Maryland’s 95-86 loss to #3 Villanova last night was more disappointing than I thought it would be. While the smart money was never on a Terps W, they were really hanging with Nova, and an A-game effort could have netted the upset. But it wasn’t to be. To the points:

1. It’s a broken record for this team. They only play well when the pressure is off. Pressure back on, they cinch up again. Why does this team NEED to be the underdog? Where’s all this heart I keep hearing about? They will need to break a few serves in ACC play if they want to make the tourney.
2. The pivotal stretch came with about 14 minutes left. Hayes cut the lead to three, and we had three straight possessions to try and get it down to one or tie it. But they slopped it up all three times and couldn’t do it. Airways were checked and cleared, but it was too late.
3. Vasquez’s “slow start” has now morphed into blatant underperformance. He’s now shooting 32 percent on the season. Here he finished 3-9, including two misses in the aforementioned crucial stretch. He added 7 assts, but committed 7 turnovers and 5 fouls.
4. I’m not in Vasquez’s brain, but from the comfy armchair in my basement, it seems he ups the degree of difficulty on every play for no discernible reason. He’ll barrell into the lane, draw double coverage, leap into the air, look one way, careen off balance, then float a no-look soap bubble over to an unsuspecting (and guarded) teammate. Dude: just send a bounce pass next time.
5. Villanova finished with 16 made threes — one short of the school record. Maryland switched to zone and cooled them off in the second half (first half they hit 11 of 22), but the word is out: the three-point shot is available against the Terps.
6. It came against a lineup heavy on guards and missing its top post player, but Jordan Williams’ 19-and-12 (including 9-13 FT) effort was his best as a Terp.
7. Nova forward Antonio Pena did a good job shutting down Landon Milbourne.
8. No one did a good job shutting down Sean Mosely. That guy is getting better every game and it’s fun to watch.
9. Congratulations to Jin Soo Choi for coaxing in a wide-open layup — his first field goal of the season. Dino Who?
10. Another year, another disappointing non-conference record. Here’s hoping they take care of business against Eastern Kentucky, Winston-Salem State, Florida Atlantic, William and Mary, and UNC Greensboro. It sucks that I even have to hope that.

(Photo Credit: Tracy A. ”Bob’s Daughter?” Woodward/the Washington Post Photo)