BALTIMORE, Maryland, Sunday, January 8, 2017 - On the very same day that Jared Nickens re-emerged as Maryland's long-range shooting threat, the University of Maryland Men's Basketball Team scored a pivotal road win in the competitive Big Ten Conference, one of the toughest in the United States.
Nickens had seen his bench minutes grow and importance to the team chemistry shrink in a season of disappointment. And then, suddenly, and without warning, Michigan's Wolverines found out the Nickens story was quite probably a mirage. That wasn't Nickens on the bench, or, unlike prior games this season when he was, briefly, on the court, and missing everything he threw up, that wasn't Nickens missing those long and high-arcing three-point shots. No it was not.
Instead, Nickens was putting those games behind him and looking for the ball. That was Nickens catching in stride and jumping immediately into that gorgeous jumper of his. That was the Michigan crowd, that great big boisterous and sometimes obnoxious crowd, watching ever more silently as those long gorgeous shots caught nothing but net. Nickens took four of those long-range beauties, and each and every one of the four caught nothing but the bottom of the net.
That was Nickens, one of four Maryland players in double figures as the Terps ran past the Wolverines, 77-70, to become one of six conference teams with Big Ten Records of 2-1 or better. Instead of hearing talk of an off-year, similar to the junk on the chat rooms after Maryland lost that awful thing to upstart Nebraska in their own gym in College Park last Sunday, that was Maryland right back in the conference champion conversation.
As the weekend came to a close, not one Big Ten school was undefeated in conference play. Nebraska, Michigan State and Purdue were 3-1, while Maryland, Wisconsin and Minnesota were 2-1. Northwestern, Iowa and Penn State were just behind at 2-2, and each of those three had scored upset wins, if any win is an upset this season. Northwestern went into Nebraska on Sunday and dealt the Cornhuskers their first Big Ten loss, 74-66. On Saturday, Penn State did the same thing to Michigan State, beating the visiting Spartans, 72-63. Purdue's only conference loss was on its home floor a week ago in a game against Minnesota. Wisconsin's Big Ten setback was at Purdue, today, 66-56.
Maryland returns to action on its home floor Tuesday night when preseason conference favorite Indiana comes to call. The Hoosiers are so intimidating to teams in the Big Ten that they have been beat in two of their three outings, so far. And both of their losses were at home, to Wisconsin and Nebraska. Imagine.
Burnley and Sunderland to Replay FA Cup Third Round Duel After Battling to Draw Saturday at Stadium of Light
On January 17 Burnley and Sunderland will collide for the third time this month, and for the second time in about two weeks, this one will be at Turf Moor. This, after the Claret and Sunderland played to a scoreless draw in front of just 18,000 at the Stadium of Light, where Sunderland has been averaging some 40,000 fans for its Premier League matches.
Burnley Coach Sean Dyche started Nick Hope in the goal after Tom Heaton's spectacular effort in a losing cause at Manchester City last Tuesday. All Hope did was put up a shut out, including an outstanding save on Jack Rodwell's shot for Sunderland. Hope somehow tipped Rodwell's shot over the bar, keeping the match scoreless, according to BBC and media reports.
Meanwhile, Burnley will be back to the Premier League matches come Saturday, January 14 when they host tenth place Southampton. Match Time is 3 pm in Lancashire. Burnley is just behind the visitors in 12th place, and a win allows the Claret to leap over Southampton. Burnley has 23 points to Southampton's 24.
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