If there were a class on how to hit clutch shots, Maurice Maxwell would be an apt teaching assistant.
In the Massachusetts men’s basketball team’s 64-60 victory over visiting Birmingham Southern, Maxwell hit two of the biggest shots of the contest en route to an impressive 17-point game. Even more astounding was his accuracy behind the arch where he went 4 for 6 for the evening.
Maxwell, who is usually a defense-minded player, capped off an impressive first half for UMass with a last second 3-pointer which put the Maroon and White up 40-26.
With time running down, Maxwell created his own shot on the top left corner of the arch. He pulled up, faded back, and before the ball hit the floor he was in the air, arms raised with an ear to ear grin for the whole crowd to see.
The 3-pointer was an integral part of the Minutemen’s success sin the first half as they scored 21 of their first half points from behind the arch.
The Panthers, however, made a defensive alteration, switching from a zone to man-to man pressure in hopes of shutting down the outside game.
It worked.
For the majority of the second half, UMass couldn’t hit anything. Its field goal percentage dropped dramatically from an astounding 55 percent in the first half, to a lowly 22 percent in the second.
“I thought that the only difference in the second half was that we didn’t make shots that we were making the in first half we didn’t make in the second half,” Lappas said.
When it wasn’t working from the outside, Lappas had the Minutemen work it in to Rashaun Freeman and Staphane Lasme. Foul trouble, however, caused both to be relegated to the bench for a majority of the period.
The Panthers brought it back, took the lead, and it appeared that UMass was heading towards a collapse of colossal proportions. Just as the going got tough, Maxwell got his hands on the ball again and gave the Minutemen the momentum they desperately needed.
With 4:30 left in the game, the ball was stuck around the perimeter and the shot clock was in the waning seconds. Maxwell got the ball, this time on the top right, and nailed a three as the buzzer sounded, sending the 3,122 fans in attendance into frenzy.
“I think Maxwell hit a three in the second half when they were having a difficult time.” Birmingham Southern coach Duane Reboul said. “That kind of ignited them and allowed them to get back into a groove.”
Maxwell was quick to mention how pleased he was with the shot, but also knew he had to focus his excitement and stay with the flow of the game.
“I was happy, you know, but then I knew I had to get back on D [defense].” Maxwell said. “Everybody wants to hit big shots but when you hit one, you know you wanted to hit it but you’re still like, ‘Yea!’ you know?”