North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Falls To Maryland, 64-61
3/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score
Post-Game Comments
Anthony Grundy goes strong to the basket.(AP Photo) |
JOE MACENKA
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) (March 11) - Damien Wilkins led NC State with 19 points and Ron Kelley added 11 points, but Maryland advances to the ACC Tournament Final, 64-61.
Juan Dixon had 21 points and No. 20 Maryland ended its string of Atlantic Coast Conference tournament semifinal frustrations.
Lonny Baxter added 15 points, including Maryland's final five, as the Terrapins, playing in the semifinals for the sixth consecutive year, earned a berth in the championship for the first time since 1984.
Second-seeded Maryland (24-8) overcame 21 turnovers and a first-half drought that enabled N.C. State to rally from a 13-point deficit.
The Terrapins' opponent in Sunday's title game will be third-ranked and top-seeded Duke, an 82-73 winner over Wake Forest. Maryland is the only ACC team to defeat Duke the past two seasons.
Archie Miller tries to get around Maryland's Steve Blake(AP Photo) |
The sixth-seeded Wolfpack (17-12) converted the Terrapins' miscues into 20 points, but came up short in its bid for its second berth in the ACC championship game in four seasons under coach Herb Sendek.
N.C. State played without top rebounder and third-best scorer Damon Thornton, sidelined by a twisted left ankle early in the second half of the Wolfpack's quarterfinal victory over Virginia.
NC State was held to 38-percent shooting.
Terence Morris added 11 points and 11 rebounds for Maryland.
There were five lead changes and three ties in the second half before Dixon scored on a fast-break layup to put Maryland ahead to stay at 59-58 with 2:21 remaining.
After N.C. State's Tim Wells missed a 17-footer from the right wing, Baxter scored on a spinning layup to make it 61-58. Wilkins made one foul shot at the 60-second mark, but Baxter banked in a short jumper, then added a foul shot on the Terrapins' next possession to stretch it to 64-59 with 22 seconds left.
A tip-in by Kelley closed the scoring with 22 seconds left. N.C. State had a shot to tie it, but Wells missed from the left wing with four seconds remaining, and Maryland got the rebound and ran out the clock.
It looked early like the Terrapins would roll to an easy victory. Twelve minutes into the contest, Maryland was up 19-6, and N.C. State had missed 11 of its 12 field-goal attempts. The Wolfpack had scored on just five possessions to that stage, and on four of those N.C. State got only a single free throw.
But the Wolfpack roared into the lead with 14 points on five possessions, and Maryland helped N.C. State by making just one field goal over the final seven-plus minutes of the half.
