ENGELKE: Close, yet so far for Terps in latest tough loss

DURHAM, N.C. - The Terrapin men's basketball team had a chance to win last night's game against Duke. Make no doubt about it.

But chances like those the Terps had in a 71-64 defeat to the Blue Devils still count as just that — a defeat.

It's a promising sign the Terps can play with some of the nation's top teams. But in the interests of their regular season record and postseason prospects, they will need to start doing more than just keeping the score close.

The Terps' five losses this year – against Pittsburgh, Illinois, Temple, Boston College and Duke – have come by a combined 27 points, or 5.4 points per game.

"It's frustrating," forward Jordan Williams said. "It's really frustrating. You keep playing these top teams close, man, you got to get over that hump and start beating them."

Williams is right. Great teams win close games. Duke proved it deserves the nation's No. 1 ranking last night by finishing strong and ending any chance of an upset with clutch baskets as time was running out. When the Blue Devils flourished late in the game, scoring on second chances and capitalizing on free throws, the Terps faltered by missing easy jumpers and taking bad shots.

"We should've won the game," guard Cliff Tucker said. "We came up close, but we lost. We got to figure out how to get past these close games."

So how exactly do the Terps do that?

"I don't know yet," Williams said. "I don't really know the answer. It's just more of a whole team thing than anything else. We just got to continue to play together and continue to get better."

The stark contrast in quality of play down the stretch shows why, come Selection Sunday, Duke will be in line for its second straight NCAA championship while the Terps linger on the bubble, wondering if they will see their name in the 68-team field.

"I think Duke is the best team in the country," coach Gary Williams said.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the Terps and Blue Devils is experience – or lack thereof. Duke boasts a senior-laden lineup led by Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, who combined to score 43 points last night. The Terps' most battle-tested player, meanwhile, is the sophomore Williams, whose success on the court will undoubtedly determine just how far the Terps go this season.

"[Singler and Smith] have national championship experience, which separates them from the other seniors in the country," Gary Williams said. "They're both excellent shooters. They don't tire, which is one of the great things about them. They're very difficult to defend."

The Terps do look like a better team than they were in November, but they still have room to grow. If it weren't for one of their better defensive performances of the season, last night's game would have been a blowout, and Williams can take solace in that.

But the coach, in his 22nd year at the helm, also realizes that improvements are desperately needed.

"I was proud of my team tonight. We came in with the intensity level necessary to compete against Duke here, and we did some good things," Williams said. "I thought we played pretty well for quite a few periods in the game. You just can't afford to make any mistakes as the game goes on."

The Terps put up a good showing, but effort alone doesn't win games. Until they start showing they know just how to do that, "close, but not quite" will remain the refrain of the season.

jengelke@umdbk.com