Virginia Drops Final ACC Regular Season Game at Maryland, 75–69 in OT

If your afternoon went like mine, I'll see you at Bed Bath & Beyond to replace all the drinkware in your house.

It was that kind of frustrating game for Cavaliers fans as we watched our Hoos lose for the first time since January 13. After thirteen straight wins over conference opponents, the streak finally ended with a 75–69 overtime loss to our neighbors to the North.

Anthony Gill led Virginia with 15 points, including a short-range jumper with 0.5 seconds left to tie the game at 64 and send it to overtime. Malcolm Brogdon and Joe Harris both chipped in 12, and London Perrantes used a hot-shooting first half to log 14 points. Seth Allen scored 20 for Maryland and Dez Wells scored 18.

Virginia came out hot and opened up an early lead. Maryland clawed back into the game and trailed by only one at the half, 35–34. U.Va.'s shooting went cold in the early minutes of the second half as the Hoos didn't score for a span stretching over three minutes in length. But they kept Maryland within striking distance: the Terrapins opened up their biggest lead—8 points—with just over 16 minutes to play.

Down 45–37, it became Virginia's turn to dig its way out of trouble. A three by Harris at 8:32 put Virginia up 52–51, the last time the Hoos would lead.

Maryland's Jake Layman hit two free throws with four seconds remaining and put Maryland up 64–61. The Terrapins fouled Brogdon as he brought the ball up the court to keep Virginia from taking a three to tie. Brogdon hit the first (64–62) and intentionally missed the second. Maryland knocked the ball out of bounds on the rebound, and Perrantes lobbed a PERFECT inbounds to Gill who elevated and nailed a shot from the edge of the key.

In overtime, it was Layman's free-throw shooting that put the game away for Maryland. The Hoos looked out of sync for the entire extra period, allowing penetrating drives and missing open shots.

While the loss is disappointing, it's important to keep things in perspective.

• Virginia is still the #1 seed in the ACC Tournament.
• Virginia still won 16 conference games, our most ever
• Just as Tony and his staff used a disjointed, flat effort against Tennessee to set this juggernaut in motion, now they have another teachable moment—right before the games REALLY count.
• A conference opponent stormed the court after beating us.
• And no matter what, none of us have suffered the indignity of being Maryland fans.

The Hoos next take the court Friday at noon for their first game in the 2014 ACC Tournament.