In their rich men's basketball histories, Duke and Maryland have both featured numerous All-Americans who carried their teams to championship status. Jerseys that once belonged to Joe Smith, Len Bias, Len Elmore and several others hang from the roof of Maryland's Cole Field House, while at Duke, fans reminisce about the glory days of Grant Hill, Danny Ferry and Art Heyman.
In their bout Sunday, however, neither the Blue Devils nor the Terrapins centered their game plan around a single player. Yet because of their ability to spread the wealth-not in spite of it--Duke and Maryland have established themselves as two of the top teams in America.
Last year, Maryland-picked by many to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title-slithered to a fifth-place finish. The Terrapins possessed more than adequate talent, but despite the presence of potential stars Duane Simpkins, Exree Hipp, Keith Booth and Johnny Rhodes, they played together poorly as a team and, by failing to leave their egos at the door, underachieved miserably.
This season, the Terps-having lost four of their top five players from the 1995-96 club that finished fifth-were slated by regional media to finish eighth in the nine-team ACC. So how have they stormed to a 17-2 start without a bona fide star?
"That's how you win-you don't need a star to win," said Terrell Stokes, Maryland's sophomore point guard. "How many stars did Duke have on that '92 team that won back-to-back national championships, and how many role players did they have? How many role players did UNLV have? You don't need a star."
Booth, now a senior, has developed into one of the top players in the ACC, but more through an outstanding work ethic than with natural talent. Sporting an average of 19 points and eight rebounds per game, Booth might merit the title of Maryland's go-to player. Yet in clutch situations, the Terps have turned as often to sophomores Laron Profit and Obinna Ekezie as to Booth. Profit hit the Terps' biggest shot so far this season, a buzzer-beating three-pointer that lifted Maryland to a 54-51 win at then-No. 2 Wake Forest, and Ekezie led the Terrapins' stunning 22-point second-half comeback at North Carolina with 21 points and eight rebounds.
"I think everyone on this team has stepped up in some category as a leader," Profit said. "We've all accepted that responsibility, and it has made us a much better team."
The Maryland youngsters credit their elder teammate with much of their success, as Booth has taught them the importance of hard work and a team-based effort.
"Keith Booth has made me a better player," Profit said. "He challenges me to get the best out of my abilities every night. He doesn't believe you're going to shoot great every night, he doesn't believe you're going to rebound great every night. He believes that if you play hard, good things will happen.
"He embodies that in the type of player he is. I've learned [from Booth] that things aren't always going to go your way-you're not always going to have 30, you're not always going to have 20-but if you play hard, good things will happen."
Maryland's stat sheet from Sunday afternoon's game a looked like an advertisement for the Communist party, with everyone working together, sharing the burden and fighting for a common cause. Six Terrapins scored at least eight points and played at least 20 minutes, but none scored more than 16. Five players grabbed at least four rebounds-none in double-figures-and all five starters recorded at least two assists. The Terps even made negative plays equally-four starters committed three turnovers apiece, while one (point guard Stokes, who handled the ball most often) registered four.
"We all like each other," Stokes said. "We like passing to each other. Whoever's open is going to get the open shot. We don't hold any grudges.
"If you hit the open man, if that man has the shot, he's going to take it. If he doesn't, he's going to pass it to someone else."
Perhaps more important than the club's well-distributed numbers was that several Maryland players made important plays down the stretch. Profit threw down two dunks in the final 4:08-one a brilliantly-athletic alley-oop slam over Duke's Carmen Wallace-and hit two free throws, and Booth scored a key basket to put Maryland up 70-67 with 1:25 left.
Stokes and junior guard Sarunas Jasikevicius both made their presence felt as well. Stokes contributed five points and an assist in the last five minutes, while Jasikevicius broke a 56-56 tie with a three and set up Profit's alley-oop.
Although Duke's side of the stat sheet showed slightly less parity than Maryland's, nine Blue Devils played at least 10 minutes, and eight scored at least four points. Roshown McLeod clearly led the Duke attack Sunday, with 22 points and 11 rebounds, but he was only the latest Blue Devil to step into the limelight. Six different players have led Duke in scoring at least once, and one who never has-Steve Wojciechowski-has been arguably the team's most valuable player.
With a stockpile of talent at his disposal, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has had to find a way to give 10 players adequate playing time this season. Those who have struggled have dropped into less prominent roles, and with his shooting percentage hovering around 35 percent during the first half of the season, Capel-a two-year captain expected to stand out as the Blue Devils' leader-has started just three of the squad's seven ACC games.
Rather than letting the demotion bring him down, Capel has adjusted successfully to it. He has elevated his level of play tremendously in the last five games, averaging 14.6 points, 3.2 assists and three rebounds while coming off the bench. He has shot exceptionally well in Duke's last two contests, hitting a combined 12-of-19 from the field and 5-of-8 from three-point range against N.C. State and Maryland. Not coincidentally, Duke has played some of its best basketball during Capel's hot stretch, burning conference rivals N.C. State and nearly beating the nation's No. 7 team on its home court.
When the Blue Devils trailed Maryland 72-67 with less than a minute remaining, Capel took responsibility on his own shoulders, leaping above Profit and firing in an off-balance three-pointer from the left corner. When a reporter questioned Capel's shot selection after the game, Krzyzewski argued that Capel was right to take the shot because of his incredible range.
"I think it was a pretty good shot," Krzyzewski said. "[Capel] hits shots like that. I thought it was a hell of a shot by a kid who has played great basketball for us, and it put us in a position where we had a chance to win."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.