INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Tom Coverdale gained a measure of revenge for Indiana in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
Coverdale matched a career high with 30 points as the 11th-ranked Hoosiers survived a wild finish in regulation and posted an 80-74 overtime victory over No. 8 Maryland in a rematch of last season's national championship.
"Coverdale is the most underrated player in the country," Hoosiers coach Mike Davis said. "Don't count him out. No matter who he faces, he always beats them out. I don't know how you can recruit a Tom Coverdale. You can't measure his heart.
Indiana (5-0) misfired on 20 of its first 23 shots and trailed by as many as 14 points but battled back and had a chance to win on the final possession of regulation. Coverdale launched a long 3-pointer that missed badly and Maryland point guard Steve Blake picked up the loose ball.
Blake, the Terrapins' lone returning starter from last season's team, fired up a desperation shot from beyond halfcourt that swished through as Maryland's bench exploded. But the officials correctly ruled that Blake released his shot late and the game went to overtime.
Sean Kline scored off a feed from freshman Bracey Wright to give the Hoosiers the lead for good at 75-74 with 1:51 remaining. Freshman Marshall Strickland added a jumper 34 seconds later for a three-point edge.
Blake missed a tying 3-point attempt and Kline made 1-of-2 at the line with 17 seconds left. The Terrapins turned over the ball and Coverdale capped his big night with two free throws for the final margin.
"(Assistant) coach (John) Treloar always gets on me about being a leader," Coverdale said. "Some nights it is scoring and some nights it is finding who is hot. Tonight I had to score because no one else was really shooting the ball well. I was just trying to do everything I could for my team to win."
Indiana became the first losing team to win a national championship rematch since Duke defeated Nevada Las-Vegas in the 1991 Final Four.
Wright, the Big Ten Player of the Week after being named MVP at the Maui Invitational, had a rough shooting night for Indiana. He made just 7-of-25 shots for 19 points but led the Hoosiers with six assists.
Blake netted 22 points and Ryan Randle added career highs of 20 points and 16 rebounds for Maryland (3-1). The Terrapins suffered their first loss since a defeat to North Carolina State in the semifinals of the ACC tournament.
Maryland took advantage of Indiana's early woes and built a 27-13 lead on a layup by Randle with just over five minutes left in the first half. The Hoosiers closed with a 12-2 run and got within 31-27 at halftime on a dunk by George Leach. "I told my team at half time to keep fighting, and everyone needs to be up on the rebounds," Davis said.
Drew Nicholas' 3-pointer gave the Terrapins a 41-32 lead early in the second half before Indiana responded with a huge run. The Hoosiers used a 16-3 burst for their first lead, 48-44, midway through the half.
Terps freshman Travis Garrison scored with 39 seconds left for a 68-64 lead and Coverdale nailed a 3-pointer from NBA range to cut the deficit to one. The Hoosiers forced a turnover and Kline was fouled and split a pair at the line for a 68-68 tie.
Maryland lost a pair of integral frontcourt players in Lonny Baxter and Chris Wilcox, but Randle and Tahj Holden demonstrated they are capable of filling the voids. Randle harassed Jeff Newton into 4-of-16 shooting and Holden helped the Terps to a 56-49 edge on the glass with seven rebounds.
Indiana shot just under 30 percent (23-of-77) but made up for it with 69 percent (27-of-39) shooting at the line. Coverdale made 9-of-10 while Kline struggled at just 6-of-14.
Newton collected 13 points and 14 rebounds and Leach blocked six shots.