Georgetown vs. Maryland recap: Hoyas fall to 0-2 with loss to Terrapins in Instant Classic

In one of the most anticipated nonconference matchups in college basketball this season, the Maryland Terrapins defeated the Georgetown Hoyas by a score of 75-71, in a game that will be remembered for years to come.

This game had everything you could have wanted in a basketball game: geographic rivalries, non-neutral site, back-and-forth action, unsung heroes, and an exciting finish.

As tough as it is to narrow it down, let's take a look at the three things we learned from this game.

Bradley Hayes

The senior center was, once again, the best player on the court for the Hoyas most of the night.

Prior to this season, Hayes totaled 30 points for his career at Georgetown. He now has 35 points this season.

Coming off a strong showing in Georgetown's season opening loss to Radford, Hayes had 16 points and eight assists tonight, and was a nightmare for five-star recruit Diamond Stone on both sides of the ball.

Stone finished the game with five points on 1-4 shooting and only pulled down one rebound, as he looked... like a player who is only playing his second career collegiate game. Stone will go on to have a nice season for the Terps, and likely a great NBA career, but tonight, Bradley Hayes was the best big man on the court for either side.

Maryland is for real

A lot of people have doubted if the Terps can be the best team in the Big Ten (or more) this season. If tonight's any indication, they absolutely can.

Melo Trimble, who was relatively silent in the first half, finished the game with a game-high 24 points. 13 of those 24 points came from the free throw line, which is Trimble's forte.

In addition to Trimble, Robert Carter finished with 12 points, most of which came in the first half and kept Maryland in the game early on.

Rasheed Sulaimon had 10 points and a pair of big three-pointers down the stretch.

Jake Layman has 15 points and was a pest on defense. Outside of Trimble, no one on Maryland was great tonight, but these guys were all very good. If you consider that, plus the fact that Diamond Stone won't always play this poorly, this team will be very good come March.

Speaking of which...

Georgetown is fine

I know. They're 0-2. But if this is how they're going to play in big games, they'll beat anyone in the country. They have a chance to prove me right this weekend when they go to Madison Square Garden to face Wisconsin and Duke (or VCU).

D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera looked like his old self after being a bit off in the Radford game, he had 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists, 12 of his 14 points came from beyond the arc.

Freshman Marcus Derrickson added a couple big threes of his own, as he continues to develop nicely.

LJ Peak and Isaac Copeland, last year's prized recruits, combined for 25 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.

Georgetown played well enough tonight to beat most teams in the country.