Melo Trimble Dazzles in Series Clinching Home Victory vs Spartans
Melo Trimble had the hot hand in the Maryland Terrapins 75-59 win against the Michigan State Spartans, and the Terps proved that their double overtime win against Michigan State in East Lansing was not a fluke.
Melo Trimble scored the first points of the game for the Terps with a three-ball. After a score by the Spartans, Jared Nickens drove the lane and scored. Early in the game, the Spartans took the lead, but the Terps got some help from Michal Cekovsky and Jake Layman. Layma then gave the Terps a 12-10 lead after he made a three pointer, a shot that has continued to be a bread and butter option for this offense.
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Layman’s hook shot gave them a 14-10 lead, and by the 10:12 mark, Michigan State had 5 team fouls. That worked to the Terps’ advantage, as they eventually got in the bonus due to their aggressiveness attacking the basket. Trimble got on a roll and did what he always does, score.
After his two free throws gave Maryland a 16-14 lead, he led an 8-0 run by driving the lane and making two three-point shots in succession. The score was 24-14 at that point and the three pointers kept coming. With under five minutes left to go in the first half, Melo Trimble had 16 points.
Jake Layman was producing at good rate as well; he was able to get in the paint, score and get to the free throw line. He made all of his attempts in the waning minutes.
The Terps kept pushing and their lead kept growing. They led by 14 at the half, 40-26. Trimble had 21 points, while Layman pitched in 13 points and six rebounds. The Terps were 6-11 from the three-point line and a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line.
Trimble ended the first half administering a mean crossover on Michigan State guard
and draining a three-pointer in the process, a play that impressed everyone in the Xfinity Center.
To start the second half,
hit two three pointers giving the Terps a 46-33 lead, but there was a scary moment for the Terps as Trimble hit the floor hard. He got up under his own power.
After that, it was just business as usual for the Terps; Dez Wells took a back door pass for a layup, giving the team a 50-37 lead with 14:21 to go in the game.
A central theme for the Terps offense was the three-point shot, just like it has been for most of the season, and that continued as Dez Wells drained another three ball giving the team a 53-37 lead followed by two Evan Smotrycz buckets.
At one point, the Terps led by 20 points, but the margin of victory was 16, as the final score was 75-59. Melo Trimble had 24 points and three assists while Jake Layman had 23 points, 12 rebounds and was 11-12 from the free throw line.
The story of the game was the freshman phenom Melo Trimble. It just seemed like in this game the basketball hoop got wider for him, and he was able to dominate Michigan State’s defense. The Terps needed to hold Travis Trice and Denzel Valentine in check and they succeeded; both players combined for only 14 points.