Heartbreak again |
CLEMSON – Déjà vu is hard to take, especially when it’s at home and it’s the same old story that leads to losses.
Andre Young The normally steady Young missed the first two shots, however, and his desperation shot at the buzzer just bounced off the rim as the Tigers’ furious rally fell short, leading to a 64-62 defeat at the hands of the Terrapins in a key ACC matchup at Littlejohn Coliseum. The story is the same one the Tigers (11-12, 3-6 ACC) have seen all season – unable to make the one play or shot during crunch time – that has led to nine losses by seven points or less. In five of their six ACC losses this season, the Tigers have lost by a combined total of 13 points, and Tuesday night’s game was the third time this season Clemson has lost to a conference opponent by two points. Brownell said it’s been a steady repeat all season. “Déjà vu is about what comes to mind,” Brownell said after the loss. “It’s certainly a disheartening loss. It probably hurts a little more because it was at home. It hurts when a kid like Andre misses his chance, because you know how much work he’s put into it. He wants to win and he wants to be in those situations. He’s not going to be ok tomorrow. You want guys like that, because it means he cares. You just hate it for them. We just have to make sure he recovers from it.” Young said he felt good at the line. “I felt comfortable. I thought I was going to make all three,” the senior guard said. “The first one went in and out and was all over the rim. The second one hit the front part of the rim. It felt good. It just didn’t go down.” The Tigers made it a game because of Young, who finished with 15 points and made four 3-pointers. The Terrapins (14-9, 4-5 ACC) looked like they were in control, ahead 53-39 with 7:55 remaining, but the Tigers used a 19-6 run that cut the lead to a point – at 59-58 - on
Devin Booker Young had the opportunity to tie the score when he was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with 10.7 seconds remaining and the Tigers trailing 61-58, but hit just the third of the three shots. The Tigers still had a chance when
Milton Jennings Maryland led 26-22 at the intermission in large part because of the Tigers’ shooting woes. “We played alright in the first half,” Brownell said. “The energy level was really good and I can’t say anything about our lack of effort. In the first half we took a handful of bad shots. In the second half, I don’t think we took as many bad shots. We just didn’t finish as many plays as we needed to finish. The message to our guys is that they can’t give up on the season. You’re playing well enough and competitive enough that things could go our way. “We just have to wait for the situation turn. That’s how sports are, but right now we’re catching the bad end of it. It’s a test of our character as to how we respond. I felt like we were nervous coming into this game. Our guys really wanted to win this one and we entered the game with a good energy. We just have to make more offensive plays, and more stops.” The Tigers hit just 11-of-19 free throws. Clemson returns to action this Saturday with a 4 p.m. game at Wake Forest. 
Andre Young
Sr. Guard
#11 5-9, 175
Albany, GA
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, an 88.7 percent free throw shooter on the season, stepped to the line with 10.7 seconds remaining in Tuesday night’s game against Maryland with three shots to tie the game against the Terrapins. 
Devin Booker
Jr. Forward
#31 6-8, 245
Whitmire, SC
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's two foul shots. 
Milton Jennings
Jr. Forward
#24 6-9, 225
Summerville, SC
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– in his first game back from his second suspension of the season - hit his third 3-pointer of the second half with 2.8 seconds to go to make it 63-62. The Terps made one foul shot and Young's long-range attempt was off the mark as the buzzer sounded.
VISITORS: Maryland 14-9, 4-5
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