This, for better or worse, is the biggest game at Maryland. Even the soccer game is the big game on campus. Maryland does not have a real rival, but we sure hate Duke.
I know that in the past it was NC State in the 70’s, then it was UNC into the 80’s. Who remembers Michael Jordan vs Len Bias? Lefty versus Dean Smith.? The reason some of us remember the phrase “Carolina Refs”?
The biggest game was the first time Carolina lost at the Dean Dome, it was Maryland who beat them.
Then came Duke. Maryland took them down to win the ACC Tournament in 1984. Into the mid-80’s the Maryland Duke rivalry began to build. But it took Gary Williams versus Rat Face to make it a red hot contest.
You all know the rest, Maryland pulled even with Duke in the 2000’s. It was the biggest rivalry in college basketball. And then, just like that, in the late 2000’s Maryland lost the magic. It came back for a little bit with Greivis, but it is gone again.
Now it could be Duke’s last trip to Comcast. It was great while it lasted. I am a bit upset about it, but it was over with the conference expansion that is coming in the ACC.
It's the end of an era my friend. While I am somewhat saddened by our departure from the ACC. I look forward to our new opportunities in the B1G. And we can still hate Duke just as much.