Dec 3, 2002

By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana needed a third chance to finally beat Maryland.

Eight months after losing to the Terrapins in the national championship game and minutes after having a potential game-winning midcourt heave by Steve Blake waved off, the 10th-ranked Hoosiers beat No. 9 Maryland 80-74 on Tuesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

For much of the game, it looked like a replay of April's championship. Indiana relied on its outside shooting and struggled. Maryland (4-1) again went with its inside power.

But this time Hoosiers guard Tom Coverdale was healthy. Coverdale, who scored just eight points after being hobbled by a badly sprained left ankle in April, matched his career-high with 30 points in leading the Hoosiers back from a 14-point first-half deficit.

Blake had 22 points for Maryland and Ryan Randle had 20. Blake's most important shot, however, didn't count.

With 7.1 seconds to go, Indiana freshman Sean Kline made one of two free throws to tie the score at 68. Indiana got the rebound and took two shots, but when Coverdale's errant 3-pointer bounced to midcourt, Blake picked it up, heaved it and made the basket as the buzzer sounded.

The three officials immediately went to the scorer's table, viewed a replay, huddled near midcourt with both coaches and then waved the basket off.

Indiana took advantage of its last chance to avenge April's loss.

After trailing 72-69 with 3:36 to go, Jeff Newton's putback with 2:31 to go gave Indiana a 73-72 lead. Kline followed with a layup and Marshall Strickland hit a 3-pointer to make it 78-74. Kline hit two free throws with 7.4 seconds left to seal the win.