SUPER BOWL 2012

What Better Way to kick off the New Year ACC season than with a dominating win, over a good team . . . on the road!

That's exactly how the Terps opened their conference schedule tonight in Tallahassee. The 'Noles, who'd won the last two meetings with Maryland, were out-played, out-witted and out-lasted by the Terps, 91-70. As a result, the Maryland win-streak now grows to 14, and, more important, the Terps are 1-0 in conference play.

What a great team effort! Three Maryland players scored in the 20s: Super Soph Laurin Mincy tied for game-high scoring honors with 23 points, Super Soph (and reigning ACC Player of the Week) Alyssa Thomas finished with 21 points and 10 boards for a double-double, and Maryland Secret Service weapon Tianna Hawkins added 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds (obviously also a double-double). Anjale Barrett chipped in 12 to complete the Terps' double-digit scoring.

The BCs didn't see the game (we wish we had) -- we listened live, and thus were treated to the FSU announcers whining about the officiating, mixing up NCAA women's rules with men's rules, and checking football scores during timeouts, not realizing their mics were still on. (Not to mention comparing Lynetta Kizer in the paint to a "front end loader coming through a strip mine.") But this was still better than no live reports at all. With the Terps playing so well, we were just happy to hear the lead grow and grow and grow.

Up to now, Maryland's three real tests this season (Georgetown, Michigan and Delaware) have all come at home, which had us wondering whether there might be any drop off in performance when the Terps hit the road against a quality opponent. Well, certainly not tonight!

The last time that Maryland beat Florida State on the road was 2009, when Kristi Toliver's (way outside the arc) 3-pointer beat the 'Noles at the buzzer. Today's game didn't have that kind of drama, but that's OK with us. Buzzer-beaters are memorable and exciting, but there's no better way to start the ACC season than with a strong performance like the one the Terps delivered this evening.

Big Start. Big Win. Great way to open Conference play! Congratulations, Terps!

Next up: an 8:30 PM tip-off against Georgia Tech (who beat NC State in their ACC opener this evening) on Friday at Comcast.

Go Terps . . . Beat the Yellow Jackets!