Maryland Earns Sweet 16 Spot With Win Over Hawaii; Refs Do Number On Stephen F. Austin in Loss to Notre Dame; Baseball: Shaffer's Complete Game Shutout Gives Maryland Series Win At Cal State - Fullerton

BALTIMORE, Maryland March 22, 2016 - Trimble, Stone Lead Terps Past Hawaii and Into Sweet 16
It has been 13 long years since Maryland last played in the Sweet 16.  Now, the wait is over.  Maryland got 24 points from Melo Trimble, 14 from Diamond Stone, including 10 in the first half after Hawaii had jumped out to a 13-6 lead, and a dominant defensive performance from Rasheed Sulaimon to emerge victorious from the Spokane, Washington regional and earn the right to play No. 1 Kansas on Thursday in Louisville, Kentucky.  

Notre Dame Gets Officials' Assistance in "Win" Over Stephen F. Austin
The three men with the most Irish Spirit on Sunday were the three referees, and that spelled defeat for upstart Stephen F. Austin.  The Lumberjacks had the lead late when the officials went to work, bailing out outplayed Notre Dame and handing them a most undeserved victory.  The problem was evident throughout the game, and the three Notre Dame Officials did what Bob Huggins and West Virginia could not do on Friday night: get Lumberjack Star Thomas Walkup in foul trouble.  But Walkup and Brad Harwood, the Lumberjack coach, handled the problem deftly and Walkup remained on the floor for most of the game.  Twice, however, he was forced to stand by while Notre Dame players shot lay-ups. 

Baseball: Shaffer Complete Game Shutout Gives Maryland Weekend Series Win
Brian Shaffer threw a Complete Game Shutout and Madison Nickens' double in the power alley in the sixth inning plated Justin Morris, who had walked, enabling Maryland to beat back Cal State - Fullerton, 1-0, and win the weekend series, two games to one.  With the Big Ten Season set to begin next Friday, Maryland won the series against the No. 23 Titans despite losing the opening game on a walk-off homerun in the tenth inning.  On Saturday, Taylor Bloom threw a second straight complete game and Freshman Marty Costes homered twice to pace the Terps to an 8-4 win.  

Shaffer struck out five and scattered seven hits in a start he needed but 99 pitches to finish.   Maryland improved to 9-10.  They now return home for a single game against Liberty on Tuesday evening, before leaving for Iowa and the three game series with the Hawkeyes beginning Friday.

Once Stephen F. Austin took a five point lead late, the officials really went to work.  First, they overlooked an obvious double-dribble that allowed Notre Dame to maintain possession and score a pivotal basket.  Then they called an over the back foul on SFA that wasn't a foul at all.  Both calls were embarassing and wrong.  In neither case did the two officials not making the call discuss the call with the official who blew the call.  

The game was very close throughout.  Notre Dame held the lead longer than did the Lumberjacks, but the jacks rallied late behind Walkup.  Up five, Walkup took a long three shot to attempt to put the game away, but missed.  He also missed late when the game was in the balance.