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Maryland basketball beat Iowa by 18 points Sunday night. The Terps moved to 3-2 in the Big Ten, while the Hawkeyes moved to 0-5. The final score is reasonable, but let’s talk about how much craziness there was on the way there.
Sunday’s bout was close for a long time. The teams combined for 92 points in the first half, with Maryland leading 48-44 at the break. Five players in total were in double figures at halftime; Anthony Cowan, Kevin Huerter and Iowa’s top scorer, Tyler Cook, weren’t among them. Michal Cekovsky and Dion Wiley combined for 23.
Also, Fran McCaffery blew a gasket at midcourt.
Fran McCaffery was ejected after back-to-back technical fouls late in the first half. pic.twitter.com/YIVadEPLD6
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 8, 2018
FRAN MCCAFFERY HAS LEFT THE BUILDING pic.twitter.com/788402TUIW
— Jared Goldstein (@_jgoldy17) January 8, 2018
So the teams took a break after that, and Iowa’s Isaiah Moss, who had 15 in the first half, went on a personal 8-0 run early in the second. Then the game went back and forth for a while before Maryland pulled away. Bruno Fernando provided a million exclamation points down the stretch.
Bruno Fernando punishes the rim like few others.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 8, 2018
If you haven't seen the @TerrapinHoops freshman, you're missing out. pic.twitter.com/7f7d3JA02w
(The other side had some exciting dunks, too).
If the contest itself wasn’t weird enough, Iowa’s plane got hit on the tarmac and the Hawkeyes couldn’t leave College Park Sunday night.
Can’t fly out tonight. Just found out our plane got hit on the tarmac, no foul was called. Contemplating retirement. Thanks, @NCAA !
— Jordan Bohannon (@JordanBo_3) January 8, 2018
It’s still early January, and the game ended up not close. But the craziest things can happen in blowouts, and there was so much going on all at once Sunday night. We’ll probably talk about Fernando’s poster dunks when recapping this season; we probably won’t talk about McCaffery’s tantrum, but it’s still worth enjoying. Countless players turned in notable performances on both sides, from Moss and Fernando to Michal Cekovsky and even Joshua Tomaic.
Maryland will return to the floor at Ohio State on Thursday. With the Buckeyes sitting at the top of the Big Ten after upsetting No. 1 Michigan State, a game as hectic as Sunday’s will be a welcome sight.
In other news
Women’s basketball also won Sunday, handling Wisconsin on the road.
Maryland football has a new offensive line coach after hiring Bryan Stinespring from JMU.
Former Terps Yannick Ngakoue (Jaguars) and Trey Edmunds (Saints) are advancing in the NFL playoffs. Ngakoue is making headlines with this tweet (No. 64 on Buffalo is Richie Incognito).
Great win to day! And 64, you goin have to come harder than some weak racist slurs. I’m proud of my African heritage, as are 70% of the other Black players in this league. #Iaintjonathanmartin!
— YANNICK NGAKOUE! (@YannGetSacks91) January 8, 2018
Maryland lacrosse will be well-represented on Team USA at the 2018 World Championships.
JUST IN: Five former Terps have been selected to represent Team USA at the FIL World Championships this summer!
— Maryland Lacrosse (@TerpsMLax) January 7, 2018
Jesse Bernhardt
Jake Bernhardt
Michael Ehrhardt
John Haus
Drew Snider
Complete team: https://t.co/zlzOEvtQGK pic.twitter.com/ii1ksVVHou