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.

Rising Stars in Terp Basketball

So it's been pretty hard to get out of the negatives when it comes to Men's Basketball at the University of Maryland. However, the team gave the fans some hope today in a 104-60 win over Northwood.

Yes, OK, it was an exhibition against a crappy, crappy team. But still, the Terps operated well and executed their plays, as well as hustled hard for rebounds and tough points. If you didn't come out this afternoon, you missed a good one.

Gary Williams had to put the Terps' reputation of "playing down" to competition to bed, and they did that and more, scoring an epic 104 points on a remarkable 50.7% FG percentage as opposed to the 75 points last year against Concordia and 86 points (in just an 11-point win) against Carleton in previous exhibitions in previous years. It was a dominant offensive statement, and fans might have that to look forward to.

From my observations at today's game, here are the guys that are going to be shaping basketball this season:

-LANDON MILBOURNE: If there's one player I would bet my butter on for taking the next step this year, it's gotta be No. 1. Landon Milbourne is a hustler and a leader on the court. He's not a star, but he looked very solid today, and his game is very versatile inside and outside. He has the ability to shoot well, but also bangs with bigger guys, sort of Booth-like if you will (not to say he's close to that good). He'll be a starter at the 3 or the 4 spot, and I guarantee you, he'll hold it down. I'd predict 12 or 13 ppg and 6 rpg for the season. A solid contributor.

- ADRIAN BOWIE: I underestimated him last year, and he made me look like a fool for ever doing so. On Saturday, he showed a new dimension beyond his speed, slashing and hustle - his improved shooting. Last year, both he and Cliff Tucker pretty much refused to shoot from outside the arc, like they didn't have confidence in their 3-point game. That's changed. He was 2-for-3 today on the outside and 6-for-7 total with 16 points. He wasn't shaking the world with his ballhandling and when he was called to be a point guard, but he didn't mess up either, with only one turnover during the game. Bowie won't start to begin the season, but he could easily eclipse Eric Hayes if he uses his minutes effectively.

- BRAXTON DUPREE: The big guy still has issues, but he definitely will see a bigger role this year. First of all, he lost 25 lbs. which goes a long way into improving his hops and endurance. Perhaps as an effect of that weight loss, he's hustling more and getting extra boards, even over bigger guys. Today he had 8 points and 8 rebounds in 20 minutes, but he needs to improve his shooting percentage and turnover rate, but whether he's ready or not, he's probably the starter at center given he's the best offensive threat. How long he keeps that job is up to him. Jerome Burney and possibly Steve Goins (who is actually just a giant) wait in the wings to take the spot if he can't hold onto it.

- JIN SOO KIM: Anyone who was at the game knows what the crzae is all about. The freshman, who wasn't even eligible until this week, had 18 points in the second half and finished with 20 points total in only 20 minutes. He was nothing short of sensational. He didn't have amazing shooting numbers, but he wasn't afraid to shoot. He isn't big, but he was hitting the post hard and getting fouls (he made 7-of-8 at the line). He came up with 3 hard rebounds against 6'10 guys and 7-footers. The Terps were even calling backdoor passes for him in the second half. As a disclaimer, I'm personally excited because he's the first Korean-born basketball player in Division I. As a part-Asian, I feel exhilarated by his gritty play that's going to be erasing some stereotypes about Asian basketball player - namely that they're soft and not as competitive as American players. Anyone who watched Kim will tell you he was as determined to win as anybody on the court.

Now all that said, here's where we're lacking: post scoring and defense. Although Maryland held the Northwood Seahawks to ridiculously low shooting percentages, there were some pretty bad blown coverages on the perimeter, and only 2 blocks from post players from the best-blocking team in the ACC last year. You wish like hell Gist and Boom hadn't left when you see how the backcourt and small forwards have improved. But we have what we have (Dupree, Burney, Neal and Goins), and we're going to have to pray that they suprise rather than disappoint.

Overall, I saw positive things in the Terps' first action on the court this season. Be there to see how they fare against Bucknell this week!

Go Terps!

Photos courtesy of baltimoresun.com.

Dominant Defense Downs Demon Deacons

Before we start: Note the alliteration in the post title.

Moving on.

Unless you were hiding under a rock, you probably heard the Terps absolutely crushing No. 21 Wake Forest last Saturday, 26-0. Grinding offense, stifling defense, another upset victory... shocking, right?

Weeeellllllllll, I don't know. I mean, isn't this kind of typical of the Terps? Win a game against a ranked team at home? Besides, it was only a matter of time before Wake started losing conference games: Last week, they only won against Clemson because of a fourth-quarter touchdown. Their offense has only scored 24 points in three ACC games. Definitely underwhelming for a ranked team. In addition, their receiving corps was so terrible, it made you wonder what else Wake could be doing with the money it takes to give those players scholarships.

I'm not hating on what the Terps did by any means, though. It was a spectacular performance. Chris Turner threw for 321 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. OC James Franklin apparently heard something about this Darrius Heyward-Bey guy, because they actually threw to him yesterday. He ended up with a career-high 11 catches for 101 yards and a TD. The defense combined for four sacks and the front seven held the Demon Deacon offense to 73 net yards rushing.

So, what can the Terps against a really terrible N.C. State team to not have another letdown UVA style? Well, keep it going - in more ways than one.

1) Keep up the stiff defense and rolling offense and the five-game winning streak at home.

2) Keep up the recent ownage of the Wolfpack. Maryland has won 6 out of the last 8 in this match up. I know it's hard to remember, but Maryland did have bigger victory than Wake Forest last year. They stomped N.C. State 37-0 to become bowl eligible.

It should be a good one, but considering Maryland killed a weak team like Eastern Michigan at home, and considering we routinely own N.C. State, I'm going to predict a victory.

Back me up, Terps.

Photos by Adam Fried

A True Test

Clemson came very, very close, but they just couldn't beat the Terps.

You could see the frustration on the faces of Clemson fans as soon as Cullen Harper came up short on a QB sneak. I pitied them for a few brief moments before I realized that my team was going to win today.

I can understand their frustration - Clemson probably should've won today. They had more offense and more consistent defense. However, they coughed the ball up three times, and that won't win you anything. Sorry Tommy Bowden, you're just not going to have an easy week.

For their part, Maryland capitalized, capitalized and capitalized. They turned turnovers into points and basically did just enough to bag the win. One Chris Turner pass, one Da'Rel Scott run, and two Obi Egekeze field goals turned out to be just enough. Also, gotta shout out to Darrius Heyward-Bey for making what I consider to be one of the game-changing plays: a 76-yard reverse. I swear to God that reverses never ever work for any team I root for... unless it's Heyward-Bey, who somehow always makes at least a 30-yard gain out of those.

I love the win. It puts us at 4-1 (better than I would've expected this season thus far) and that much closer to bowl eligibility. Heck, it might be ambitious, but the Terps are certainly in the race for winning the Atlantic Division. So far, Maryland has only played one conference opponent so there's a long way to go, but it's feasible.

Next week is a good start: Maryland head to face the Virginia Cavaliers, who were just stomped by Duke of all teams, 31-3. Duke, by the way, wins its first ACC game in the last 26 attempts.

However, Jeff Barker notes in his Tracking the Terps blog that Ralph is not taking Virginia at all lightly, and considering the rivalry the two teams have built, that sounds like a sensible mentality. Virginia has bested the Terps in 12 of the past 16 matchups, which is kind of domination, or as my two new favorite bloggers would say, dominasian (yes that was an off-topic shoutout by the way).

Also, the injury report isn't looking good: Adrian Moten is out for awhile, and Danny Oquendo, Nolan Carroll, Scott and others are questionable.

But lets hope the Terps have enough juice to pull it out. To be honest with you, I think they do.

Photos by Adam Fried

Reality Check - Going to Death Valley

Don't get me wrong, I love to celebrate wins. I think it's great that we're 3-1, and that's really the best we could've hoped for in the first four weeks of our schedule. I think it's great that we just put up 51 points on Eastern Michigan. I think it's great that every College Park resident gets 12 free toppings on their pizza at Papa John's.

But just look on the schedule: Next up, Clemson. I hope that name makes you wince.

They crushed the Terps last year. They blighted them. At home, no less. It was a miserable game. I left at halftime. The final score of 30-17 didn't reflect how horrific the game was.

When thinking about going on the road against Clemson, the home pummeling of Eastern Michigan doesn't give me that much comfort. The Tigers are ranked No. 20 in the AP poll, and for good reason:

- They're scoring 34 points per game and only allow 15 points per game.
- They have the third-best red zone offense in the ACC.
- They have the second-best passing defense and fifth-best rushing defense in the conference.
- They have Cullen Harper, one of the most efficient passers in the ACC (and who kind of looks like a tool on the Clemson site), and James " I guarantee it" Davis and C.J. Spiller, two of the most explosive backs in the ACC.

I think the best way to react to the Maryland victory is to think about all the positive things we learned and apply it to how we can beat Clemson. So let's take a walk on the positive side...

- Maryland has the ACC's most efficient passer. No, it's not Chris Turner. No, it's not Josh Portis. Answer is: (dun dun dun) Danny Oquendo! All he does is throw 43-yard touchdown passes!

- Morgan Green is finally doing something. Green was spotted actually running into the end zone, not once, but twice! He finished with 40 yards on the day to go with his two scores. Now he only has to rush for 3,883 more yards and score 50 more touchdowns and he'll finally prove he was worth taking over Steve Slaton!

- Da'Rel Scott is still the ACC's leading rusher. Hilariously, he hasn't moved from the top spot after missing a week of work, and his YPG looks even better.

- Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a kicker. Obi Egekeze came out of a coma and went 3-for-3, shattering his season-high mark of zero field goals in a game.

Ok, ok, ok - I know none of those observations are helpful at all.

However, Maryland can beat Clemson. Da'Rel Scott is expected to return this week, and James Franklin seems to be getting a spark out of this offense. Between 51 points against Eastern Michigan and 35 points against Cal, there's promise here yet.

Turner did throw two interceptions this week, but also had two touchdown passes. Josh Portis once again didn't complete a pass, but he did rush for an astonishing 98 yards, which is more impressive when you consider teams know he can't throw the ball. The running game overall was still fantastic without Scott: 231 yards ain't bad at all, and we're still the second-best rushing team in the conference.

The biggest problems we face are on defense. The Terps are just giving up waaaaay too many passing yards. Cal quarterback Kevin Riley skinned us to a near-comeback, and the Eagles' Kyle McMahon still threw for over 275 yards, which is a good total by any standard.

The return of Terrell Skinner will help, but Kevin Barnes and company have to play some tight ball. Harper can toss the ball on a defense and at least keep them honest enough to set up the run. James Davis and the Clemson o-line will test Maryland's undersized front seven.

In order to be successful, the defense has to be able to penetrate the pocket. Against Cal, Maryland had five sacks. They'll need that kind of pressure again to really bring the heat to the hot-handed Harper. Should Clemson choose to run the ball straight at the defense, the Terp linemen and linebackers have to finish their tackles. If you allow James Davis and C.J. Spiller to run at your secondary, they will end you.

Really, there's little room for error in this ACC dogfight. The last two years, this has been a game for the road team, and Maryland will hope to keep that particular streak going on Saturday. Should they succeed, a national ranking might be in the works for a tough Terrapin team. Should they fail...

... well, let's not worry about it.

Photos courtesy of baltimoresun.com sports.

Terps Topple Golden Bears

So that's pretty crazy, right?

One week ago, let us recall that we were rehashing the Terps latest disappointing letdown against MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE. And today we beat... a No. 23-ranked Cal?

WHAAAAAAAAAA?!?!?!?!

I don't know. Nobody knows. Not even the Schmuck. I'm not even going to pretend to understand how different this team looked today. I suppose you could attribute some of that to jet lag. You could say that Cal couldn't play defense. But you have to give the Terps some credit for an amazingly efficient offensive performance, and good defense for three quarters. Props as well to the fans who were dedicated enough to stay the whole game through the sunburn and dehydration (I wimped out early to be honest).

I mean, let's look at some areas of statistical weakness we talked about last week:

- Chris Turner bounced back from a three-interception performance last week with a 15-for-19 showing with 156 yards and two touchdown passes. Not stunning numbers, but the kind of numbers Maryland needs to complement their rushing game.

- The offensive line looked better, but Turner was still sacked four times. We need to improve in this area. But on rushing plays, the line was hitting their blocks very well against a seemingly toothless Cal defense.

- On the other side of the ball, the defensive front seven finally had some pressure... most of the game. The team had five sacks today, with two from Moise Fokou and one-and-a-half from Rick Costa. It was a big improvement from zero total sacks in the first two games. Beyond that, the line and the backers ate up the run. The Golden Bears finished with 38 rushing yards, the Terps had eight tackles-for-a-loss, and Dave Philistin had 13 total tackles. Like a champ.

- Obi Egekeze still stunk it up, to put it lightly. He missed a 27-yard attempt. Ugh. Right now, Obi is 0-for-5 on the season. I'm thinking about camping out on my roof until he does it. Anyone with me? Anyone?

The biggest problem is a classic Maryland characteristic: We have a hard time holding a commanding lead. The secondary was torched for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, which is simply inexcusable, and I expect Friedgen to say as much this upcoming week.

It was a problem last year against Boston College, and the Terps routinely come down to nail-biting finishes. The best teams in football take commanding leads and hold them. We need to play a full game. The offense did a great job of this, especially considering Da'Rel Scott went down for the game in the first half (he seemed OK at the end and was on the sidelines). The defense was blown away.

We'll see if perhaps Maryland treats Eastern Michigan the same way they treat Cal. EMU just lost to the Toledo Rockets and is currently 1-2, but I think a good lesson the Terps learned a week ago is to not take opponents lightly.

But today, way to go Terps, and good win!

UPDATE: Also, good hit Kevin Barnes! You know how when an announcer says that hit made him spit out his breakfast? Well...



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

Terp Boxing Rumbles at Ritchie

Ed Note: This actually happened about a week ago, but I've been behind. Anticipate a lengthy break during spring break, BTW. - kgoon

Even in the relatively small space of Ritchie Coliseum, there was an electricity about walking in the building for fight night: watching the fighters tape up, take jabs at phantom opponents, seeing the ring, being a part of the pre-bout hubbub. Students turned out in droves to support their friends, and grizzled old vets came out to see the young blood of the sport.

As Dickie V would say, "It's boxing, baby!"

For $5, you could watch 11 fights - all amateur - and get good seats, too. Arriving 10 minutes early, we managed to grab front row spots in the bleachers. There wasn't any smoking or drinking, pretty much no one wore fly threads, and it wasn't terribly glamorous overall (they didn't even turn down the house lights for the matches). But there is something about amateur fights that really brings a purity to the event.

There's not really much trash talking, not much flash, no one is getting paid for the entertainment - it's really just about a bunch of young guns suited up after months and months of training, trying to beat down whoever takes the corner opposite them in the ring. What you see is raw: pure passion, pure fury. Some of the fighters may not have the best form, but you're guaranteed to see something real.

My friend, Andrew "The Bronco" Hallowell, is a boxer, but meeting him, you might not know it. He's a nice guy: he smiles and is quiet when you meet him.

But he is fiercely competitive. Like all members of the UMD boxing club, he wakes up at 5:30 in the morning to go run. He goes to the gym several times a week to spar, hit the bag, do sit-ups, and basically give his body a beating until it can take one and keep going. Before weigh-ins, he'll stare longingly at us as we munch on pizza or burgers, and then he'll look down sadly at his broccoli (even though he apparently claims he loves it).

But to him, it's worth it. The work and the diet pay off the second he steps in the ring, because he knows he's more prepared than his opponent.

So imagine 22 fighters, finally off their diets and workout schedules, ready to pound someone or something into pulp. If you take them two at a time and sic them on each other, essentially, that's Rumble at Ritchie.

And there was a pretty mixed crowd too. It was apparent that some people hadn't been to a fight before, like me, and were just taking it in. But there were also some older gentlemen looking on the festivities with great admiration. I later learned that they were the men who had been there before, in the ring. Great fighters from Maryland from the 50s and 60s still came just to see and perhaps remember.

And how could I forget the crazy fans - the ones with the painted chests and the enormous signs, supporting their various teams and fighters, yelling more loudly and more passionately than anyone in the building. It certainly made the atmosphere more vibrant.

We watched a lot of fights. We watched fights that were close and fights that weren't. The fights last about three rounds, and a lot of bouts lasted the duration. Some did not.

One guy from Maryland (who will remain nameless, bless his heart) got pummeled by a much stronger, quicker fighter. By the end, he was getting back up, but he was bleeding all over himself and clearly disoriented. The fight had to be called. I ran into in the locker room sometime later (during a lengthy search for a bathroom), and tried to say something encouraging.

"Good fight, man."

"Yeah, if you want to call it that," he said. "That's the hardest I've ever been hit in my life."

I was taken aback. I didn't know what to say, and I started wishing I had never said anything in the first place.

It's hard to lose. When you get rocked in boxing, you really get rocked. It's tough to admit defeat after training so hard for victory. The competitive nature of the sport increases tenfold because the participants put a concentrated effort that last for months into a 15-minute fight. Andrew has come back from losses before, and sometimes you have to avoid the subject.

But there is something to be said about the guys who are losing but keep getting up off the mat. There is pride in a man who loses a bout, but goes on to fight another day. Those guys work harder and harder. They have the courage to go back again, even though they know how bitter defeat is. It's a beautiful thing, sort of a microcosm of what it takes to get through life.

I happy to say Maryland did pretty well. I didn't see all of the matches, but I did see at least 3 Terp wins (and one that probably should've been a Terp win).

The big fight for me and my group of friends was just the second bout on the ticket. I was immediately nervous when I saw that Andrew's opponent, a guy from Shippensburg, was taller and had longer arms than he did. But I remained sure that The Bronco wouldn't let down his home crowd.

Andy took the first jab: short. Uh-oh. I sensed that this could be a problem.

But the other guy had a bigger problem - his interior defense was vulnerable. The Bronco seized on this opportunity and took the aggressor role. He pounced in the inside, hitting whatever he could until the other guy backed off. Unfortunately, Andrew also got a few nice shots to the head.

No sweat.

At the end of two rounds, Andrew was clearly in the lead. The audience, led by a chorus of fans from Philly, his hometown, and my own section, started a chant of "Bronco! Bronco!" It was a thrilling moment, and we were only five minutes away from a victory.

The Shippensburg guy started realizing that he would need to take more than a few extra shots to take the lead. He got a little more aggressive. He started taking harder swipes.

Andy wasn't nervous, and neither were we. He handled his business, and we cheered louder than ever when the bell rung. Minutes later, the ref was holding up his arm, and the Bronco had won.

We ran over to the Maryland bench, and everyone gave him sweaty hugs. He was walking on air.

"How does it feel when the ref holds up your arm like that and you know you've won?" I asked.

"Aw man, it's the best feeling in the whole world," he said.

Later that night, where could our boxing champ be found? Over at Panda Buffet, stuffing his face with orange chicken and fried rice. The only reward an amateur boxer really needs and wants after all that broccoli: a full stomach.

Photos courtesy of Mike Brennan

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

I Was There When...

So for all of you wondering, yes, INRCP did attend the women's basketball game on Sunday. And in no way did it disappoint.

The Terps' senior class, I think, wanted to show one last time that "Overtime is Our Time." That's probably the best explanation they can give, anyway.

Facing a 16-10 Seminole team, the Lady Terps were challenged from tip-off. If you look at the box score, you'll notice that Maryland was superior in rebounds (51 to 30) and shot at a significantly better percentage (56.6% to 39.2%). The only reason that Florida State stayed in the hunt was turnovers (23 to 7). Maryland committed a string of travel violations in the first half that was very alarming, but settled down after awhile. In the second half, they committed another string of turnovers that erased a nine-point lead.

So down by one with 33 seconds left, Alysha Harvin stood at the free throw line and made the first shot. Ouch. The stadium got as loud as it's ever been for the Maryland women, and Harvin clanked the next shot. Maryland rebound.

I think everyone knew then that this team would win. All season, they've been too good. The seniors throughout their careers were too good to let this one slip. As it happened, Marissa Coleman drove into the post for the tying layup. Overtime. The rest is history.

But the most incredible moment besides the tying layup and the subsequent eruption was watching a walking Maryland legend being honored at the end of the game. It was wonderful to watch them unveil No. 1 in the rafters next to the national championship banner that she helped earn.

I've said multiple times that looking at stats alone, she has to be the best basketball player - male or female - that Maryland's ever had. But there's more to it than that, as DBK columnist Mark Selig wrote today. I wouldn't say she embodies what Maryland athletics is about, but rather she has the qualities that all athletes should have. She is a competitor, but she is graceful and a good sport. By all accounts, she does what she has to do in the classroom, even though she'll probably make money in the WNBA and overseas in her basketball career.

It occurred to me that one day, I might say to someone, "I was there when they hung No. 1 in Comcast." For years to come, we'll all have the opportunity to look up and see the jersey of the greatest player that ever stepped foot in Maryland, and in two years elevated them from a 10-18 team to a national championship.

It was nice to see Crystal get her moment, and hopefully she'll still have a handful left before her college career is over.

Go Terps and thank you all seniors for your wonderful years here!

Keys to Beating the Hokies

So if you're up late enough tonight to catch the game, here's the official INRCP scouting report.

Some of my readers enjoyed looking at last week's "Keys to the Game," so I'm giving it another shot. The Hokies beat the Terps last time, narrowly avoiding a comeback bid by Maryland when Greivis Vasquez clanked a potential game-winner in the closing seconds.

Much has changed since then: Maryland has only lost two games, both to Duke. Meanwhile, VaTech has fallen to a 5-6 record in-conference and a mediocre 14-11 record overall. Most are safe in assuming the Hokies will miss the tournament.

However, they can be a dangerous team and have the No. 1 scoring defense in the ACC (Maryland has the No. 1 FG% defense). Teams that play good defense have given the Terps problems this year - teams like UCLA, Duke and Boston College. And you can't discount that they beat us already.

On the other hand, scoring is their problem, as they only beat UVA in most scoring categories. Only three guys average double digits on the team, and I mean the low double digits. In fact, both Vasquez and James Gist average more ppg than VaTech's leading scorer (A.D. Vassallo).

Jeff Allen will be the one to watch. He'll likely match up with Boom. In the last game, he scored 17 and had 9 boards to go along with 5 steals. In addition, he hit the game-winning free throw. The frontcourt will have to play more effective defense (9 fouls last game between Gist and Boom). Besides that, the guards will have to concentrate on containing Vassallo, and perimeter D hasn't been great thus far this season (See: Duke).

So at last:

KEYS TO THE GAME

1) Contain Jeff Allen, scoring AND rebounding
2) Make outside shots (Last meeting only 2-12 for threes)
3) Don't force tempo - it leads to turnovers

I expect that this will be a physical and grinding game. I also expect Maryland will take advantage of a healthy Eric Hayes and protect their homecourt advantage. If Cliff Tucker is still sick, that could be a problem, but I don't grade the Hokies as a better team than Florida State.

Hopefully when all is said and done, the Terps will chalk up another win tonight. Go Terps!

Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun

Beat Duke AND Deliver Twins? Nice...

Women's basketball had a double (or triple, depending on how you look at it) whammy this weekend: Not only did they squash No. 12 Duke, 76-69, coach Brenda Frese gave birth to twin boys, Markus and Tyler.

And what did the rest of you people accomplish this weekend?

The Terps are a well-oiled machine right now, charging ahead with a 27-2 record. I worry when I see 26 turnovers in the box score, including 12 from Kristi Toliver. It's true her shooting is really great so far (4-5 in the game), but she can't give up four times as many turnovers as assists. As the Godfather would say, "It's just bad business." But scoring and rebounding helped carry the load in this game, and the Blue Devils got a little punishment for beating the men earlier this week. Thank goodness, because I probably wouldn't be the only fan with an aneurysm if we lost to Duke twice in a week.

In more women's news, Crystal "Greatest Terp Ever" Langhorne is being honored on Sunday Feb. 24. Her number will hang from the rafters as a testament to her greatness: not only the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in school history, but the best player on a championship team (hopefully two championship teams if we get our way).

I'm going to advise fans to actually come to the Comcast Center to say farewell to a great senior class. Laura Harper and Jade Perry are both great players in their own right. The game is at 2 p.m. and it's free, so show up!

Go Terps, ladies!


Photo Credit: AP

Yeah, I'm Lazy

Sorry, I got caught taking an extended break AGAIN and let two games get by me without comment. Here's what happened:

1) I was upset about the Duke game. REALLY upset. I was watching the game with some friends, and they were looking at my "Keys to the Game, " (more as a joke, but still). None of it happened.

2) I have another life as a crusader for justice that required my attention. (Read: Job).

So anyway, I WAS watching - don't worry.

Basically, in the Duke game, I felt that they were who we thought they were, and we let them off the hook. The game was narrowed to a 2-point margin, but we failed to capitalize, even during a long stretch of keeping the Blue Devils scoreless. Bottom line was they shot well, we didn't have a defensive answer, and we couldn't build on our momentum to take the lead. It was tough, but Duke showed why they're a tough team to beat. Congrats, BTDub, to Wake Forest for finally taking them down. Dookie fans: Arrogance is your downfall. Write that on a cheer sheet.

Florida State was pretty different. Being there, it was hard to pull out a definitive reason why we won. Greivis Vasquez had a good stretch where he made 3 threes in a row that really launched the Terps in the second half, and Landon Milbourne really helped keep the Seminoles at bay with a late surge of 13 second-half points. Milbourne also contributed this absolutely filthy highlight-reel dunk:



That's how I like it. Dag.

When you look at the stat box, Maryland's big advantage was shooting: The Terps shot over 50% from the field, over 58% from long range, and 82.8% from the line (24-29, which is really significant). Good shooting helped them overcome a torching in the backcourt from Ralph Mims (26 points).

Florida State is pretty bad, but it still felt good to pick up the win after being so out of our element against Duke. It was also nice to see solid minutes from Shane Walker and Adrian Bowie off the bench. Gary played the starters for most of the second half, but they really did well for a long stretch in the first half, keeping the game close while we were behind. Jason McAlpin also saw action, and admirably filled Cliff Tucker's role (he was sick).

Next up: Virginia Tech. I want revenge for our one-point loss, and I'm betting the team does, too. We'll see what happens.

Go Terps.