If Maryland center Lonny Baxter, an irrepressible load the past two weeks, looked remarkably ineffective last night, Battier was largely the reason. And Battier wasn't even supposed to be guarding him. Yet three times in the second half, Baxter went up in the lane. Three times, Battier smacked the ball in Baxter's face. This alone cannot explain a 33-point turnaround.
Nothing can do that.
Not a questionable call that fouled out Baxter. Though Williams would deny it later, reporters heard him screaming at NCAA officials seated courtside, asking how badly they wanted Duke in the finals. Apparently not as badly as the Terrapins.