tournament] |
| Nickens embraced Brantley after the game, perhaps because he knew just how much the sophomore guard had also persevered this year. The junior college transfer made two critical plays in the final minute — he hit 1 of 2 free throws to give Maryland a three-point lead with 12 seconds left, than helped create a steal in the back court on the Jackrabbits’ final possession to preserve the win. Just like last year with Varun Ram against Valparaiso, a reserve guard played a key role for Maryland on the final play of a close first-round NCAA tournament game. | |
| Ram played in front of Brantley for much of this season as Turgeon tried to develop guard depth behind Trimble and Sulaimon. Brantley quietly built his confidence behind the scenes, gradually earning Turgeon’s trust down the stretch. He has logged double-digit minutes in eight of his last 10 games, looking more confident on offense and being lauded by Turgeon for growth on the defensive end. | |
| “I know he trusts me,” Brantley said of Turgeon. “The players trust me as well. As the season goes on, I’m just going to keep playing hard and keep gaining trust.” | |
| While Nickens, who played 26 minutes on Friday, provides a steady backup to senior Jake Layman, and Brantley (10 minutes) helps provide rest for Trimble, both will be expected to help Maryland shore up its collective defensive effort against Hawaii, which earned the first NCAA tournament win in program history when it beat California in the first round on Friday. While Hawaii is more renowned for defensive play — it has an efficiency rating of 95.8 according to KenPom.com, which ranks 30th nationally — its small lineup should provide a challenge for Maryland’s defense. | |
| The foul trouble of Trimble, Diamond Stone and Robert Carter Jr., all of whom had three fouls midway through the second half Friday, forced Turgeon to tinker with his lineup for much of the final 10 minutes as his team struggled with defensive continuity. A week after holding Michigan State to 64 points in a Big Ten semifinal loss — a performance that Turgeon said signified the return of his team’s defensive identity — Maryland gave up 52 second-half points on Friday. There were a number of late breakdowns as the Jackrabbits shot 60 percent in the final 20 minutes and used two fouls on three-point shots in the final 64 seconds to pull within one score with 12 seconds remaining. | The foul trouble of Trimble, Diamond Stone and Robert Carter Jr., all of whom had three fouls midway through the second half Friday, forced Turgeon to tinker with his lineup for much of the final 10 minutes as his team struggled with defensive continuity. A week after holding Michigan State to 64 points in a Big Ten semifinal loss — a performance that Turgeon said signified the return of his team’s defensive identity — Maryland gave up 52 second-half points on Friday. There were a number of late breakdowns as the Jackrabbits shot 60 percent in the final 20 minutes and used two fouls on three-point shots in the final 64 seconds to pull within one score with 12 seconds remaining. |
| Brantley faced the most pressurized situation of his career at that point, knocking down 1 of 2 free throws to give his team a three-point lead. He then pressured the ball as South Dakota State hurried it up and tried to get a shot, which allowed Sulaimon a chance to poke the ball out and finish off the game with a dunk. After a season of uncertainty, it was a rewarding moment. | |
| “Me playing in a game like that, it was everything that I dreamed of,” Brantley said. “Me and Jared, we just try to come in off the bench and give a spark. We know Coach needs it. Like, when Melo and ’Sheed come out, we need to bring the same energy that they had when they were in the game.” | “Me playing in a game like that, it was everything that I dreamed of,” Brantley said. “Me and Jared, we just try to come in off the bench and give a spark. We know Coach needs it. Like, when Melo and ’Sheed come out, we need to bring the same energy that they had when they were in the game.” |