It was very considerate of Maryland to get its game last night at Georgia Tech under control early enough that I didn't have to miss the beginning of "Lost''. Technically, the game wasn't over, but it wasn't close enough to worry about, and every time I ran to the other room during commercials, someone on Maryland was shooting free throws.

Not only was it considerate, it was surprising. Should they have won on the road against a pretty good opponent (better than its record, for certain), without its starting guard, leading scorer, best defender, best free-throw shooter and co-captain, so handily? They really weren't in trouble past the eight-minute mark or so. Not only that, they didn't seem to miss having a true point guard as much as they usually do, not that Chris McCray was one. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I saw a little Princeton offense in them. Where did that come from, and why did they save it up for last night? Did they watch the Georgetown-Duke films or something? They were moving all over the floor, finding seams, attacking the basket from all angles, creating good shots inside and outside - and hitting them. And they weren't handing the ball to Georgia Tech on a silver platter, the way they do too often.

At one point, Mike Patrick, on the play by play, blurted out about Nik Caner-Medley, "He's the point-forward!'' He sure looked like one. Best game he's played since coming here, and not just because of his career high in scoring? It's up there. Maybe he took those things Gary Williams said Tuesday about making the most out of your last season to heart.

Then, it turned out that McCray wasn't the only guy who could drain free throws at the end to ice games.

It was all crazy. Not as crazy as the dreams Charlie the Smack Addict was having on "Lost'', but crazy enough.

Wait a minute, that reminds me of something. Crazy ... hmmm ... oh yeah, Ron Artest went through with the trade to the Kings after all. On that topic, a reader was wondering if Artest was getting paid while he wasn't playing. Yup, because the Pacers had him on the inactive list for every game, but hadn't suspended him. Reportedly, the final push to get him to go along with the trade was the threat of suspending him without pay, T.O.-style, except for the rest of the season. So yes, go with "crazy like a fox''. But still crazy.

Good luck, Sacramento. Sure hope you know what you've gotten yourself into.

(By the way, in case you have a jones for "Lost'' and/or "24'' or some other appointment-type show, check out the website Television Without Pity. You'll thank me later.)