Duke needed every ounce of energy Wednesday night in Chapel Hill to eke out a thrilling victory over North Carolina that might propel the Blue Devils to an ACC regular-season title. But would they have enough left in the tank to beat back upset-minded Maryland?
Miles Plumlee had that covered.
Against the undersized Terrapins, Miles Plumlee had his way in the post, finishing with a career-high 22 rebounds to go with 13 points. He played a season-high 28 minutes as Maryland couldn’t find any answer for him or his brother, Mason, who also reached double figures in rebounding with 10.
Miles Plumlee’s performance on the glass was so dominant that the senior grabbed one of every three rebounds. In a game in which both teams struggled to shoot, Plumlee’s domination was critical to helping the Blue Devils avoid a letdown loss at home to another team that hates their guts.
Don’t be fooled – the transition from the Gary Williams era to Mark Turgeon’s regime doesn’t mean Maryland fans and players hate Duke any less. The overmatched Terrapins desperately wanted to win this game, and they were ready to fight for the win. Plumlee fought even harder.
With Plumlee leading the charge, Duke got 21 offensive rebounds, and the Blue Devils ended up with 14 more shot attempts than Maryland. With the Blue Devils’ strong three-point shooting, those extra opportunities helped fuel the team’s 73-55 win, a score that doesn’t accurately reflect how close Maryland kept the game until the final minutes of the second half.
Miles Plumlee’s career day is the type of performance that coach Mike Krzyzewski implored his team to deliver last weekend following the home loss to Miami, after which Coach K publicly bemoaned his team’s lack of energy. There’s no doubt after this week that the team has responded – and that’s partially what makes Coach K a legend in the coaching establishment.
Depending on the night, Duke can turn to different players to rise above the competition to deliver a blow that will send the opponent to the floor. Austin Rivers did it Wednesday with his dagger from deep to win it, capping a ridiculous 29-point performance in his first game of the Devils/Heels rivalry. Miles Plumlee followed that up with his amazing performance against the Terps.
If Duke keeps the energy rolling, the Blue Devils have a fantastic shot to claim another ACC title.
