Associated Press
COLLEGE PARK, Md. ó Maryland trailed at halftime against Michigan when coach Gary Williams scolded his players for their lack of effort.
Williams was addressing everyone, but Greivis Vasquez ó the unquestioned team leader ó took it personally.
“I was really listening to what he was saying because I thought he was talking to me,” the junior guard said. “I’ve got to lead the team. If those guys don’t want to go hard, I’m going to go hard so they can follow my lead.”
With Vasquez showing the way, the Terrapins pulled out a 75-70 victory Wednesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
Vasquez had 23 points, a career-high 12 rebounds and six assists, game-high totals in every category. The Venezuela native also had three of Maryland’s five steals and committed only one turnover in 35 minutes.
“In my country there is a saying, it’s kind of like, ‘If you’re the man, if you’re the big guy, you just got to be the big guy,”‘ Vasquez said. “I was the best today and we got the win.”
Eric Hayes scored 13, and Landon Milbourne and David Neal each had 12 for the Terrapins (5-2), who improved to 7-3 overall and 5-0 at home in the annual matchup between teams from the ACC and Big Ten.