Maryland-Virginia recap: Seth Allen takes over in overtime, Terps upset Cavs in ACC finale, 75-69

So long, ACC and so long, Virginia.

Seth Allen completely took over in overtime, scoring five straight points to open the period and blocking a shot under the hoop, leading the Terrapins to a huge victory over the Cavaliers in College Park.

Maryland dispatched of the visiting Cavaliers in the Terps' last-ever regular season ACC contest, as 20 points from Seth Allen and 18 points for Dez Wells helped record Mark Turgeon's first-ever win over Virginia Sunday afternoon. The Terrapins won in one of the more dramatic games in the history of the rivalry, defeating the Cavaliers in overtime, 75-69.

The game started out slow, as Virginia's suffocating defense made sure the pace slowed to a near-halt. Nick Faust hit a three for Maryland's first basket of the day, but London Perrantes responded with a three of his own immediately after. The Terps' trailed 10-5 at the first media timeout, and things got worse from there.

The Cavaliers went on a quick run out of the first break, extending the lead to 14-5 before Smotrycz hit a step-back jumper to keep the game in reach. After the Maryland defense forced an empty Virginia possession, Smotrycz hit a three to cut the lead to 14-10. Virginia scored a basket, and Smotrycz followed up with an offensive rebound, made bucket and free throw to make it 16-13.

Maryland's full-court press really caused problems for Virginia in the first half -- the Cavaliers turned the ball over three times in a key stretch that ended up giving Maryland the lead. One such turnover resulted in Seth Allen making a nifty move to break inside and cut the lead to one. Allen hit a three on Maryland's next possession, tying the game at 18-18. After another Virginia turnover, Allen hit a runner in the lane to take the lead at 20-18.

Virginia ended up taking the lead back on a late run the first half, as Perrantes's third three pointer of the day gave the Cavaliers a 28-27 lead heading into the under-four media timeout. The game went back and forth over the next few minutes, and a deep Smotrycz three gave Maryland the lead at 34-32 with less than a minute left. Perrantes hit his fourth three pointer of the half, and Allen missed a buzzer beater, sending the Terps to the locker room trailing 35-34.

Smotrycz was a force in the first half, hitting five of his six field goal attempts and scoring 13 points (while showing surprisingly solid defensive play). He came off the bench in the first half, but started on the floor in the second period. He showed up big early again in the second, dishing a big assist to Seth Allen (who hit a three to make Maryland's lead 43-37, but was shut down soon after that.

With Maryland leading 47-44 midway through the second half, Dez Wells began to take over. He hit back-to-back layups, bringing him up to 12 points on the day.

With nine minutes left to play, Malcolm Brogdon cut the Maryland lead down to 51-49 with a layup, and the Cavaliers were able to take the lead on Joe Harris's three-pointer. Allen tied the game back up with two free throws, and Wells took the lead on two more free throws with less than seven minutes to play.

Up 56-54 with about four-and-a-half minutes to play, Allen hit two more free throws to expand Maryland's lead to four. Up two with less than three minutes to play, Allen drove to the lane and made a running jumper, giving him 15 points and pulling the lead back to four.

With just over a minute to play, Allen dished the ball to Wells late in the shot clock. The junior guard lost the handle, allowing Virginia to steal the ball and draw a foul on the other end. The Cavaliers made both free throws, cutting the Maryland lead to 62-61, and the Terrapins called a timeout with 42.6 seconds left to play. The play coming out of the timeout was stuffed, giving Virginia one last chance -- down by one point, with 26 seconds to go.

Maryland stopped the first inbounds attempt, forcing the ball out of bounds (off the Terps), and the Cavaliers had a second one last chance, with 5.4 seconds left to play. Harris got called for the illegal screen there, allowing Layman to hit both free throws and give the Terps the three-point lead.

The Terrapins fouled on the next inbound, and Brogdon hit the first of two free throws. The guard intentionally missed the second, and it fell out of bounds off the Terps. The Cavaliers were able to inbound it on a lob to Gill, who tossed the ball in from close-range to send it into overtime.

Maryland scored first in overtime, as Seth Allen took an inbound all the way around to hit a layup with less than four minutes to play. On the Terps' next possession, Allen burst through the lane again to make it 68-64, and came up with a huge rejection on the other end. On the next possession, he drew a foul and hit one of two free throws, making it 69-64.

After an and-one from Virginia, Wells drove inside and made a layup, bringing the lead back to four. Virginia responded with another bucket, and Layman was able to grab an offensive rebound on a missed Allen three (thanks to a Cleare tip), forcing a Cavalier foul.

Box score hero: Seth Allen. 20 points (five in overtime), two rebounds, two assists, one block.

Did the Terps cover? Most certainly.