Maryland point guard Pe'Shon Howard was asked by a reporter after the Duke game whether there was any solace to be had from staying close to the Blue Devils for most of the game.
It was evident from Howard's unchanging expression that the answer was "no."
"It has been our trademark the past few years (to stay close but not win)," he said. "Maybe it would have meant something last year but not anymore. It means something when you turn around and win. Staying close to three or four (minutes left) doesn't get you into the tournament."
To coach Mark Turgeon, there is consolation from watching his team get better over time. It kills him to lose. But, at the same time, he believes his young team is on an upward arc,
"We're getting better," Turgeon said. "If you could have been in Puerto Rico (in November), you would have never thought that we could play like we're playing right now. So we're getting there. We have to give them (the Blue Devils ) credit. They are physical and I think they got a lot of breaks tonight and they create their own breaks, too."
For Maryland, it was TMP -- too many Plumlees.