How do you start to fix a broken heart? A rebound, that's how.

Saturday’s 77-56 loss at Duke hurt.  It hurt bad.  Terps fans had to work hard to let their guards down and embrace this year’s squad.  It started out as a fling, but then it turned into something more.  Six games into the ACC schedule the Terps were in sole possession of first place in the conference.  As one win followed the next, fans were starting to believe there was something more to this year, something special.  It all felt so real.

Just when we were starting to fall in love with this Terps team, they went back to their old ways.  They screwed up big.  They broke our hearts.

We all know that there is only one way to deal with this sort of heartbreak: a rebound.  Maryland needs to get right back on the horse.  The only medicine that cures this sort of loss is a quick win.  Sure, it might not last all season, but it will make us all feel better today.  That’s how you cope.  That’s how you get back in the game.

Who is going to be Maryland’s rebound?  UVA, that’s who.  Maryland’s old neighbor almost came into town last week but the timing wasn’t right.  The Terps were still trying to work things out.  Now that Duke is out of the picture, UVA is back in College Park and they’re coming over tonight.  Gary Williams called UVA coach Tony Bennett late last night to talk about things, and Tony Bennett reassured him with this song called “Just in Time”:

Just in time, I found you just in time
Before you came, my time was runnin’ low
I was lost, the losin’ dice were tossed
My bridges all were crossed, nowhere to go
Now you’re here and now I know just where I’m goin’
No more doubt or fear, I found my way
For love came just in time
You found me just in time
And changed my lonely life that lovely day

Mm, I was lost, the losin’ dice were tossed
My bridges all were crossed, nowhere to go
Now you’re here and now I know just where I’m goin’
No more doubt or fear, I found my way
For love came just in time
You found me just in time
And changed my lonely life that lovely day

- Tony Bennett, “Just in Time”

How can we count on a rebound with UVA tonight?  For starters, they really aren’t that deep.  What you see is what you get with the Cavaliers.  They have two guys that handle the bulk of the scoring – shooting guard Sylven Landesberg at 18 PTS/GM, and power forward Mike Scott at 13 PTS/GM.  Other than those two key players, the offense is a bit of a crap shoot for UVA.  Maryland can let Landesberg and Scott get theirs, stay in control and contain the rest of the team, and that should be enough.

On the defensive side of the ball, much has been made of UVA’s “pack-line” scheme, which is basically man-to-man defense that allows for defenders to swarm to the ball if someone gets beat on the perimeter.  How do you beat the pack-line?  If you can play a solid inside-out game to draw defenders to the blocks and then shoot well from the outside, you can beat it fairly easily.  That should bode well for the Terps who tend to shoot well at home.

The Terps don’t want to take it slow tonight.  UVA will try to play coy and make the Terps work for their points.  Maryland needs come out aggressive, maybe even a little pushy, and press the issue.  The Terps need to force UVA to make quick, rash decisions in order to get what they want.  If Maryland can dictate the pace and keep things moving, they should be able to score a win against UVA before they get out of town tomorrow.

By Wednesday, this will all be history.  The Terps will be in North Carolina, and the Cavaliers will be back home where they belong.  But for tonight – just one night – Maryland needs UVA to be their rebound.  A quick win will make us all forget what happened Saturday with old what’s their name.

What was that?  Did I see a little smile?  See that, we’re starting to feel better already.