A Local Rivalry Renewed – Maryland vs. Georgetown
Written by DCist Contributor Brett Gellman
While Rivalry Week in the world of college football is getting most of the media attention, several early season tournaments are underway in college hoops.
The Old Spice Classic is one of the more noteworthy events due to its loaded field of participants -- which include local powerhouses Georgetown and Maryland. Since the Terps fell to Gonzaga and the Hoyas lost to Tennessee on Saturday, these two storied teams will meet tonight in the tournament's consolation game at 5:30pm on ESPN2.
Who knew a third place game would be so exciting all of a sudden?
Before 1980, Georgetown and Maryland used to play each other every season. But excluding their meeting in the 2001 Sweet Sixteen, Maryland and Georgetown have not played each other in more than 15 years, despite their campuses being just 12 miles apart. The Terrapins pulled off the victory seven years ago and marched their way towards the program's first Final Four. That meeting was the first time the two teams had squared off against one another since 1993.
Many fans recall that game in 1993 as the turning point for Maryland basketball following the aftermath of the Len Bias tragedy. On the night after Thanksgiving, the Terps faced the 15th ranked Hoyas in a nationally-televised game at the now-defunct US Air Arena in Landover, Georgetown's off-campus home. Terps forward Duane Simpkins made the game-winning lay-up with 3.5 seconds left in overtime, earning Maryland head coach Gary Williams his first marquee win as coach of his alma mater.
It is a shame that only a select series of events in Orlando has given us this desired matchup instead of it being an annual event of some sort. The topic has been discussed many times as to why these teams have not played since. The Hoyas were supposed to play at Cole Field House the following season after the '93 upset, but things got muddled in the process and the rivalry halted. Georgetown has also never played in the BB&T Classic since its inception in 1995, a tournament which has featured essentially every other local program in the area, from George Washington to Howard.
Obviously, some things have changed -- the Hoyas have dominated the local scene as of late, while the Terps have failed to reach the NCAA Tournament three out of the last four years. Tonight, however, both sets of fans can rejoice in seeing this local rivalry renewed, at least for one evening.