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The Dagger

Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:13 pm EDT

In war of words and on court, Memphis beats Vasquez, Maryland

By Chris Chase

If confidence were talent, Maryland's Greivis Vasquez would be Mozart, Hemingway, Jordan and Brando rolled into one. (He'd be Mozingando.) And if the Venezuelan guard were half as good as he thought he was, the Terps wouldn't have been one of the last at-large teams in the NCAA tournament field.

But mere facts don't matter to Greivis. In his mind, the bounds of his greatness aren't constrained by a pesky won-loss record.

And when he got his first NCAA tournament win against Cal on Thursday, it gave him even more confidence, which I'd have thought would be akin to stuffing more horsepower into a Lamborghini.

When asked how today's opponent, Memphis, would do in the ACC, Vasquez said:

"They'd have a losing record in the league -- probably win all of their games outside the league, losing record in the league. The ACC is too tough. You can't just win games night in and night out because you're so athletic."

Greivis would know all about not winning games night in and night out, the Terps finished 7-9 in the ACC this year. 

Apparently, Memphis heard about this statement and responded with a smackdown so perfect that Greivis Vasquez is amazed he didn't think of it. Said forward Pierre Henderson-Niles about the Tigers' preparation for the Terps:

We really ain't talked too much about Maryland. We watched a little film on 'em one time, and I know they got a good player -- I don't know his name -- but he good or whatever, so we just going to try to do what we do and stop him. I ain't never seen them; I know they got one good player, Sanchez or something like that; whatever his name is.

For those scoring at home, that's Henderson-Niles: 1, Vasquez, 0. Things only got worse for Greivis when the game started, as Memphis stormed to a 20-point halftime lead. For much of the second half, Vasquez was mocked by Memphis fans, who derisively chanted "ACC". For his part, Greivis took the beating with the class you'd expect, earning a technical foul for jawing at an official with his team down 22 points late. 

Memphis ended up winning by 19, which means that Vasquez was right about one thing: the Tigers have no problem winning games outside of their league.

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1150 Comments

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  1. Napplebee33
    1. Posted by Napplebee33 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:33 pm EDT

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    straight clowned him
  2. Napplebee33
    2. Posted by Napplebee33 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:33 pm EDT

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    straight clowned him
  3. woot
    3. Posted by woot Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:30 pm EDT

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    No, maybe his name is rodriguez
  4. Coach Isiah Thompson
    4. Posted by Coach Isiah Thompson Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:55 pm EDT

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    No more fighting. Try and get along with each other!
  5. Joe O
    5. Posted by Joe O Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:34 pm EDT

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    haha. burned. i hate that cocky little kid. as everyone involved in the espn interview leading up to the 85-44 drubbing duke gave maryland his year....who is greivis vasquez?
  6. R. T
    6. Posted by R. T Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    Ha, yeah he got his cumuffins
  7. Tom
    7. Posted by Tom Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:15 pm EDT

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    From what I know about Henderson-Niles, he probably genuinely doesn't know Vasquez's name.
  8. Arlie G.
    8. Posted by Arlie G. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    Lookes to me like if Maryland played in CUSA, they'd be lucky to have a winning record. I guess Vasquez lets his mouth do his work. I guess he didn't watch us beat texas and man handle Mishigan St. That's OK, next week he can watch us from home and he can say "I played against them".
  9. Arlie G.
    9. Posted by Arlie G. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    Rob R are you crazy. 6 points in a half. Is that whar you call keeping up. He'd have a hard time coming off the bench. As far as good as Tyreke Evans, let's let the scouts do the talking and see who is making more money next year Vasquez or Tyreke.
  10. TEX
    10. Posted by TEX Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:02 pm EDT

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    Greivis Vasquez should not of spoken until after the game. Memphis did not play well first game and did not need additional motivation. I want Maryland to win and always okay with Calipari losing but I think it will not happen this day.
  11. DYN
    11. Posted by DYN Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:33 pm EDT

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    #12 - Vasquez can keep up with anybody on Memphis? You've got to be kidding, are you even watching the game?
    If he had half as much game as he has mouth, the game would be closer. Maryland is not even close to Memphis this year and this game proves it.
  12. Arlie G.
    12. Posted by Arlie G. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    Rob R are you crazy. 6 points in a half. Is that whar you call keeping up. He'd have a hard time coming off the bench. As far as good as Tyreke Evans, let's let the scouts do the talking and see who is making more money next year Vasquez or Tyreke.
  13. Evan B
    13. Posted by Evan B Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:31 pm EDT

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    Rob R
    He didn't even use any facts, he used actual qoutes from Vasquez's cocky persona, and made him look like the idiot he is. Saying Mamphis would be a below average team in the ACC is is one of the most ignorant statements ever. They are a Final Four contender for the second straight year, so you seem to me like a half-ass basketball fan.
  14. mpara1
    14. Posted by mpara1 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:27 pm EDT

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    Vasquez is a punk
  15. D
    15. Posted by D Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:44 pm EDT

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    Too bad the Memphis players can't speak English well or it might have been a worthy insult.
  16. Marcus F
    16. Posted by Marcus F Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:03 pm EDT

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    maryland plays like crap
  17. Majique
    17. Posted by Majique Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:04 pm EDT

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    Hey Rob R,
    It's "half-assed" and "know" instead of "no".
    Now who's the clown?
  18. Arlie G.
    18. Posted by Arlie G. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    I dont know if he's a punk. He's just another ACC player fed day in and day out tht your the best because you are in the ACC. But wait, the ACC will only have 2 teams left after today probably. and the the PAC 10, a conference that was supposed to be weak will have 5. Notice no one from the ACC talking smack. They saw the beat down we gave USC and UCLA last year. GO TIGERS GO. Everyone see VAsquez on the bench. He was so tired of running he's picking a fight with the refs
  19. Arlie G.
    19. Posted by Arlie G. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    I dont know if he's a punk. He's just another ACC player fed day in and day out tht your the best because you are in the ACC. But wait, the ACC will only have 2 teams left after today probably. and the the PAC 10, a conference that was supposed to be weak will have 5. Notice no one from the ACC talking smack. They saw the beat down we gave USC and UCLA last year. GO TIGERS GO. Everyone see VAsquez on the bench. He was so tired of running he's picking a fight with the refs
  20. Random M
    20. Posted by Random M Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:36 pm EDT

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    lol at the taco bell comments. Sanchez (as Henderson-Niles referred to him) can't even shoot 45 percent from the field and is talking trash, I hope the Tigers run up the score and destroy them.
  21. mustafa
    21. Posted by mustafa Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    Maryland may not be as good as Memphis, but unlike the Memphis player Vasquez can articulate a complete sentence.
  22. jstack34
    22. Posted by jstack34 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

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    Do some research before posting a story, Vasquez comments were in response to other players on Memphis not knowing and not being able to pronounce his name
  23. del_got_it
    23. Posted by del_got_it Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:40 pm EDT

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    I don't like Greivis Vasquez very much but i have to say that i dislike Pierre's speaking abilities even more. The guy is a junior in college but has no grasp of the english language. He sounds like he has the vocabulary and mental capacity of a 5 year old.

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