OK. The headline belies reality somewhat. Terps squandered chances in the second OT but I don't care. You've got two teams who played their heart out and the referees were not up to the challenge of the moment.
The second OT opened with a clear and blatant offensive goaltending call yet the whistle did not blow. That call alone changed the trajectory of the rest of the game. Those two points proved huge as the Terps tried to claw back in it.
The refs weren't done. The next offensive possession for Miami included a Miami player throwing Sean Mosley to the ground while going for an offensive rebound. No call and Miami led by 4.
Then, on a fastbreak 2 possessions later, Mosley got whistled for a bogus charging call at the top of the key. The top of the key!!! No way were the defenders feet set. The coup de gras occurred on the next possession when Miami ran the shot clock down heaved a desperation three and Maryland was whistled for a loose ball foul. There were three Terps around the hoop and Miami player.
I don't care that Miami was missing their 3 best players due to foul trouble. I don't care that Maryland squandered opportunities, turned the ball over, and allowed too many second chance points. What the officials did over the final five minutes was unforgivable.
The worst part about the loss is that it could have transformed the season. A road win like that, coming back from 15 points down, could have propelled the Terps to new heights. 14-7 gives them a fighting chance at the NCAAs. The RPI would have shot up with a quality road win like that. I'm sick over the fact the officials ruined it.
What's truly remarkable is how little respect the officials give Mark Turgeon compared to Gary Williams. Gary certainly didn't get preferential treatment; but his games were generally fairly officiated (except for Duke games). Turgeon gets NO RESPECT. None. He's Rodney Dangerfield out there and the ACC should be ashamed of that. It had been bad up until tonight; but it would have been hard to say that the officials had cost the Terps the game. Now, you can say that.
I'm just disgusted.
