Terps Need More Work

"It's all mental," Osby said. "We just haven't learned everything yet about playing with a lead."

There isn't much time for adversity's children to become prosperity's adults. The learning curve is steep right now.

Greivis Vasquez is still tying to become a consistent floor leader as a sophomore, playing the risk-reward game on almost every possession. James Gist is learning to be the go-to guy in the low block and finding out how good he can be with his back to the basket. And Osby is learning to play 30 minutes per game after barely averaging 13 minutes per game a season ago.

Maryland can't worry about becoming tournament tough until they become ACC tough. It may be a long shot, given they would most likely have to go 8-3 down the stretch.

"We missed an opportunity to win a game that might have helped put us in the tournament," Vasquez said. "You can let a game like that get away."

Vasquez missed the front end of a one-and-one with 2 minutes 42 seconds left that hurt almost as much as losing those rebounds to Duke on the defensive end.

Downing Duke would have indeed helped their cause. But that's short-sighted. Maryland's fixation with Duke might need to subside a bit. It's almost unhealthy. When the Duke game becomes a referendum on the season, it takes away from the importance of beating Virginia at home on Wednesday night.

It's a nice victory for College Park anytime Coach K's program goes down. So what did those victories really do, except give the fans some validation they hardly need anymore?

They shouldn't see themselves as the plucky kids who shocked the world when a team like Duke goes down. The Terrapins already play in one of the best on-campus bandboxes in the country. Their coach is three wins shy of No. 600, a feat accomplished by just six other active Division I head coaches. And Maryland won a national title less than six years ago.

It all goes with the mind-set of viewing yourself as belonging in the big-time college basketball world once you beat the elite.

"We need to learn how to play with a lead, bottom line," Osby said.

He said it best for Maryland, who has a shot this year if it can shake the idea that the Terrapins don't always have to be the team that overcomes. It's all right to be up 10 points in the second half, to slow it down and win going away. Being comfortable with being ahead is not a bad thing.