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Missed free throws plague Maryland men’s basketball in double-overtime defeat at Ohio State

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Missed free throws plague Maryland men’s basketball in double-overtime defeat at Ohio State


Maryland men’s basketball just couldn’t close it out.

Near the end of regulation Saturday against Ohio State, Donta Scott missed a pair of free throws which would have put the Terps ahead. Jahmir Young then missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer.

In the first overtime, Julian Reese missed a pair of free throws in the final minute. And Young’s attempt at the buzzer once again fell off the mark. In double overtime, Reese missed two more free throws, and Scott fumbled the ball away on Maryland’s final two possessions. The Terps scored zero points in the last 2:37 of the final overtime period.

When there’s desperation, success is the only path to hope. And for the Terps (13-11, 5-8 Big Ten), the smallest glimmer of hope dissipated Saturday afternoon in a 79-75 road defeat against the Buckeyes.

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Maryland is now 1-7 this season in games decided by four points or less.

Early on, it seemed like head coach Kevin Willard’s newly-formed starting lineup — which featured Mady Traore and Jamie Kaiser Jr. in favor of Jordan Geronimo and DeShawn Harris-Smith — was just the offensive spark Maryland needed.

Traore’s 6-foot-11 frame forced Ohio State to alleviate pressure away from Reese, who scored six early points.

The Terps got out to a 13-4 lead just over five minutes in, playing an efficient brand of basketball seldom seen in their past two games.

Willard then opted to experiment with an extended rotation, which ultimately allowed Ohio State to creep back to nearly even.

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With the starters reintroduced, the Terps once again took over, eventually getting out to a 10-point lead.

What could’ve — and probably should’ve — been a commanding halftime lead for the Terps, though, ended up being an inconceivable deficit.

For the first 13 minutes, Maryland played efficient basketball on both ends of the floor. But up 30-20 while shooting around 50% from the floor, Maryland’s offensive woes once again reared their ugly head, this time to the tune of a nearly six-minute scoring drought.

And the unfinished possessions disrupted the Terps’ stingy defense, allowing Ohio State to end the half on a 13-2 run. Sophomore guard Bruce Thornton’s layup in the final seconds of the half gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the game. Thornton scored eight of his 11 first-half points down the stretch, and finished with a team-high 24 points.

Maryland’s missed opportunities in the first half came back to bit it in the second half, as both team’s offense’s stalled. Maryland managed 29 points to Ohio State’s 28 in a half which saw 11 combined turnovers and 25 personal fouls.

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Despite its sluggish play, Willard played a lineup of Young, Harris-Smith, Scott, Jahari Long and Reese for nearly the entire 20 minutes. Meanwhile, Traore, who was a +8 while recording eight points and five rebounds in 20 minutes, did not play after getting subbed halfway through the period.

Maryland’s coach did not make a sub in the final 15 minutes. Young and Scott combined for 45 points on the afternoon, but just two made field goals during that span.

Maryland should’ve been able to put the game away in regulation. Instead, it missed seven late free throws — five of which came from Reese — while Ohio State went 17-of-20 on the afternoon.

Three things to know

1. No Geronimo, Harris-Smith to the bench. When the starting lineup was revealed, it seemed almost a mistake. It showed Jordan Geronimo and Harris-Smith benched in favor of Kaiser and Traore. Traore had only played 49 total minutes before Saturday’s game, while Kaiser had predominantly been the second guy off the bench.

Kaiser struggled in his 10 minutes, while Geronimo did not see the floor. There was no immediate update postgame on the reason for the Indiana transfer’s absence.

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2. Maryland can’t win close games. Numbers don’t lie. Maryland is 1-7 in games decided by a possession.

3. Questionable coaching down the stretch. Maryland’s lack of depth is well-documented, so keeping his starters on the floor down the stretch can be understood.

What confused, though, was Willard’s decision to not call a timeout at the end of both regulation and the first overtime — both possessions resulted in missed potential game-winners. In double overtime, he then called a timeout on each of Maryland’s final two possessions, both of which resulted in turnovers.



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Maryland

Ex-Maryland teacher sentenced to 30 years for having sex with student — but will only spend one year behind bars

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Ex-Maryland teacher sentenced to 30 years for having sex with student — but will only spend one year behind bars


A disgraced Maryland teacher who had sex with a teenage student nearly two-dozen times was slapped with a 30-year prison sentence – but will only serve one year behind bars for the crime. 

Melissa Marie Curtis, 32, was handed the three-decade sentence with all but 12 months suspended for engaging in sexual acts with the 14-year-old while she was a teacher at Montgomery Village Middle School in 2015, Fox 5 DC reported.

Curtis — who was 22 at the time — had sexual intercourse with the minor more than 20 times between January and May 2015 — with illicit trysts occurring within the school, her car and several residences, including her mother’s home in Montgomery County, according to court documents obtained by the outlet.

Melissa Marie Curtis, 32, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with all but 12 months suspended. Montgomery County Police Department

The convicted perv also gave the eighth-grader alcohol and marijuana, the Montgomery County Police Department said.

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Prosecutors said the pair were often left alone together after the young teen volunteered for an after-school program Curtis headed, according to court docs.

Police launched their investigation in October 2023 when the victim came forward with the abuse allegations.

Curtis, of Upper Marlboro, was a teacher for approximately two years and had also taught at Lakelands Park Middle School, cops said.

The sicko teacher turned herself in to police on Nov. 7, 2023, and was charged with sexual abuse of a minor and multiple counts of third- and fourth-degree sexual offenses. 


The sexual activity occurred on school grounds, her car and several residences while she was 22 and the victim 14.
The sexual activity occurred on school grounds, her car and several residences while she was 22 and the victim was 14. Montgomery County Public Schools

She pleaded guilty June 20 to three counts of third-degree sex offenses in June, Fox 5 DC reported.

The sexual predator is required to register as a sex offender for 25 years and will be barred from having any unsupervised contact with minors other than her own children. 

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The judge also sentenced Curtis to serve five years of probation.



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Iowa Hawkeyes Make Horrible Decision Ahead of Maryland Game

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Iowa Hawkeyes Make Horrible Decision Ahead of Maryland Game


Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes are set to face off against the Maryland Terrapins this weekend in their second to last regular season game of the year.

Ahead of this week’s game, Iowa holds a 6-4 record. They have had a couple of very disappointing losses over their last four outings. Losing to Maryland would simply compound upon what has already been a rough all-around stretch of games.

Unfortunately, heading into this week’s matchup, the Hawkeyes have made a horrible decision.

As most fans know, quarterback Brendan Sullivan has been lost for the season due to injury. That led to a new starting quarterback being need this week.

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Ferentz and Iowa opted to turn back to Cade McNamara as their starting quarterback.

That decision is a bad one. McNamara has played poorly all season long and fans were desperately hoping for a change away from him long before the decision was actually made.

Why is the decision to revert back to starting McNamara a big mistake?

Jackson Stratton, the team’s sophomore quarterback, has shown the ability to throw the football well in very limited time. He also has a legitimate chance to be the team’s starter for the next two years.

Going back to McNamara does absolutely nothing for the program. He will be leaving following the 2024 season and has shown nothing on the field to warrant playing time. Seeing what the Hawkeyes have in Stratton is a major need and getting him valuable playing time could help him succeed in 2025.

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Stratton has received very little playing time. Last week, he completed three of his six pass attempts against UCLA for 28 yards. On the ground, he chipped in a 14-yard run.

Those numbers should have made Iowa give him a chance. At the very least, they could confirm or deny that he’s capable of being the starter next season.

Giving the starting job back to McNamara only guarantees one thing. Fans are about to see more missed passes, frustrating decisions, and a lack of an ability to move the football through the air.



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Maryland burn ban: Dry weather fuels fire along Potomac River

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Maryland burn ban: Dry weather fuels fire along Potomac River


Dozens of firefighters utilized boats and a helicopter while battling a Monday morning blaze along the Potomac River.

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Officials said someone in Virginia initially spotted the smoke, which was coming from a large, rotted tree on Rocky Island in Montgomery County near Great Falls. 

Photo via Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO)

They aren’t sure how the fire started but said the large response was in part due to dry conditions, with low humidity and wind.

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“It took hours and hours for them to cut it up and put the fire completely out,” said Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service Public Information Officer Pete Piringer, who added that those same conditions are why a statewide burn ban remains in effect in Maryland.

Piringer also said that just in Montgomery County, firefighters have responded to about 150 outside fires since October 1.

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“Fires spread very quickly when the conditions are like this,” he explained.

As a result, officials are urging the public to remain vigilant, saying that when it comes to fire danger, the region’s recent rain has helped – but it’s still not enough.



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