The Essential Maryland Terrapins Preview

Here we are, folks - on the edge of another basketball season.

We all love the pigskin, we really do. But basketball is where it's at. There's no feeling like gathering together inside the Comcast Center, screaming your lungs out while watching the fast break across court end with a hellacious dunk. Admit it, Terp fans. When the Fridge gets a ring, maybe we'll think about switching religions.

So how is basketball stacking up this year? Prepare to find out tonight when the Terps take on Bucknell in the first matchup of the season. Meanwhile, let's take a look a little further into the season:
THE 2008-09 TERP MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM PREVIEW

THE LOWDOWN: This year, we're going to find out how quickly the youth can grow up. While junior backcourt mates Eric Hayes and Greivis "Gravy" Vasquez have logged enough minutes in the last two seasons to be considered veterans, the key to Maryland's success will rest in the hands of guys like Cliff Tucker, Braxton Dupree, Adrian Bowie and Jerome Burney. And you know even Sean Mosley and Jin Soo Kim, two brand-spankin-new guys will get their shots (literally). Greivis is undoubtedly the leader, but he can't try too hard to win by himself - it was his downfall last year. Lots of scoring from different players and trying to limit turnovers will be how this team wins games. Interior offense and defense could be huge concerns.

THE STARS: No matter how much he's hated by his own fans, Greivis Vasquez can single-handedly compel his team to win or fail miserably. Therefore he's the leader. He had some amazing statistics last year: 17 ppg, 6.8 apg, 5.7 rpg and even posted a respectable assist-to-turnover ratio (1.55) despite perception that he couldn't hold onto the ball for beans. True, he gives away turnovers, but he's probably the best point guard in the conference, not to mention among the best in the country. Appreciate him. However, Vasquez's greatest problem has been trying to do it all. His shooting percentages aren't that great, and he could fluxuate wildly with his shooting and how he controlled tempo of the game. He sometimes sees opportunities that aren't there when he gets anxious, so he'll have to learn how to control his impulses.

Eric Hayes is probably a starter at shooting guard or point guard (it's really up to whatever Gary wants to do) and hopefully will actually provide his much-ballyhooed outside shooting. His defense is relatively weak around the perimeter and he has trouble creating his own shot. With the rise of sophomore Adrian Bowie, Hayes will have to really perform better than he did last year. Hayes' fan base should pray his foot injury has healed since last year. However, even off the bench, he can still provide this team with pinpoint passing and consistent shooting, especially if he can weasel his way to the foul line more often.

Junior Landon Milbourne was a solid contributor (8.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg) last year if an unspectacular one. This year will be different because he'll actually get starter minutes, possibly as many as 30 per game. Add that idea to the fact his shooting and strength have improved, we're looking at a core player for this team who will hopefully gain consistency that caught on toward the end of last season. There's talk he'll start at the 4-spot in place of a bigger guy to make up for the lack of skill at that position and clear some of the crowded backcourt. If Gary chooses to do this, Milbourne will probably end up with about 13-14 ppg and 6-7 rpg. He's not as vocal as GV, but he can lead the team with improved play.

ON THE RISE: Adrian Bowie has got to be mentioned first. He captured the imagination of Terp fans last year when he showed his ability to steal and drive against bigger guards. This year, it appears Bowie's shooting is better from three and he's as quick as ever. Although Gary is loyal to a fault to his upperclassmen, I can't see a scenario with things going as they currently are where Bowie doesn't eventually eclipse Hayes in the starting lineup (unless the lineup is Bowie, Hayes, Vasquez at 1, 2, and 3).

Sophomore Cliff Tucker similarly has more confidence and is moving better with the ball. His size and speed combo will make him a great wing threat this year. Depending on Milbourne's starting position, he might make the starting roster at the 3-spot. The question is can he guard and improve his rebounding? That's going to be the weak spots of this team, and if he can do those things, he'll fill an area of great need and carve himself an integral place in this squad.

QUESTION MARKS: Let's go with every big man on the Maryland roster. Sophomore Braxton Dupree looks like he might win the starting center job by virtue of being the best offensive player in the crowd and hustling harder this year. However, he still lacks the athleticism you want to see in a scoring big man and his defense is a liability. Redshirt sophomore Jerome Burney could establish himself as heir to the Rejection Throne that James Gist left behind at graduation. However, he doesn't rebound consistently enough for a man with his size and sheer athleticism, and you would definitely love to see him score more than two points (on free throws) against friggin' Northwood University. Dino Gregory and Dave Neal don't really look like they're going to do much, and frosh giant Steve Goins is too far away from being court-ready.

Please consider this: James Gist and Bambale Osby averaged a combined 27.4 ppg, 14.4 rpg, and were the second- and third-best blockers in the ACC. Do you believe for a second this group of FIVE post players can replicate or replace those numbers this year? Milbourne might still give this group some juice, but as things are, it's not overly impressive. Can they step it up enough to at least win?

FABULOUS FRESHMEN: Sean Mosley and Jin Soo Kim, despite high school highlights or anything anyone might have seen in any sort of exhibition game, remain mostly unknown quantities. As much as fans have speculated Mosley could be a starter this year, I'd say it's doubtful given Gary's history of playing upperclassmen who have been in the system. As excited as I am personally about Kim's sensational debut, he still has a lot left to prove, not the least of which he won't injured against 230-240 lb. guys his height. They are special, and I would guess that at the very least they'll see about eight minutes each, but there are a lot of people Gary needs to give time to in the backcourt, and time can stretch thin. Also, these guys are surefire scorers, but how well can they defend? The best defenders will get the most minutes this year - everyone back there can score.

THE STRENGTHS: Guards and small forwards... offensively. We have quick athletes who can actually shoot better this year. Many of the young'uns from last year have improved confidence and will be able to take on greater responsibility. I can see about 50-60 ppg coming from this group as the year goes on, and Maryland could be one of the top scoring teams in the ACC this year if they can come up with a good mix of slashing and shooting. Between the hard drives and the threes (not to mention free throw shooting which was outstanding last game), there's a scoring machine lying in wait.

THE WEAKNESSES: Interior scoring and general defense. Let's face it. We're missing Gist and Boom like the Dickens. Gilchrist's transfer (and arguably Shane Walker's) really hurt us. There is no one who will fill the center/power forward roles who can definitely score with a variety of post moves. Dupree and Neal have limitations, and everyone else is fairly raw. Kim might see some minutes here, and he can score, but he might not, either. Plus, who's going to be the main blocker? Burney? He can do it... but he needs to actually DO it.

Also last year, the perimeter was like a sinkhole for quick guards and forwards. We were torched by Eric Maynor, Sean Singletary, Jonny Flynn and DeMarcus Nelson. Hell, we were torched by crappy fast guards too, like American's Derrick Mercer. Hayes and Vasquez are still presumed starters, so it's up to them to shore up the outside. There is absolutely no (NONE) chance of success if the back three are opening up the gates too often for drives to the hoop. The only way we can hope to win is make opposing offenses one dimensional and force them to work harder to get inside where the really weak spots are. A porous perimeter that leads into a toothless inside D won't get us anywhere, even if we average 80 ppg.

OUTLOOK: To put it briefly, we'll be lucky to make it to the NCAA Tournament.

But you never know for sure. There could still be some surprises. We'll start finding out tonight.

Go Terps!

Photos courtesy of baltimoresun.com.

Is Kansas a Historic Team?

Mario Chalmers forces overtime with a spectacular shot that will surely be remembered in title game history, and in doing so helps Kansas and Bill Self finally win it all. But does that make Kansas a historic team?

In the Final Four, I would argue that Kansas was the most anonymous team left because it is bereft of major stars: UNC has Hansbrough and Lawson, UCLA has Love and Collison, Memphis has Rose, CDR and Dorsey. Kansas has ... Rush and Chalmers? Will those faces last the test of time like Laettner, Hurley and Hill? I'm not sure.

No one's arguing that Kansas didn't have a great season or a great title game, but they were relatively under the radar all year. Will their lack of media attention relegate them to just another team that you have to check on Wikipedia to remember?

Please leave your opinion/thoughts/comments.

Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun

Not Buying It

Back from break finally! Sorry for the delay, I know y'all have been awake at night, wondering when INRCP was going to be updated - you can rest safely now. But you know what's going to be keeping me up at night? The Maryland women's basketball team.

If you haven't been watching the women's NCAA championship at all, and if you didn't have the courtesy to spend $8 and walk to Comcast to watch a session, then you're probably pretty comfortable with the first round 16-point victory and the second round 12-point victory. I'm here to tell you that you shouldn't be satisfied.

What am I not buying? All of it. I'm not buying that the Terps are a legit No. 1 seed. I'm not buying that they're playing their best basketball. I'm not buying they can win the championship. I'm not buying they can win their next game.

I attended the first round game and watched the second round game on TV. I was disappointed at the Terps' performance in both. Their play has me very nervous for next week.

We have problems (typically ones that can be addressed) in several areas. Here's what I've seen in the past two efforts:

- DEFENSE: We are simply getting killed in transition, and last night was the second time in a row we got beat in fast break points. Our players look slow when they have to run the floor, and often the opponent ends up with numbers down on the other end. There was a play against Nebraska where Ashleigh Newman ended up on an island and had no idea what to do against two bigger, athletically superior players who would've dunked on her if it was a men's game. Plus, it also looks like Toliver and Newman are having trouble guarding their marks: Three starting guards in the last two games have gone off for 20 points or more. Maybe the best option is to put Coleman or Strickland on the leading scorer.

- PASSING: For whatever reason, the last two game have been filled with errors and miscues, most resulting in Maryland turnovers. I grew very frustrated last night watching a string of UMD turnovers that led to a 16-2 Cornhusker run, closing a Maryland lead to a single point at halftime. The women play streaky ball - they go on runs, then let the other team go on a run. Coleman and Toliver both run the point, and a lot of the problems stemmed from trying to thread the needle in risky passes. Teams are covering Langhorne and Harper and making us beat them from the outside, which leads to my next point...

- SHOOTING: This team is not showing the touch that made them the No. 1 three-point shooting team in the ACC. Against Coppin State, they shot 30.% from long range, and against Nebraska, they shot a dismal 25%. Not going to cut it when Langhorne and Harper get double- and triple-teamed in the paint. Toliver has been struggling to find her shot, going 2-for-12 in the tourney, while Marah Strickland has only scored 3 points total so far and hit only one field goal. Maryland will have to diversify their game if they want to advance.

- FATIGUE: This is a huge problem which contributes to the other areas of concern. All five Maryland starters were in the top-30 list of minutes played in the ACC this season. The rotation typically only has Jade Perry and Newman get significant minutes off the bench. That's not going to cut it. It's obvious that the Terps get more tired toward the end of halves and the end of the game, even though they've been finishing strong. Now is the time when you have to see what depth you have and hope it works out. Nine Nebraska players had double-digit minutes compared to seven on Maryland. Drey Mingo was the only other person who played from UMD, and she was in for a whole whopping minute.

Here's the deal: I trust the Terps to handle these problems. Yesterday at the post-game press conference, Marissa Coleman expressed that the team was nervous about getting over the second-round hump where they lost last year. I understand that. There might be butterflies floating around in their stomachs right now, and the newbies - like Strickland - might be a little nervous about playing on the big stage (maybe, I have a hard time explaining her drop-off).

Coleman said it was like a weight had been lifted off of them. Maybe it was keeping them down. There were still great things about their game: Langhorne and Harper have played really well when they can get the ball, Coleman had an excellent second half last night and rebounding, even by the guards, is going very well.

Right now, this is not a championship team. I'm wary of our next opponent, Vanderbilt, and I'm absolutely terrified of the looming Stanford and Candice Wiggins, who is considered a class-3 lethal weapon in some countries.

However, it still can be. We have a lot of good parts, and we crushed top-five competition early in the season. I truly believe that when this team is in gear, they can defeat anyone. Now it's up to Brenda and company to make it happen.

Go Terps!

A Break from Break

Hey Terps fans!

Well, I'm on spring break right now in Vermont, but I thought that some recent news deserved a small update.

The Maryland women are going to the NCAA tournament in style - as a No. 1 seed. They beat out Rutgers and Stanford for a top spot in the Spokane region, and they'll face Coppin State on Sunday.

The local battle is a surprise to a lot of women's bball followers, including me. I thought their second-round lost to Duke over a week ago would result in a No. 2 slot ... but I guess not.

The road is a little easier but not much easier: There are a lot of contenders out there. ESPN has a breakdown that I really like.

Also, for those of you wondering what the men are up to after their big disappointment this weekend, don't look to Comcast. The Terps will be playing away at Minnesota for the NIT. I don't think they want to be there, so I'll predict they do themselves a favor and lose the opener. I stress themselves.

Well, make sure you buy your tickets for Maryland v. Coppin State and the second round game as well. I think I might catch one of those when I get back to town.

Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun

ACC Predictions

I don't have much time to write about the Terps' chances in the ACC tournament, so I thought maybe I would just offer some predictions about how things will go overall.


ROUND ONE


- Florida State over Wake Forest: Wake has gone cold, losing 4 out of their last 5 games. It's a bad time to run into the Seminoles, who recently beat Clemson and closed out with a win over Miami.

- Miami over N.C. State: The Wolfpack is trying to continue their 8-game losing streak, and the Hurricanes won't try to stop them.

- Maryland over Boston College: As poorly as Maryland has played, one win in your last 13 games is pretty terrible, BC.

- Virginia over Georgia Tech: Not only did UVA win this game a week ago, the Yellowjackets are a model of inconsistency, and Sean Singletary is playing dominant basketball.


ROUND TWO


- North Carolina over Florida State: The Heels beat them 8 days ago, and I see no reason why this would change.

- Miami over Virginia Tech: Last time they played, the Hokies were totally flattened on the boards. They kept it close with good shooting, but I think that they won't get that lucky this time, and Miami will still crash the glass.

- Clemson over Maryland: Both teams are inconsistent, but I don't think the Terps have the spirit to beat the team that delivered one of the program's toughest losses this (or any) season. Yes, I am calling them out. Please prove me wrong.

- Duke over Virginia: Duke has set up their defensive schemes with great discipline this season, and the Cavaliers are just not talented enough to beat them.


ROUND THREE


- North Carolina over Miami: This should be closer than people think, but it's hard to forget that UNC has only been defeated twice this season, and they're just starting to enter their element (see win over Duke).

- Duke over Clemson: Clemson can beat Duke if they play their best, but the Devils haven't let many teams play their best all season.


CHAMPIONSHIP GAME


This is the game the pundits want: UNC v. Duke III. They split the regular season games, now it's time to decide the real powerhouse in the ACC - and possibly play for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

I predict that the game will be pretty close, but Duke is too reliant on their outside shooting to win this match up again. The Tar Heels are better rebounders, and have better inside players. The Devils might be able to come out with the upset if they can rattle UNC's questionable defense with cutters like Demarcus Nelson and Gerald Henderson, but I would chalk up a No. 1 berth to the tournament right now for Hansbrough and crew.

PROJECTED CHAMP: NORTH CAROLINA

So that's how I think the tourney will go. Hit up the comments, y'all.

Photo Credit: Adam Fried

A Turn for the Worse

I remember talking to people about NCAA prospects for the Terps a month ago, saying that in their last seven games, if they only went 4-3, they could slide into the tournament. Now, let's look at the final seven game stretch:

- Loss to Duke, 77-65
- Win over Florida State, 82-72
- Loss to VaTech, 69-65
- Loss to Miami, 78-63
- Win over Wake Forest, 74-70
- Loss to Clemson, 73-70
- Loss to Virginia, 91-76

Snap.

It hasn't even been a relatively challenging schedule, but it was completely bungled, topped with the drubbing at the hands of Virginia. Yes, I realize it was on the road and on Senior Day, but really? A loss to a team fighting for 10th place in the ACC?

I think it's safe to say that Maryland will not be invited to the NCAA tournament, barring a trip to the ACC finals. However, Maryland has proven (besides their great upset of then-No. 1 UNC) that they can't beat ranked teams. Realistically, I have to doubt their ability to:

A) Beat a better team
B) Win under pressure of not making the postseason (see above listing of final games)

We'll talk about the ACC tournament later the week, but at this point, I think we can almost guarantee that we all will be looking for NIT tickets very soon - if you want to go that is.

I'm really not that crazy about the officiating (21 UMD fouls v. 9 UVA fouls). The difference in those numbers is somewhat alarming, and I thought that some of the called fouls were pretty ludicrous, but I don't want to make excuses for a team that's gotten more than enough breaks in their last few games to end up better than 8-8 in the conference.

Writing this stuff is tiring, but it is still to early to give up. As long as Maryland has a chance to redeem themselves, I think the fans should give them one. And I think they will. It's just all we can do. I mean, it's been so hard trying to support this team this season - for me, for everyone. Inconsistency has plagued this team for a while now, but that's part of being a fan.

On the wall of my dorm room, I have the front page of The Baltimore Sun from Maryland's championship victory, with Lonny Baxter, Juan Dixon and Tahj Holden all celebrating.

Though we go through long stretches of doubt, discontent and painful losses, the beauty of fanhood is to be there when it pays off. When we have success, that's when the fans will have their moment, a moment that they can hold onto for a long, long time.

So that said, please be mindful that rooting for a team isn't about any one season, it's about a history and a tradition, and a hope that one day, an investment will be paid off.

Just not this season.

Women's Bball Falls to Duke

Unfortunately, it would seem like the third time was the charm for the Blue Devils.

The Maryland women lost 74-63 in the semi-final to a team that they defeated twice in the regular season. Duke is always a threat, and they'll face No. 1 seed North Carolina in the ACC finals.

The loss is disappointing, but not crippling. One thing it almost certainly assures is that Maryland, the No. 5-ranked team in the last AP poll, will be a No. 2 seed. A final showdown with North Carolina might've pushed them ahead of Rutgers for that last slot, but it was not to be.

People always say losses are good for teams because they can learn lessons from their defeat and further motivate themselves to be better. I think that's pretty cliché.

Losing is losing. Sometimes, after a loss, teams regroup and focus, but that doesn't mean it's good to lose. No ... because losing doesn't prove anything. Only winning proves to yourself and everyone else that you have the salt to hang with the big dogs. Regrouping and focusing on improving is a necessity to survive a big loss. I think you can see from the photos how distraught the team was - would you say to their faces that the loss was good for them?

So what went wrong against Duke? Turnovers. Maryland had 19 to Duke's 10. If Maryland has an Achilles' Heel, it's turnovers - it's been a terrible problem for the entire season. Duke ended up taking 64 shots to Maryland 49 attempts. Why? More opportunities caused by more possessions caused by turnovers.

The Lady Terps are going to get their tournament going in two weeks at home, a lucky turn for them. Until they get out on the court once more, they should focus on ball control, avoiding travels, and making good decisions. Their shooting and rebounding are solid facets of their game. But to take it to the next level and beat the powerhouses that will be waiting for them at the top, they'll have to aim for some mistake-free basketball.

Good luck and Go Terps!

Ladies Headed to the ACC Tournament

Hey guys, time to talk about the women - they've earned the attention.

The Women's ACC tournament is this weekend, and the No. 2-seeded Terps get a bye until Friday when they play the winner of Boston College/VaTech. After that, the Ladies are likely to face Duke AGAIN on Saturday, before they likely face UNC again on Sunday (if they keep winning).

The accolades are already showering down on the Terrapins: An unprecedented FOUR Maryland players earned all-ACC accolades, and Crystal Langhorne was announced as the ACC Player of the Year this afternoon. Not too shabby ... right?

- Langhorne and Kristi Toliver to the 1st team
- Marissa Coleman to the 2nd team (next year, this will improve)
- Laura Harper to the 3rd team (first-timer)

Overall, Maryland led the conference in FG percentage and 3FG percentage, rebounding margin, and assist-to-turnover ratio. They missed a share of the conference title by one game to North Carolina (the only conference opponent they lost to). Toliver, Langhorne and Coleman all finished in the top 10 in scoring. Langhorne and Harper both finished in the top 5 in rebounding. Toliver was 4th IN THE NATION in assists per game.

Very cool stuff for the women. But they have a lot of fighting ahead.

Boston College wasn't a sweat for the Terps this year, but Virginia Tech was. Even though the Hokies have played poorly in the ACC, they gave Maryland a serious run for their money back in February (a 74-71 OT win).

After that, Duke is the next probable opponent. So far, the Terps lead this series 2-0, but the Blue Devils are always a threat: In both games, Duke closed the lead to single digits in the last three minutes.

Then we're talking about the Tar Heels, who have been a machine this season and squeezed out a double-overtime win in the previous matchup. However, I think that you can't discount the possible presence of Brenda Frese. She was still knocked up during that game, and if she comes out for the tournament (a maybe at best), I think that Maryland will win a close battle.

Yes, it's a long way to go to predict a final matchup of UMD and UNC, but they are the only two teams in the conference that have been overwhelmingly dominant this year, so I don't think it's very risky to guess.

Even if we do lose, Maryland fans can look forward to the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament at home. At this point, Maryland is either a first or second seed no matter what happens, so we can hopefully enjoy some warmup throttles of mid-major teams. I already bought tickets for my dad - I think you should get some too. It's really not that much to see a team that might win another national championship this season.

Well best of luck to the Lady Terps - go get 'em.

Bubble Just Got Popped

I was working at an event today, watching some middle-aged guys schmooze around before things got going. All they were talking about was the Clemson Clobbering, as some are now calling it. They talked about all the things I routinely discuss in these columns - turnovers, the freshmen in the rotation, Vasquez, missed shots and even Jerome Burney.

I didn't say a single thing.

It was simple: I didn't have the heart to say anything because I was at that game. I still don't understand exactly what happened last night, and I probably never will. This is what I felt like last night:



Today? I just don't know. It actually humiliating to thing we choked with a 20-point lead in hand. We got the lead at 11:21 in the 2nd half. We scored exactly one point all the way until 6:44, when Clemson had shrunk the lead down to 7 points. Also, from 4:48 left to 1:30, Maryland didn't score once. By then Clemson was down only by four, which became two, which became a tie, which became a 3-point lead with 2.3 seconds to spare.

By the way, most effective full-court press I've ever seen. We could not break it at the end of the game. Instead, our strategy was to play kind of badly, or at least that was the strategy we executed.

It stinks to get all the negative press just after we got on the radar. We were being talked about as an "in team." Now, what are we? Uhh ... well in this projection, but for how long? Do we really want to be among the last four in? ESPN pundits yesterday were saying Maryland is the team that is saying, "Please, take us out of the tournament!" Kinda sorta, we speak with our play.

I know Gary calls out the fans every once in awhile, and I'm for trying to have positive outlooks, but the truth is that sometimes the fans deserve better. When I was looking around, it looked like there wasn't an empty seat in the house. The crowd came out, and they did their job, and they cheered when they were supposed to. Some people on the court did not do their job, and I think the players would likely agree with that sentiment.

It's a harsh reality to face, but let's face it:

- One win against ranked teams
- A mediocre 18-12 record (we'll have to reach for 20 wins)
- A mediocre 8-7 conference record in a muddled conference
- Weak final opponent before ACC tournment (UVA)
- Probably a weak first ACC tourney game, followed by a hard one

That's not NCAA material. Bottom line. Period. Finito. I can't put anymore emphasis on that.

If we want a partner at the dance, I would advise the team to start winning. We can do this by:

- Making more than 2 three-pointers
- Limiting our opponent's offensive rebounds (The Tigers had 17)
- Not turning the ball over 21 times

But I'm not sure that we can do those things. I'm going to be honest: the thought that the Tigers could actually win didn't even enter my mind until they cut the lead to 4. Even the last shot, I didn't think would go in (and it was a fantastic shot, to Oglesby's credit, plus he was fouled). But the letdown after ... something I have trouble describing.

JEROME BURNEY WATCH: Burney played a solid 16 minutes and ended up with 6 points, 3 rebounds and a stunning 4 blocks. Good overall effort, but I thought that he could've rebounded better and that his blocks typically led to a Clemson offensive rebound. Still, he played just as well as Boom, who had a bad night for his standards.

Extra notes:

I know everyone is down now (except other ACC team fans), but I thought maybe some things would brighten up your day.

Some of you are aware that Hank Steinbrenner recently denied the existence of a national Red Sox fanbase. ESPN got his take on some other franchises as well.

Also, an interesting story and a cautionary tale about why you should never let your players take too many liberties with their bios.

That's it. Let's regroup and crush UVA.

Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun

Thanks For the Birthday Surprise

I got pretty nervous at the end of regulation, but the Terps pulled it out last night, much to my relief. It was actually probably the most exciting part of my birthday until we ended up going to IHOP (if you want to consider that an endorsement, that's fine - it's an endorsement).

Anyway, so my favorite part besides the first made alley-oop all season (out of 167 attempts) was watching the Terps make the crucial rebounds and Gist sort of closing out the game with free throws ( a harrowing 2-4 at the end). But good job.

That said, we were SOOOOO lucky that Wake Forest cannot shoot a basketball. They ended up with a 37.9 FG% and a disgusting 25.0 3FG%. It was surprisingly only Wake's second loss at home this season, and in other facets of the game, they were very good: They had 10 steals, matched us in rebounds and had 7 less turnovers. The rising force known as James Johnson had a 25-point and 14-board night.

Unfortunately for Johnson, he still lost the battle of big men: James Gist came out of hiding where he's been for the past four games or so and decided to dominate. The result? A new career high of 31 points and a very solid 11 rebounds, including a few at the end of the game that helped but the Demon Deacons away for good. As if that wasn't enough, he also had two blocks and three steals (and the completed alley-oop from halfcourt) for good measure.

Greivis Vasqeuz also had a "sneaky good" night - 24 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists. It's only "sneaky good" because it was in James Gist's shadow - it's a great night on any other day. Everyone else wasn't too good. We don't need to mention individual performances because only the W matters, right?

Anyway, we did just about as much as we had to to win, and that matters. But that doesn't mean we can let the Terps off the hook, specifically one Terp: If James Gist can play like that, why doesn't he do it every night?

The evidence has shown that when Gist does badly, the team does badly. When Gist disappears like he does for a few games at a time, we lose - bottom line. The fact that he plays well against guys like James Johnson, J.J. Hickson and Tyler Hansbrough indicates that he should at least be pulling in 18 and 8 EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. But he doesn't, he's streaky.

There is no time like the present to take control of this team. In fact, I'd be willing to argue that the team needs Gist more than any other player on the roster (and we'll bear painful witness to this fact next season). There are only two more regular season games left, and after that only the ACC tournament will help us get off the bubble and into the big dance. We can't afford to lose his contributions any more this season; every game from now until the postseason should be considered must-win ... if we want a meaningful postseason.

Well thanks Terps for the win and good luck on Sunday against a tough Clemson team. We'll be watching.

Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun

Yeah, We're Gellin'

So if you happened to catch the Maryland game last night, you were treated to a pretty good game that (understandably) got passed over by the major networks. Really, neither Maryland nor NC State is a power player right now, and the ACC is a huge mess anyway.

But it honestly was a great game - close enough to make you nervous, but Maryland played well throughout for the most part. Even when they were behind, there were rollouts galore. And in the end, they finish the Wolfpack with a game-closing finish that put them to bed long before the final seconds. Terps pick up a W, taming the Pack 84-70.

The game was marked by tremendous individual performances. Check out these stat lines:

- James Gist: 30 pts, 9 rbds, 3 blks, 13-18 from the field
- Greivis Vasquez: 13 pts, 15 asts, 9 rbds, only 4 turnovers

Gist had a career-high in points, and Gravy tied the school record held by Terrell Stokes for assists in a game. In addition, all starters scored in double digits, the team went 6-10 from long range, and shot 85.7% from the charity stripe. They also outrebounded NC State 36-26, gave up a scant 11 turnovers, and generally dominated after a case of the misses. Add a free T-shirt to that mix, and wow, what a game!

Anyway, it was clear to me that Maryland had a solid all-around effort, and for the first time, I was very comfortable watching Greivis run the offense. He looked very in control throughout gameplay and a 15-4 assist-turnover ratio is really good.

So just so we're clear, I want everyone to realize that Greivis is good. Last night, I was sitting next to someone who said, "Gosh I hate Greivis." I quickly helped explain why she really shouldn't hate him.

In the conference, he's fourth in scoring, second in minutes played, and first in assists. In fact, in the last national rankings, he showed up at No. 11 in assists per game (which will go up after the latest game). It's true that Eric Hayes has an excellent ATR, but Greivis' is set at 1.5, which isn't too bad, and will probably improve. In addition to all that, he's good for over 5 boards per game, third-best on the team. What I'm really trying to say is that I was right back when everyone wanted him benched, and I'm right now. Try and find another point guard who averages 17.1 ppg, 6.35 apg, and 5.2 rpg. Even if you do find a player like that, it will be pretty hard.

Gist, by the way, is pushing for all-conference honors right now. In conference play, he's averaging 18.3 ppg and 8.6 rpg, and he's also playing more minutes, too. Bambale Osby is another guy who's exploded in ACC play, averaging a very respectable 14 ppg and 9.1 rpg. Even Landon Milbourne is doing better now.

I'm very excited for this team - they're making me regret leaving them for dead on the NCAA bubble. Yes, there's a lot more work to do, but before conference play, I estimated that they needed a 10-6 record in the ACC to make it in to the tournament. Well, they only have to go 4-3 the rest of the way to reach that once-lofty goal, and besides a game versus Duke in Durham and one against Clemson at Comcast, there's not much fight left in the schedule. Of course there is still the ACC tournament to consider, and I think that we should win at least one game to make it in the dance, but that's still a ways off.

Not that ESPN's projections mean anything, but Maryland is starting to show up in them. In bubble talk, Andy Glockner has essentially scooped the Terps into the bracket as the 4th ACC team. In the recent Bracketology, Joe Lunardi has Maryland as a 10-seed. Ohio and American seem like a season ago, don't they?

Have a great day and Go Terps!

Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun, AP

Got Away With One

The Terps escaped with a win over Georgia Tech on the road. A nail-biter until the final seconds, they pulled it out due to a few lucky breaks. Final score: 88-86.

Matt Causey was fouled by Boom Osby with 2.5 seconds left, and faced 2 free throws with his team down by 3 points. He made the first and was presumably trying to miss the second so his teammates had a shot at the rebound, but it rattled in. The look on his face was priceless when Causey realized he had just lost the game by MAKING a free throw.

After that, Maryland was 2 free throws and a full-court shot away from picking up their 4th ACC victory - and a much need one at that. The Terps now sit at a very respectable 4th place in the conference, and having already played the two best teams in the conference, it appears that they're sitting pretty.

Too bad they aren't sitting pretty for the NCAA tournament. A 3-point loss to Boston College and a single-point loss to Virginia Tech now look very upsetting in terms of the big picture. I catch myself wondering all the time what might've happened if Greivis Vasquez hadn't fouled out of the BC game, or if Eric Hayes was able to play against the Hokies.

It is what it is, however - since we can't take back the past, the Terps are looking directly ahead. The next game is again on the road against Boston College. I don't think that Greivis will be punching any basket supports this time around. Maryland is hot right now, and they have a great chance to get revenge and beat a likely tournament-bound team. If they perform like they did this afternoon (minus the late near-choke), I think they'll have a decent shot.

The good things: scoring, rebounding, and great play from Bambale Osby, Landon Milbourne and Eric Hayes especially. The bad: TURNOVERS! We don't need 24 turnovers. That will kill us. Being smart with the ball is a coachable problem, so really it's up to Gary Williams to tell players to slow down the game and to find the open man on double-teams instead of taking an ill-advised shot.

If the Terps still have the desire to be a NCAA-tournament team, they should start playing like it. Beat BC, and then we'll talk.

I'm out, Go Terps.

Photo Credits: Baltimore Sun

"Playoffs? You Wanna Talk About Playoffs?"

I feel a little like Jim Mora today after hearing about Maryland's 67-66 loss to VaTech on the road.

It hurts so much.

Yes, it's not unexpected - after all, we suffered losses to American and Ohio, plus the Terps were again without starting guard Eric Hayes and his 35 mpg are really hard to replace. Especially when your other point guard has a bad game.

First to blame is me: I jinxed the outcome by not watching the game or listening to it (that's always my first thought when this happens). But I think more people will be pointing fingers at embattled Terp guard Greivis Vasquez, who pulled out a clunker of a game, missing his first 11 shots, going 2-of-14 total and missing the potential game-winner. He also had twice as many turnovers (6) as assists (3, if you're not good at math). On a happy note, he did make 6 out of 6 free throws.

Looking at the box score, I can see some of the problems I've been talking about for weeks manifested themselves and cost us this nail-biter: we were outrebounded and only shot 2-for-12 in threes. James Gist should never provide half the long-distance scoring load. And our front court has been dramatically inconsistent this year. But no matter, these problems are hard to solve at this point in the season.

So let's address one thing first - yes, we need Eric Hayes. He hasn't been the deep threat we all expected, but he is a good game manager and he slows things down when he runs point. When we only have one of our point guards, we'll be hurt. But don't take this as a sign that Greivis should be benched - he's been doing very well lately, and everyone has bad games, especially when you're asked to do so much and play so many minutes. We just need balance, we need Hayes and Vasquez to both play and complement each other on the court; that' s when we have the best results.

Now, about the NCAA tournament:

- We're only 10-7
- We're the only ACC team with triple digit RPI
- We'll need to go (at the very least) 10-6 in conference play
- We're going to need to beat North Carolina and/or Duke
- We're already in a 0-2 hole in the ACC

That doesn't sound good, does it? I love to be optimistic about this team, especially given their miraculous run last year when everyone went to sleep on them and they reeled off 7 wins in a row, including over North Carolina. But this just is not the same team. I might start looking for some extra tickets at the end of the season for the NIT qualifiers.

There is a lot we can still take from this season. Obviously, it's most important that we not give up - we can win big games, we have the talent. If Gist and Vasquez blow up on the same night, we can beat most teams the way we torched Holy Cross. Gary Williams is not the type of guy who mails it in, anyway. Also, I think James Gist will want to end his senior year with some pride (not to mention make a late NBA Draft push).

Also, we have to be concerned with how the youth develops and make sure they get playing time. Right now, there's a lot of inconsistencies with minutes, and guys like Shane Walker, Dino Gregory, Braxton Dupree and Jerome Burney don't know how much they'll be playing or if they'll be playing on a given night. Let's just acknowledge that this is a rebuilding/growing year. In two years, this will be a team of juniors and seniors, plus Sean Mosley and Gus Gilchrist who come highly touted. Next year we will be competitive and the year after that we will be competitive for sure. So this year is a time to battle through adversity and set a standard for the young guys and encoruage them never to quit.

This is why it's important that the fans support the team more than ever. Lately, Maryland fans have been resting on their laurels, scanning and leaving or just not trying to show up. Comcast Center isn't nearly as loud as it should be, and I think a lot of it has to do with fair-weather fans that don't want to bother. I think the Terps have a great chance to perform in the future, but they need support. And if you want to complain about Gary or Vasquez or how whoever is ruining the program, why don't you just shut it and get in the seats so you can actually see what's happening? Fans stay for the dark times so they can say they believed all along when the good times roll. I mean, Boston fans really annoy me, but I understand that most of them waited their whole lives believing that someday they would see the Red Sox win the World Series. That's admirable.

So stop complaining, stop the chatter on the forums and message board that this is such a bad team, stop whispering about firing Gary (it won't happen) and just go to the game. This is your team, isn't it? So cheer for them. There's a brighter future ahead ... because we know it won't get worse.

Go Terps!

Photo Credits: Baltimore Sun