As I made way to Comcast Center in 15 degree weather at 5:30 am on Saturday dressed in layers upon layers of clothes, I began to question myself. I was on my way to wait in the line for the Maryland vs. Duke game. However, as I made my way through the parking lot and saw hundreds of fans already lined up for the 6 pm tip-off, any doubt that the 12 hour wait was not going to be worth it was quickly diminished.
Many people attend the University of Maryland for academics, the proximity to the nation’s capital, or being able to attend college close to home. Yes, those factors played a part in my decision, but I attended Maryland for moments like these. Maryland vs. Duke. Some of the best (and worst) memories of my childhood revolved around this rivalry. Yes, it is a rivalry. I can still remember being at home and watching Steve Blake steal the ball from a confused Jay Williams right before the first half ended at legendary Cole Field House in 2002, hearing about and watching highlights of Joe Smith’s 40 points and 19 rebound performance at Cameron Indoor Stadium in 1995, and John Gilchrist leading Maryland on a near impossible journey to a 2004 ACC tournament championship. They beat Duke in the championship. Those are the good memories. Jay Williams leading Duke in the famous “Miracle in a minute” in 2001 and Maryland blowing a 20 point halftime lead against the Blue Devils in 2001 Final Four still haunt me occasionally to this day. But that is what makes a rivalry.
As I made it to my spot in line, I knew this one was going to be one of those special memories that last a lifetime. Hours passed by, some slower than others, but with each hour came more people to get in line and more energy around the game. This is what Maryland basketball is about. The program has struggled in recent years with gaining the interest of students and other fans. Before the game was even played, I had the sense that Maryland basketball was back. People that had little interest in basketball were just as pumped as the die-hards for the game. If students had been allowed to campout, I am positive myself and many others would have been out there a week in advance. During the Len Bias years and later the Juan Dixon years this is what Maryland basketball and their fans did. People slept in Cole Field House anxiously waiting for tickets to games. Maryland basketball fans are well known across the nation as some of the best fans in the country or depending on your definition, the worst. I was ready to make my mark and continue the brilliance of Maryland basketball fans for the first time as a student in the Maryland vs. Duke rivalry.
People began to stand up and began to cheer. It was around 11, so I was a little confused because there was still four hours before we could even get in to Comcast Center. I turned to my right and realized why the cheering and energy had picked up. Many members of the team were coming to greet all the fans who had already been outside in the frigid weather for five hours. They woke up the kids who were asleep, talked to everyone, took pictures, and Charles Mitchell even got under a blanket with a kid to stay warm. This was awesome. The players were loose and very confident. Shaq Cleare was asked if he was going to shut down National player of the year candidate Mason Plumlee, he responded quickly and confidently in his thick accent with, “Don’t worry about it. I got him.” I was ready to barge in to Comcast Canter and get the game going at that very moment.
Finally, we did get to barge in to Comcast Center at 3 pm. I rushed in and sat in the first row. This was another reason why this was going to be a great day. Three hours till tip-off and the place was electric. A fellow Maryland student and dance team member then organized what has become national news. We organized and practiced a flash mob and a Harlem Shake video. This brought more energy into the arena and there was still two hours till tip-off. If you could not tell the atmosphere was going to be special at 6 am, you certainly knew this game was going to be something special at this point.
Both teams were warming up and it was minutes before tip-off and something happened that will forever give me chills. University of Maryland Alumni and ESPN personality Scott Van Pelt walked in. Van Pelt is a big deal around University of Maryland. He is right behind the likes of Gary Williams and Juan Dixon on the Maryland basketball totem pole without ever stepping on a court. He has given Maryland basketball an enormous amount of love throughout his time on ESPN and is a common fixture at Comcast Center and previously Cole Field House. He attended games when Len Bias was taking over the ACC, Joe Smith was National POY, when Steve Francis took College Park by storm in 1999, and when Gary Williams lead the Terps to a National Championship in 2002. He has been through it all and has stood by his alma mater through the highs and lows. Scott Van Pelt bleeds red, black, and gold. So when Scott Van Pelt walked into Comcast Center and walked around the arena waving his arms to pump up the crowd I thought the roof was going to come off. You could hardly hear yourself, and you certainly could not hear the person next to you. Comcast Center was absolutely booming.
The 12 hours had finally past. It was game time. I thought to myself right before tip-off, “no way we lose this game.” But Maryland was playing Duke and an arena can be as loud as possible and Duke is rarely affected. Duke is every team’s biggest game of the year and they often get the team’s best performance as well as the fans. This game was no different.
A few moments stuck with me from the game and I can remember them vividly. First of all, the first points of the game were off a three pointer from freshman Jake Layman. Comcast exploded and was a huge boost of confidence for the freshman in the biggest game of his career. Maryland played solid the first half despite many turnovers and the scorching hot shooting of Duke senior leader Seth Curry. The other play in the first half that was huge to keeping momentum and keeping the crowd as loud as possible was a Nick Faust three pointer. Maryland was down two and Faust caught the ball on the wing off a fast break and launched a three with 38 seconds left and gave Maryland a one point lead going into halftime. Duke has not lost a game when leading at halftime. That three was huge and the uproar by the fans led Maryland into the locker room with more momentum and a 35-34 lead.
The second half was just as intense with Maryland going up by 10 twice, but of course, Duke would always respond. And so would the Maryland faithful. The game was back and forth and came down to the wire. It was only right. Maryland-Duke for most likely the last time in College Park ever. One of the most storied rivalries in college sports. The unbelievable atmosphere. Maryland had to win, right? Despite 26 turnovers, they were the better team that night. They played harder than Duke and it looked like they wanted it more. Only problem, Duke had Seth Curry. The guy is resilient. With Maryland up 80-72 off a layup from Seth Allen with a little under two minutes to go students around me starting to creep up and get ready for the much anticipated court storming. However, Seth Curry nailed two clutch threes on back to back possessions to bring the score to 80-78 Maryland. “Here we go again,” I thought as I envisioned Jay Williams hitting big shot after big shot in ’01 to help Duke score 10 points in a minute, only this time it was Seth Curry. However, it was a different Seth who had the final say. With the game tied at 81, the ball was in the talented freshman’s hand even though he already had 8 turnovers in the previous 39 minutes and 50 seconds, but with 10 seconds left the lefty crossed over to his right and drove and was fouled with two seconds remaining. Allen calmly sank both, Quinn Cooked clanked a last second heave off the rim, and the celebration began.
The court was stormed, a F— Duke chant was started, Testudo was crowd surfing, Charles Mitchell was on the scores table pounding his chest, and even the Mayor of College Park, Stefon Diggs, was standing above the crowd with a sign supporting the basketball team. It was surreal.
I could have made the title of this “The Best Game I Ever Attended,” but this was not just a game. This was Maryland-Duke for the last time ever in College Park, and it was not a game. It was an event. From waiting in line for seven hours till they let us in Comcast Center, to the players coming out and showing love for their fans, to executing a flash mob that is getting national attention, to watching Scott Van Pelt pump up the crowd to an ear-piercing level, to making sure Perky Plumlee and Sonya Curry could hear me the whole game, to making sure Quinn Cook knew this was not “his city,” to winning the game, and celebrating on Route 1, this was the greatest sporting event I have ever attended. If I never go to another sporting as great as this, I will die a happy man.
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