Related links on Michigan St. vs. Maryland

I realize this is a few days late, but wow, what a way to lose. But maybe Mike Wise was right (link below) -- maybe that was the only way the Greivis Vasquez era at Maryland could end. I thought about dissecting the game, but really, I don't think there's a point. Michigan State played better for most of the game. They shot better and held a huge advantage on the boards. Many times, the Spartans were quicker to the ball and there's no question they were physically better than Maryland. In a way, you could say they deserved to win, but there's no such thing in sports. That run by Maryland at the end was amazing -- no one could say differently. Vasquez helped bring the Terps back at the end, but it just wasn't enough.

The Terps didn't make it to the Sweet 16, which is obviously disappointing. But by no means does it mean that this season wasn't a success. Maryland did just as much in the NCAA Tournament as Georgia Tech and Wake Forest (more counting the regular season) despite not having the same level of talent. That might seem like a moral victory, but instead of focusing on a few negatives about this team or their limitations as a whole, I'll focus on that collective effort with time running out that almost put the Terps in the Sweet 16. I'll remember the heroic victory over Duke in front of a raucous home crowd and that huge double overtime win over Virginia Tech that was delayed several hours because of a water main break. I'll remember the performances by Vasquez and the Terps in front of crowds at Florida State (yelling "Deport Vasquez!") and Virginia Tech (chanting "USA! USA!"). I'll also remember that hard-to-stomach home loss to William & Mary (because I was there) and watching Maryland transform into a much better team by the time I went to another game -- an 88-64 blowout win over N.C. State. And obviously it'll be difficult to forget Vasquez and Eric Hayes -- not to mention Landon Milbourne -- for how hard they played and how much they meant to this team.

Here are some links reflecting on the Terps' latest crushing loss and their overall season:

• "Maryland Terrapins go down with a fight against Michigan State" -- Mike Wise
• "Michigan State's last-second shot leaves Maryland's heralded senior trio at a loss" -- Steve Yanda
• "Thoughts on Greivis Vasquez and the Maryland's Seniors' Final Game, 24 Hours Later" -- Testudo Times
• "A dozen things I'll remember" -- Andy Katz
• "Maryland's season ends with 85-83 loss to Michigan State" -- Terrapins Insider
• "Eventually, I will learn not to bet against Tom Izzo in the NCAA Tournament" -- Ballin' is a Habit
• "Lucious Beats Buzzer, Maryland for Hobbled Michigan State" -- FanHouse
• "Remembering Greivis Vasquez" -- DC Landing Strip
• "Gary Williams gets choked up over Greivis" -- D.C. Sports Bog