SPOKANE, Wash. — Melo Trimble watched Maryland miss its first 15 3-pointers and stand locked in a defensive battle with Hawaii in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Then Trimble sank a 3 during a 14-0 Maryland run and
SPOKANE, Wash. — Melo Trimble watched Maryland miss its first 15 3-pointers and stand locked in a defensive battle with Hawaii in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Then Trimble sank a 3 during a 14-0 Maryland run and it seemed to break the game open for the Terrapins.
“When that shot went down, it made everybody loose,” said Maryland’s Rasheed Sulaimon after the Terrapins beat Hawaii 73-60 on Sunday to advance to the round of 16.
Trimble scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Maryland, but it was the 3-pointer that did the most damage.
“When I made that 3, I felt great,” Trimble said.
Hawaii led 41-39 midway through the second when Sulaimon launched the 14-0 run.
“We told each other we had to relax,” Sulaimon said.
Diamond Stone added 14 points for fifth-seeded Maryland (27-8), which advanced to the round of 16 for the eighth time in the past 22 years.
Mike Thomas had 19 points and 11 rebounds for 13th-seeded Hawaii (28-6), which won a tournament game for the first time this season.
“That stretch in the second half was a big hammer,” Hawaii coach Eran Ganot said of Maryland’s run.
The Rainbow Warriors tried to respond, but Maryland put the game away at the free throw line.
“I’m very proud of our program,” said Ganot, who led Hawaii to a team record for victories in his first season as head coach. “They galvanized the state.”
Maryland will play Kansas next Thursday in the round of 16.
After a sluggish first half in which Maryland led 28-27, the tempo picked up in the second.
Hawaii went on a 10-4 run to take a 39-36 lead. Then the bottom fell out.
Trimble’s 3-pointer, the first of the game for Maryland after 15 misses, highlighted a 14-0 run that put the Terps ahead 53-41 with just over seven minutes left. Hawaii made just 1-of-13 field goal attempts during Maryland’s run.
“We didn’t make the shots we are supposed to make,” said Hawaii’s Stefan Jankovic. “We missed a lot of layups.”
Maryland had a big advantage in free throws, making 28 of 31. Hawaii made 10 of 15.
“We didn’t get to the line as much as we like,” Ganot said. “That’s on us.”
Neither team shot well. Maryland connected on 46 percent of its shots, but only made 1 of 18 from 3-point range. Hawaii shot 33 percent.
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said making the round of 16 was satisfying after Maryland’s recent run of losses.
“To be a part of the Sweet 16 is a big step for us,” Turgeon said. “We feel good about ourselves.”
Maryland missed its first six shots and didn’t score a field goal until six minutes into the game, but Hawaii held only a 6-4 lead at that point. Hawaii made only five of its first 15 shots.
Hawaii built a 10-4 lead, but Diamond Stone scored four baskets as the Terps took a 14-13 lead.
The teams traded baskets as the scoring pace picked up. Maryland led 28-27 lead at halftime.
This season has been an unexpected success for Hawaii under first-year coach Eran Ganot. In December, the NCAA slapped his program with sanctions for infractions committed under former coach Gib Arnold. The penalties include a 2016-17 postseason ban, scholarship reductions and players being allowed to transfer without having to sit out a year.
Instead of crumbling, the Warriors won the Big West Conference. They set a school record for victories in a season by beating California 77-66 in the first round of the tournament, their first win after four losses in the NCAAs.
Meanwhile, Maryland hung on to beat South Dakota State 79-74 in the first round.
It’s been an up-and-down season for the Terrapins, who at one point were ranked No. 2 in the nation before losing five of their final eight games before the tournament.
