Game Recaps | Baltimore Sports Report

Maryland At Miami Report Card: Terps Lose Thriller in 2 OTs

By Gregg Cobert, on February 2nd, 2012

umterps.com

For a lot of the game it looked like this might be the same Terps team that fans have seen all year. However, Maryland (13-8, 3-4) showed they had some fight still in them. The whole evening in Coral Gables went exactly as Miami would want it to go as they lead 62-46 with 7:09 but the Terps closed regulation on a 23-7 run to send it to overtime. They even had a chance to win with a Terrell Stoglin 3 at the buzzer that rimmed out. In the first overtime, the Terps had a brief lead at 72-71 but Miami was able to answer and the teams closed the first overtime tied at 76. In the second overtime, the Hurricanes (13-7, 4-3) scored the first 7 points and were able to hold off the Terps 90-86. Let’s get to the report card.

Nick Faust B
Faust was the starter in name only as his production and minutes were similar to what he has done off the bench. He had some bright spots and I love his ability to grab a steal for the team (he finished with 3). Faust’s shooting has also improved over the last few games as well which is a good sign. READ MORE >>>

Duke At Maryland Report Card: Rinse, Lather, Repeat Edition

By Gregg Cobert, on January 26th, 2012

There was a lot of emotion in the Comcast Center with the court being named in honor of Gary Williams tonight. The Terps played strong again for 30 minutes and had the lead by 3 points with 8 minutes to play. However, the Terps went through 2 separate cold spells of not having a field goal for over 3 minutes which sealed their fate. They could not help themselves either as they were 3-10 from the line in the 2nd half. Maryland (12-7, 2-3) fell 74-61 to the Blue Devils (17-3, 5-1). The main problem for the Terps was the fact they could not stop Mason Plumlee as he had 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists. Let’s get to the report card.

Pe’Shon Howard B+
Howard had a very good all around game with 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. He was aggressive looking for his shot and also looking to find teammates for shots. It might have been his best game since coming back from the broken foot. READ MORE >>>

Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 23-20 loss to the Patriots

By Matt Lund, on January 22nd, 2012

In a match-up of two teams with very contrasting styles of play, the AFC’s #2 seeded Baltimore Ravens traveled north to take on the #1 seed New England Patriots for the AFC Championship.

The Ravens played the role of spoiler before, handing the Patriots a 33-14 loss at Gillette Stadium in the 2009 wild card playoffs, but that particular match-up was different than this one.

The Patriots didn’t have a young duo of TE’s in Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. They also didn’t have Wes Welker, who was injured during the Patriots playoff run that year.

Still that did not faze the Ravens as they confused and frustrated Patriots QB Tom Brady in the game, much like they did in 2009. The Ravens defense picked off Brady twice and sacked him once.

The Ravens had an offensive and defensive game plan that on most afternoons contributes to a Ravens victory. Despite that however, it came down to the right foot of kicker Billy Cundiff to tie the game and send it to overtime when Cundiff missed a 32-yard field goal wide left giving the Patriots the 23-20 victory and an AFC Championship in front of the home crowd. READ MORE >>>

Report Card: Maryland@Temple– 3 Barrage Dooms Terps

By Gregg Cobert, on January 21st, 2012

The Terps had an opportunity game to pick up a quality non conference road win. However, Roman was pretty close in his final score prediction of the game. The Terps hung close for most of the game and had the game down to one at 57-56 but were outscored 16-4 in the final 5:16 and lost the game 73-60. The telling stat for the game was the score from three point range. Temple won 27-12. Let’s get to the report card.

Pe’Shon Howard B
Mark Turgeon asked him to look for his offense more and today he found some. He finished with 15 points and was much more aggressive looking for his shot. It was good to see. However, it seems like it is a Catch 22. If he gets his offense, his assist numbers suffer and vice versa. I don’t know if a balance exists.

Terrell Stoglin B
Stoglin finished with 20 points again and added 2 assists and 3 rebounds. However, there were moments during the game as Temple built the lead that he didn’t touch the ball on offensive possessions. It’s great to see the Terps try and get others involved in the offense but as the team is struggling, you have to turn to the ACC’s leading scorer. READ MORE >>>

Report Card: Seminoles/Terps– Dulkys Keys FSU Run For Win

By Gregg Cobert, on January 18th, 2012

Maryland (12-5, 2-2) stayed close with Florida State (12-6, 3-1) for the first half and even had the lead with 17:18 to go. However, a couple of threes by Deividas Dulkys led the Seminoles on a run to put the team up 61-45. The Terps were unable to recover and suffered their second ACC loss. The game reminded me of the fight between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort. Everything is going fine, and then WHAM!!! lights out (begin at 2:10 mark). Let’s check out the report card.

Pe’Shon Howard C
4 points, 4 assists. He floated through the game and never made a mark on the game. Pe’Shon is such a solid passer and the team runs so much smoother when he gets the ball to teammates in their spots.

Terrell Stoglin A
Stoglin was a beast again tonight scoring 27 points but he also contributed in other ways adding 4 assists and 3 boards. He came to play but could never get another running mate to go with him. As a player this year, his decision making and growth has been a pleasure to watch. If only the Terps could find a Scottie. READ MORE >>>

Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 20-13 victory over Houston

By Matt Lund, on January 16th, 2012

The Baltimore Ravens returned to the friendly confines of M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon, fresh off a much-needed bye week, taking on a hungry and determined Houston Texans squad primed to make it to their first ever AFC Championship Game.

The Ravens held off a Texans rushing attack, led by RB Arian Foster who carried the ball 27 times for 132 yards and a touchdown. The name of the game however was turnovers and the Ravens had four takeaways total – two in the final eight minutes of regulation- to secure the 20-13 victory over Houston in front of a loud crowd of 71,547 at “The Bank” (the largest crowd in Ravens history) and advancing to their second trip to the AFC Championship game in four years under head coach John Harbaugh.

Winning the turnover battle and time of possession were keys to victory in the game, but important because the first two turnovers, all in the 1st quarter, led to both of the Ravens touchdowns on the day. Using the bye week to prepare, the Ravens appeared focused, not committing a single penalty in the game – a first in Baltimore Ravens history – and not turning the ball over once themselves.

The Ravens will travel to Foxboro to take on the New England Patriots for the AFC Championship on Sunday, January 22nd at 3:00 pm. The last time the Ravens traveled to Gillette Stadium, they trounced the Patriots 33-14 in the 2009 AFC Wildcard Playoffs. READ MORE >>>

Report Card: Georgia Tech/Maryland– Early 2nd Half Surge Fuels Terps

By Gregg Cobert, on January 16th, 2012

Last night, the Terps struggled shooting in the first half as did the Yellow Jackets. However, the Terps (12-4, 2-1) led by Terrell Stoglin went on an early run in the second half to go up 10 points. The Jackets (8-9, 1-2) did make runs to try and close the gap but were never able to take the lead again as the Terps won 61-50. The Terps were able to get key baskets from Sean Mosley down the stretch and James Padgett’s offensive rebounding were keys. The Terps again needed to hold their home court and pick up a victory over a weaker team and they did. Let’s get to the report card.

Pe’Shon Howard B-
Pe’Shon looked for his offense last night and was successful finding it. He was more aggressive taking shots and made a three point shot in the first half. Mark Turgeon was wanting Pe’Shon to average 10 points a game and be more aggressive looking for his offense. He did a very good job with that but now he just needs to convert a higher percentage and hold onto the ball as he had five turnovers and only 1 assist. READ MORE >>>

Report Card: Maryland @ NC State

By Gregg Cobert, on January 8th, 2012

Sunday night the Terps played against the Wolfpack in Raleigh. The Terps had won nine straight games over State and the last time the Wolfpack won was February 7, 2006. However, the Terps were unable to secure the victory falling 79-74 after a monster game from CJ Leslie with 20 points, 11 boards and 2 steals. Let’s get to the Terps report card:

Pe’Shon Howard: B
Although Howard is still getting his legs under him following the broken leg, he had a really good game directing the team and getting the team quality shots. In the first half on back to back possessions, he was able to set up both Nick Faust and Mychal Parker for threes. He significantly improves the team’s ball movement. However, there were a few opportunities where he drove the lane and had a quality shot and passed it up. READ MORE >>>

Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 24-16 victory over Cincinnati

By Matt Lund, on January 2nd, 2012

Looking to secure their first AFC North Division Championship since 2006 with a victory, the Baltimore Ravens traveled to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in front of a mostly-Bengal crowd that had trouble selling out the game earlier in the week. Not to mention, a loyal legion of Ravens fans making the trip to the Queen City for the New Year’s Day tilt, but also by Pittsburgh Steelers fans who made the trip to Cincinnati - buying up a number of tickets the Bengals could not sell to their own fans – hell bent on seeing the possibility of the Ravens choking away their grasp of the division lead.

But it was never to be.

The Ravens went to their strength, running the football effectively and the defense made stops when called upon, leading to a 24-16 victory at Paul Brown Stadium in front of 63,439 fans. The game felt like a playoff game and the Ravens treated it as such, clinching their third AFC North title in team history. The Ravens secured the much-needed first-round bye and a home playoff game - a first in the John Harbaugh era - something that both he and Ravens players stated before the season was important to them. READ MORE >>>

Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 20-14 victory over Cleveland

By Matt Lund, on December 25th, 2011

The Baltimore Ravens entered their final home game of the 2011 season looking to make franchise history against their divisional opponent, the Cleveland Browns. The chance to wrap up the home schedule with an 8-0 record hung in the balance, giving them the distinction of becoming the first team in the 16-year history of the franchise to finish with a perfect home record. The Ravens wanted to deliver not only an early Christmas present to the fans on Christmas Eve, but also to send a message to not be counted out after the loss to the San Diego Chargers.

The Ravens breezed through the first half leading 17-0 as the Cleveland Browns showcased some of the worst coaching and mis-managing of the game clock in NFL history. The Ravens were aided by the Browns having exactly zero timeouts when they received the ball back for the final time of the 1st half. Driving the distance of the field, Browns RB Peyton Hillis was stopped for no gain at the 3-yard line and without a timeout, the Browns and their head coach Pat Shurmur could only watch in disbelief as time expired in the half.

With the way the Browns had played in the 1st half, one would think the airplane taking the team back to Cleveland would be fired up and on stand-by at BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport, but they actually made a game out of it and the Ravens at times, seemed to almost want the Browns to get back into the game.

Very questionable play-calling and lack of execution by the Ravens in the 2nd half and a couple of long drives by Cleveland brought the Browns to within six points after TE Evan Moore caught a six-yard TD from QB Seneca Wallace to cut the Ravens lead to 20-14. The Ravens bent all game, but didn’t break as they looked at a 4th and 2 at the Cleveland 37-yard line. True to form, the Browns promptly shot themselves in the foot that held open the door of opportunity in this game.

After Joe Flacco barked out a few hard counts, somehow he lured Browns’ defensive tackle Phil Taylor off-sides on a play the Ravens were never actually going to get off. The penalty gave the Ravens a first down and after running out the clock on the next three plays, gave them a 20-14 victory, their eighth straight win against Cleveland in front of 71,083 fans at M&T Bank Stadium.

Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 34-14 loss to San Diego

By Matt Lund, on December 19th, 2011

The Baltimore Ravens packed up their playoff hopes and dreams and headed west to a not-so-warm San Diego to face the Chargers on Sunday night. Before the start of the game, because of losses by the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders, the Ravens locked in their 4th-straight appearance in the NFL playoffs; a franchise record. But after that news, little went right for a team with so much on the line and destiny laying in the palm of their collective hands.

A win over San Diego would have kept the Ravens one step ahead of divisional rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North division as well as the potential of having the top seed in the AFC Playoffs with home field advantage. But those dreams, at least after Week 15, came crashing down in the Ravens 34-14 loss to the Chargers at Snapdragon Stadium.

The Ravens were thoroughly out-worked by the Chargers in all facets of this game: Offensively, defensively and coaching. San Diego didn’t roll over and play dead just because their opponent had stamped a ticket to the playoffs before this game even started. In fact, that may have given the Chargers some extra pep in their step because they themselves were not out of the AFC Playoff picture with a 6-7 record.

Road games in December are extremely important to a team aspiring to be champions and now may be the only way this team gets to the Super Bowl. There’s enough talent on both sides of the ball to still get there, but simply put, the Ravens must take care of business the rest of the way and hope for a slip-up by the Steelers on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers.

Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 24-10 victory over Indianapolis

By Matt Lund, on December 12th, 2011

When the National Football League released its 2011-12 schedule in early April, the 13^th game of the season was marked on the calendar for both the Ravens and the fans in a number of ways.

The game gave Ravens fans another opportunity to voice their disapproval of that team from Indianapolis who left Baltimore for good on a snowy night in March of 1984. Another reason being the potential magnitude of the game itself and also the star power each team boasts. The Ravens heart and soul at LB Ray Lewis and Colts QB Peyton Manning on the opposite side. A late season, cold-weather, road-test in a noisy M&T Bank Stadium had both teams dreaming of playoff implications.

But going into this game, those things did not come to fruition. Both Lewis and Manning sat out the game because of their respective injuries. It was safe to say network TV execs weren’t exactly salivating about a Jameel McClain vs. Dan Orlovsky match-up. READ MORE >>>

Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 24-10 victory over Cleveland

By Matt Lund, on December 5th, 2011

The Baltimore Ravens have had their share of head-scratching defeats on the road this season, but leading up to the match-up in Cleveland, all week the theme was not letting those prior losses creep into the collective psyche of the team. The thought of another trap game weighed heavily on the minds of fans as well, but the Ravens were determined to distance themselves from those ugly losses and prove their worth as one of the top teams in the AFC.

On a rainy and cold afternoon in Cleveland, the Ravens needed to take care of business against a team they had defeated six straight times, including three straight on the road. They did exactly that with a tough, ground and pound style that Cleveland had absolutely no answer for. The 24-10 victory for Baltimore is their third straight victory and also their third road victory of the season, critical wins to have at this point of the season.

Grading the Ravens 24-10 victory over Cleveland
READ MORE >>>

Class 3A State Championship Recap: River Hill vs. Thomas Johnson

By Edgar Walker, on December 3rd, 2011

River Hill (Howard County) vs. Thomas Johnson (Frederick County)

Maryland Class 3A Championship

December 3, 2011

M&T Bank Stadium

Winner: River Hill

Score: 41-13

Game Notes:

River Hill wins their third state title in the last five years (2007, 2008, 2011).
Thomas Johnson commited nine turnovers. The Patriots lost six fumbles, and quarterback Heath Dahlgren threw three interceptions.
Raamah Vaughn scored three rushing touchdowns and Aaron Wells added two for River Hill, with the two players combining for 274 total yards on the ground (Wells 173, Vaughn 101).
River Hill running back Evan Griffin accumulated 141 total yards, and scored one rushing touchdown (28 pass, 32 rush, 33 rec, 48 return).
Brandan Berney was the lone bright spot for Thomas Johnson, scoring two touchdowns and rushing for 84 yards on 19 carries.

Class 3A State Championship: River Hill vs. Thomas Johnson (LIVE UPDATES)

By Edgar Walker, on December 3rd, 2011

The final state championship game of the weekends sees the River Hill Hawks (Howard County) take on the Thomas Johnson Patriots (Frederick County) for the Class 3A championship. The Hawks enter with an 11-2 record, while the Patriots come into the game at 10-3.

I’ll use this space to post periodic updates during the game, mostly relating to scoring plays, but also just to post general thoughts and analysis. For more frequent updates, follow me on Twitter.

Final Score: River Hill 41, Thomas Johnson 13. This one was all River Hill in the second half, as they outscored TJ 28-6 in the second frame. The Patriots did not help themselves whatsoever, committing nine turnovers in the contest.