COLLEGE PARK, Md. _ The Maryland men's basketball team wanted to put the two recent double-digit defeats at home to Minnesota and Iowa in its distant memory Saturday afternoon against Michigan State. That was especially so for junior guard Melo Trimble, who struggled with his shooting in each of the losses.
Both the Terps and their unquestioned leader accomplished that _ barely.
Unable to put the Spartans away after a burst midway through the second half and unable to score in the previous couple of minutes, Maryland and Trimble gave an announced sellout crowd something to remember and the NCAA Tournament selection committee something to ponder going into next week's Big Ten tournament.
Trimble's 3-pointer from the left wing with 1.1 seconds remaining _ after Michigan State freshman center Nick Ward lost the ball underneath with 6.9 seconds left and before freshman forward Miles Bridges missed a contested turnaround 3 at the buzzer _ gave the Terps a 63-60 victory.
The win gave Maryland (24-7, 12-6 Big Ten) some momentum going into Verizon Center next week and, more importantly, a double-bye into Friday's quarterfinals. The Terps will go in as the No. 3 seed. It marks the third straight year that Maryland has earned a double-bye.
Trimble, who left the court hearing chants of "One more year, one more year," led the Terps with 16 points and six rebounds. Freshman forward Justin Jackson, who came off the bench on senior day with L.G. Gill being given a start, came out of a recent slump to add 15 points and six rebounds.
Ward led Michigan State (18-13, 10-8) with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Bridges, the likely Big Ten Freshman of the Year and an expected lottery pick in this year's NBA draft, finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.
Trailing by one, 28-27, at halftime and by two, 31-29, early in the second half, Maryland scored on seven straight possessions and went on a 12-2 run to take a 43-35 lead on back-to-back jumpers, including a 3-pointer, by Trimble.
Leading 45-37 after a layup by Gill, the Terps seemed on the brink of a blowout after getting a defensive stop and an open 3-point try from the left wing by Kevin Huerter.
Huerter's shot skidded off the rim and Bridges buried his from straightaway to start a 9-0 run by the Spartans, who took a 46-45 lead on a turnaround in the lane by Ward.
After going four possessions without scoring _ including Damonte Dodd missing a pair of free throws _ two free throws by Jackson got the lead and eventually the momentum back for Maryland.
An over-the-head layup by freshman guard Anthony Cowan as he was fouled, and subsequent free throw, continued a mini-run that eventually gave the Terps a 58-53 lead on a 3-pointer by Jackson. Cowan finished with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists.
But the lead wouldn't hold, as Ward scored four straight times to help Michigan State keep pace. His last basket with a little over three minutes left tied the game at 60, where it remained until Trimble's game-winner.
It was the second game-winning 3-pointer in Trimble's career. As a sophomore, Trimble hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds to go to beat Wisconsin in Madison. The score of that game was also 63-60.
