Terrapins Win First ACC Matchup

The Maryland Terrapins sure love to make it interesting. In a game with multiple momentum shifts, missed field goals, and high-pressure moments, the Terrapins came away with their first Atlantic Coast Conference win against the Clemson Tigers, 24-21. Both teams made mistakes at critical junctions in the game and the game swung in the balance for the last five minutes.

"I was working my rosary pretty good," head coach Ralph Friedgen said after the game.

For a team that had lost two consecutive games and was being left for dead, a win against Clemson seemed like a tall task.

Clemson got on the board first with a field goal by Richard Jackson following a muffed punt return by Anthony Wiseman. Five minutes later, the Tigers scored on a touchdown run by wide receiver Jacoby Ford to take a 10-0 lead. It looked as though the Terrapins would find themselves on the wrong side of a blowout for the second week in a row.

The Terrapins would fight back, however, with a 43-yard field goal by Nick Ferrara early in the second quarter. Jackson would kick a 51-yard field goal to make the score 13-3 to put the Tigers up 10.

The Maryland offense would come to life, however, and capped off a 76-yard drive with a 29-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Torrey Smith. Following a defensive stop, the Terrapins would get the ball back with 2:15 remaining in the half and drive 81 yards to take the lead 17-13 into the half.

In the third quarter, Tony Logan returned a short punt to the Clemson 1-yard line to give the Terrapins a chance to add to their lead. Three plays later, Davin Meggett took an option pitch from Turner and dodged a tackler to give the Terrapins a 24-13 lead with 4:27 left in the third quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Spiller broke multiple tackles and went 93 yards to swing the momentum back in Clemson's favor. A two-point conversion brought the Tigers back within three points. The two teams would continue to trade possessions until late in the fourth quarter. With less than five minutes remaining, Friedgen decided to go for it on a forth and short from his own 30 yard line. He called for a QB sneak.

"James [Franklin] wanted to go for it. The kids wanted to go for it. I knew our defense was tired, and I went for it," Friedgen said. "I wanted to think about it. I probably changed my mind three times."

Chris Turner was stopped and lost yardage. Friedgen left his defense to face a good Clemson offense already in field goal range. It looked like the game would either be tied or the Terrapins would find themselves trailing with little time remaining.

His defense stepped up, however, and forced a three-and-out by the Tigers. Richard Jackson went out and kicked a long field goal to tie the game. There was one problem: Friedgen had called a timeout right before Clemson hiked the ball. Jackson was forced to try again, and missed.

The Terrapins had dodged a bullet and had a chance to ice the game with a couple first downs. On their first play, however, Meggett fumbled the ball and gave the ball right back to the Tigers. The defense, yet again, stopped the Tigers in their tracks and forced a field goal attempt. Surely Jackson, one of the best kickers in the ACC, would not miss twice from the same spot.

He did. He missed the kick again, and gave the Terrapins another chance to end the game. The Maryland offense, however, was forced to punt after another three and out.

With the ball back and 1:30 left on the clock, the Clemson offense had a chance to march down the field and tie or win the game. After three plays, they were already in field goal range in Maryland territory. On third down, however, Terrapin linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield capped off a 10-tackle day by breaking free and sacking Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker. Hartsfield forced Parker to drop the ball, and, after a review, Maryland had the ball and their first ACC victory.

Still, the Terrapins have problems on both sides of the ball. They had costly fumbles, untimely penalties, and missed assignments.

"I know what's wrong and I'm trying to fix it," Friedgen said. "But it was better today."

The running game also continued to struggle. The Terrapinsonly had 28 total yards on the ground last week vs. Rutgers. Turner was the Terrapins' leading rusher at the half with 7 carries for 31 yards. Da'Rel Scott, who lead the Terrapins in rushing last season and came into the game with 297 yards on the ground, had no carries in the first half and sustained an injury on his first carry of the second half. Meggett ended up with 10 attempts for 29 yards and Gary Douglas had 7 carries for 24 yards.

Defensively, the Terrapins had their best game of the season. Clemson running back C.J. Spiller was held in check (18 attempts for 72 yards) despite his kickoff return and first-year defensive coordinator Don Brown was finally able to use the blitz effectively to stop the powerful Clemson offense, especially in crucial moments in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. Brown saw his defense become closer as a unit and better at running his defense.

"We're really getting comfortable now in terms of guys disguising. We're running the pressures. Even though we only sacked [Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker] twice today, we chased him around all day long," Brown said. He also felt his defense finally put together a solid, full game, which is something he preached all week long.

"The proof is in the pudding. We played 60 minutes today."

(Photo: Washington Post)

Maryland Football: What to Expect

There are few teams over the last couple college football seasons that have been more of an enigma than the Maryland Terrapins. We've seen the Terps beat five ranked teams in one year, only to lose to teams like Middle Tennessee State. We've seen ACC upsets and near I-AA loses. With that in mind, it's extremely difficult to predict how this season will go for the Terps.

A quick scan of the roster shows a team loaded with talent at many positions. You have Chris Turner returning at quarterback, who is firmly entrenched in the starting role, unlike past seasons, where there would be controversy. All-ACC running back Da'Rel Scott returns at tailback and his backup, true sophomore Davin Meggett, should continue to provide plenty of solid runs. The receiving corps is just about 8 players deep, highlighted by sophomore Torrey Smith, who has proven to be a dynamic kick returner in addition to a solid, and developing, receiver. Behind him, players like Ronnie Tyler, Emani Lee-Odai, and Laquan Williams (who started some games in 2007) are all capable. Tight end Landsford Watson is proving to be yet another solid Maryland tight end, following in the footsteps of Vernon Davis, Joey Haynos, and Dan Gronkowski.

Defensively, there are many changes, none bigger than the new defensive coordinator Don Brown, who was previously the head coach at U-Mass. Brown's system is a stark contrast to that of former defensive coordinator Chris Cosh, who is now at Kansas State. This year's defense will feature numerous packages, utilizing both 3 and 4-down lineman sets and heavy pressure. The players seem to really enjoy it so far in camp and it has highlighted the team's speed and athleticism. The leader of the defense, junior linebacker Alex Wujciak, is setting himself up to be a future NFL linebacker. He led the team in tackles a season ago and should do the same this year, barring injury. Adrian Moten also returns at outside linebacker and senior Travis Ivey is the veteran on the defensive line, which has redshirt freshman A.J. Francis starting alongside Ivey. Seniors Nolan Carroll and Anthony Wiseman return to lead the cornerbacks while Terrell Skinner returns at safety. The other safety position is a battle between sophomore Kenny Tate, who, as a freshman, played well last season, and senior Jamari Mccollough, who is a veteran and a solid all-around safety. Tate has been very impressive in camp so far and it will be tough for the coaching staff to keep him off the field. He has the makings of an elite safety and is arguably the most athletic player on the team.

On paper, the team sounds pretty good, right? If you notice, I left out one significant aspect of the team: the offensive line. It is, without a doubt, the team's biggest question mark. There is only one starter returning from last year's squad (LT Bruce Campbell) and young players could be thrust into being reliable linemen. The line could end up playing well, but it is unlikely given their inexperience and the fact that last year's veteran squad was not exactly the best in the ACC.

Still, with all the talent surrounding the questionable offensive line, there is certainly potential for a solid season and a bowl win. Here's their schedule:

09/05/09	at California	Berkeley, Calif.	10:00 p.m. ET
09/12/09	vs. James Madison	College Park, Md.	6:00 p.m. ET
09/19/09	vs. Middle Tennessee State	College Park, Md.	3:30 p.m. ET
09/26/09	vs. Rutgers	College Park, Md.	TBA
10/03/09	vs. Clemson	College Park, Md.	TBA
10/10/09	at Wake Forest	Winston-Salem, N.C.	TBA
10/17/09	vs. Virginia (Homecoming)	College Park, Md.	TBA
10/24/09	at Duke	Durham, N.C.	TBA
11/07/09	at North Carolina State	Raleigh, N.C.	TBA
11/14/09	vs. Virginia Tech	College Park, Md.	TBA
11/21/09	at Florida State	Tallahassee, Fla.	TBA
11/28/09	vs. Boston College	College Park, Md.	TBA

That schedule is manageable. Week one will be a difficult game against Cal and traveling to FSU is never an easy task, but the rest of the schedule is winnable. That said, Maryland will trip up against teams that are similar in ability (Rugters, UVA, Clemson, Wake, NC State, Boston College). Luckily, Virginia Tech comes to College Park; when it's the other away around, Maryland's chances at a win are slim. The James Madison game will be interesting for the Terps, not only because of JMU's local ties, but because of the Terps' annual "playing down to lesser schools" funk it goes into that usually happens early on in the season. It's not out of the realm of possibility to see the Terps beat Cal, only to lose to JMU. With the Terps, you just never know.

What I do know is that this team should win, at worst, 5 games. James Madison, Boston College, Duke, Middle Tennessee State, and one of (UVA/Wake/Clemson/Rutgers/NC State) is the bare minimum. If they finish with less, the season was a failure. If they finish with 5, it's a disappoiting result but understandable. They have the potential to finish with 8 or 9. My prediction: 7. The Terps are one of those teams that just sticks with mediocrity for a while and usually wins its bowl game. There's nothing wrong with that, and I'd be surprised to see them with more than 7.

Terps Land Third Basketball Recruit

The Terps are quietly forming a very solid 2010 basketball recruiting class. Their latest commitment, Mychal Parker, joins Terrance Ross and Terrell Stoglin as future Terps.

Parker, a 6'6" forward from Charlottesville, Virginia, is listed as a 4-star recruit on both Scout and Rivals.com. He is in Rivals' Top-50 recruit list. Ross is also a 4-star recruit while Stoglin is a 3-star recruit.

I watched Parker play at the end of last year and he was very impressive. Terrance Ross said he was working on Parker to commit to Maryland and it appears his work paid off. Ross and Parker will be instrumental in replacing senior Landon Milbourne.

Gary Williams' class of 2009 was solid and it looks like 2010 will be more of the same.

... That Didn't Last Long

DeShawn Painter decided to be a preposterous tease for Maryland fans everywhere by announcing Tuesday that Maryland was in his final two, and then announcing today that he made up his mind ... and NC State it was. So, sorry if I got you all excited on Tuesday thinking that Maryland was going to land a legitimate recruit for 2009, because I really thought they would. Alas, though. What are you gonna do?

Gary's Overcompensating ... And I Love It

So I know the NHL and NBA are in the middle of great playoff series right now, but I want to do a little timeout to get you updated in the world of Terrapin basketball.

According to ESPN, DeShawn Painter, a top 100 player and top 20 power forward in the nation, has narrowed his college selection down to Maryland and NC State. Painter would be the prize recruit of this year's class and would almost certainly start from the get-go. No information I could provide about him would be unique, so go here for the scoop. 

Now I'm not going to do a long post and get all excited, because there's just as good of a chance that he'll be playing for NC State next year as Maryland. But I can't lie and say I'm not thrilled that Maryland is in the running for this. What it really shows is that Gary got a wake-up call last year. Between all the media coverage and what once looked to be nothing short of a disastrous season, Gary for the first time felt a little uneasy under the collar. How has he responded? By taking a team that had no business playing in the ACC and making them into an NCAA tournament team. By not only landing Jordan Williams and James Padgett (who seem to get better ratings by the day), but by already landing one solid and one great recruit for 2010. And now, he led the charge out of nowhere for Maryland to land Painter. It really shows Gary's still got it.

I'll keep you up-to-date as far as any new developments go. He's expected to make his decision by the 20th, so it won't be too long for now that we'll know for sure. If Maryland is in fact the choice, expect a lengthier post with how he'll fit in to the system here. 

(Photo Credit: ncstate.rivals.com)

Interview with Terrence Ross

If you have a Scout.com membership, check out the story on 4-star recruit and Maryland commitment Terrence Ross here.

Here's a short preview:

Ross said the biggest reasons for his commitments were, "the crowd, the arena, and the coaching staff."

"Coach Williams said that I could make a major impact as a freshman, and I could start if I really worked hard and really play my first year."

Also check out some highlights here.

Terps Laying Solid Foundation for Future

Let's be honest with ourselves for a second. As much as I've tried to stay optimistic on the matter, Maryland is not going to land Lance Stephenson. If Stephenson wanted to come to Maryland, he would be here already. So, it's time to chalk that one up to a good attempt and move on. 

Move on Maryland certainly has, as they have already landed a recruit for 2010 who is already much more highly rated than either of the members of their 2009 class. His name is Terrence Ross (pictured, left), and, according to ESPN, he's the number 41 player in the class of '10. At 6'6 and 180 pounds, he's ideally a shooting guard, but could certainly play small forward, especially in Gary's lineup. Most importantly, he's a pure shooter, one of the best in the nation as a high schooler. Originally from Oregon, he transferred to nearby Montrose Christian for academics. Dubbed as the best 2-guard prospect in the west before he came east, Ross was also actively pursued by Washington, Arizona State, Cal and Oregon State.

Maryland has also received a commitment from the number 30 point guard in the country for 2010 in Terrell Stoglin. Stoglin is still in "project" status, and will have to work on his jump shot, because at 6'0, he's not going to find it easy to get to the rim in the ACC. Still, though, he averaged 27.0 ppg and 7.5 apg as a junior this season and was recruited by PAC 10 powerhouses USC and UCLA.

The only questions that remain for the upcoming season lay with Greivis Vasquez, who still doesn't know whether he's coming back to school for his senior season, and 6'9 power forward DeShawn Painter, who was granted a release from his letter of intent to Florida last week, and has scheduled a visit to Maryland. Any update on either of those will instantly be put here. 

(Photo Credit: montrosebasketball.com)

Xavier Henry is Attending Kansas

In the completely expected news department, top recruit Xavier Henry held a press conference today announcing his decision to attend the University of Kansas in the fall. Kansas was already supposed to be the best team in the nation, and adding Henry will only make them better. How this pertains to Maryland is through Lance Stephenson, who is expected to completely remove Kansas from his recruiting radar. 

Although Kentucky still has a puncher's chance, it's safe to say that Stephenson's decision has come down to either St. John's or Maryland, and it could very well be a 50-50 chance for both schools. It is unknown how much emphasis Stephenson is giving to Greivis Vasquez and his ongoing draft saga. It could go either way there: perhaps Stephenson wants Vasquez to go pro so he could be the lone star at Maryland next season, or perhaps Stephenson wants an elite point guard to get the ball to him. Either way, time is running out for Vasquez and Stephenson to make their final decisions, and I will be the first to let you know when it happens. 

Vinson to UMASS

And we interrupt NFL Draft week for a piece of news that should make every Maryland fan a little queasy. A recruiting class that had so much promise now seems destined to be one of mediocrity - at best. Terrell Vinson, ESPN's 8th ranked small forward and 49th ranked overall prospect, had decided to sign with the University of Massachusetts, not the University of Maryland. Although Vinson would likely have backed up Landon Milbourne this year, he could have been the premier player for the Terps in coming years after that. Known for his toughness and defensive rebounding, Vinson went to St. Frances Academy, the same high school as current Terp Sean Mosley. 

Unless Maryland can land Lance Stephenson - which, although still possible, is not likely - the only recruits coming in will be Jordan Williams and James Padgett, two promising, but not highly touted, big men. Here's hoping Greivis comes back. 

(Photo Credit: capitolhoops.com)

ESPN: Maryland Number Two for Stephenson, One for Vinson

ESPN just launched their spring recruiting preview, in which they discussed the top remaining players in the country who have yet to sign to a school. Oft-talked about recruit Lance Stephenson checked in at the number 12 spot. Because ESPN, like many others, thinks that number three recruit Xavier Henry will commit to Kansas, they have the Jayhawks out of the running for Stephenson. However, they also have St. John's one-upping the Terrapins on the trail. If they had to pick a school today that Stephenson would end up, they say it would be the Red Storm. The Terps check in at the number two spot, though, so all hope should not be lost.

In another surprise, Maryland is said to be the most likely home for top 50 recruit Terrell Vinson next year. A 6'7 small forward who plays bigger than his size, Vinson hails from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, the same high school that produced current Terp Sean Mosley. Described as an Antoine Walker-like player, Vinson would be the third freshman that would compete for playing time as one of the bigs for the Terps.

Currently, with neither Williams nor Padgett being in the top 100 of prospects, Maryland's recruiting class is solid, but nothing to write home about. If the Terps were to land either Stephenson or Vinson, it would immediately put it as one of their best in recent memory. 

Events at Kentucky Could Lead to Stephenson at Maryland

Lance Stephenson has still not given any indication when he will announce what college he will attend next year. Before a solid showing at the McDonald's All-American game (12 points, six assists, three steals), the only thing Stephenson divulged to reporters were that his top three choices were still Kansas, Maryland and St. John's. 

He may be holding off because of reasons outside of his control. 

Coach John Calipari (pictured, left) leaving Memphis to go to Kentucky will shake up the entire recruiting world, and Stephenson is in the middle of that picture. 

Recruits typically choose a school in equal parts because of their relationship with the coaching staff and because of the school itself. So, when a coach goes, it is logical that the recruits for that school, especially if they were torn in their decision-making process to begin with, to attend their second choice school.

Enter Xavier Henry, widely considered to be the single best prospect coming out of high school this year. Henry is a 6'5 shooting guard, who committed to Memphis after limiting his choices down to Memphis and Kansas. Odds are Henry will no longer attend Memphis because of Calipari's absence. One of two choices are then logical for Henry: attend Kansas, his second choice school, or follow his desired coach to Kentucky. 

However, Henry may then look at Kentucky's roster and see that Jodie Meeks will likely return for his senior season. Jodie Meeks (pictured, right) is a 6'4 shooting guard who averaged 23.7 ppg last year. No matter how good Henry is, he's not starting over Meeks. Henry also has his reputation to consider: he's a "one and done" player (a player who only intends to play college ball for one year before leaving for the NBA), and he doesn't want to play second fiddle to anyone.

So, it is not unreasonable at all to say Henry ends up at Kansas. Well, if Kansas is bringing in one freshman 6'5 shooting guard in Henry, why bring in another one in Stephenson? This is not to mention Kansas's scholarship situation, and the fact they would have to force some transfers to make room for Stephenson on their roster in the first place. 

So, what then for Stephenson? It really leaves Maryland and St. John's, and Maryland is clearly in the lead there. The only other option for Stephenson is Kentucky, even though he neither looked at Kentucky nor Memphis previously. Calipari has that way, however, and will likely try to convince Stephenson to attend, especially if he loses Henry.

It's a domino effect from all over, but the bottom line to take from it all is that Maryland has a better shot of landing Stephenson than they did a week ago. Maybe even a good shot. 

(Photo Credits: AP)

Lance Stephenson to Delay Announcement

Tonight is the McDonald's All-American game, which shows off the best high school talent in the country. One player that will be participating is 6'5 shooting guard Lance Stephenson (read about him here) of Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, NY. Tonight is also the night when Stephenson was supposed to announce which college he will attend next year. He has decided to postpone that, however. Although neither Memphis nor Kentucky seemed to be a likely suitor, ESPN reports that Calipari's uncertain future with the Tigers could play a role. 

Right now, Stephenson has made it known that there are still three schools in the running - national powerhouse Kansas, local St. John's out of the Big East, and the somewhere in between University of Maryland. 

In early February, especially after his visit to campus to watch the Terps take down the Miami Hurricanes at home, Maryland was considered by many to be the favorite to land Stephenson. He was supposed to be the recruit that would "save Gary Williams' job," back when it seemed that Gary Williams' job needed saving. Players have openly talked about him; Greivis Vasquez got press (surprise) when he announced that if Stephenson came to Maryland, then Vasquez would be back for his senior season.

Since then, though, it appears that Kansas has overtaken Maryland as Stephenson's college of choice. As warm of a reception as Stephenson got at Maryland, he got a better one at Kansas. Stephenson has also said that the primary factor in his choice of school was his desire to win a national championship. Undoubtedly, Kansas is closer to that goal then Maryland at this point. St. John's is basically out of the running.

Right now, between message boards all over and small hints from Stephenson himself, I would put the percentages at: Kansas, 75%; Maryland, 20%; St. Johns, 5%. So no, I don't think that when Stephenson announces his choice, Maryland fans will be celebrating. I do stil think there's a shot, though. His mother has gone public and said that her choice for her son was Maryland. He fits into Gary Williams' style of play perfectly. He would be "that guy" at Maryland, whereas he would be just another great player at Kansas. He would be closer to home at Maryland. His high school teammate, James Padgett, has already committed to Maryland and wants Stephenson to join him. 

If Stephenson does become a Terp for next season, it will immediately make Maryland a top 25 team. A potential starting lineup of Greivis Vasquez, Lance Stephenson, Sean Mosley, Landon Milbourne, and Jordan Williams would be fast, strong, and very solid defensively. Stephenson and Vasquez could both average around 20 ppg for the season. It would be Maryland's highest rated recruit of the past ten years, with the possible exception of bust Mike Jones.

That being said, if Kansas is the choice, Maryland fans should not despair. It was a good sign that Maryland even got this far in the recruiting process, and shows that Gary still has pull when he really feels like it. This is not to mention Stephenson's alleged attitude problems, and the fact he is certainly a "one and done" player, and Williams likes recruiting four year players. This would also open up the team to recruit Baltimore product Terrell Vinson, a 6'7 foward who is a St. Frances product, the same high school Sean Mosley attended. Vinson still apparently has around 10 suitors, and Maryland is one of them. Without Stephenson, they will have the roster spot. 

I'll be following it, and you guys will know first thing where Stephenson ends up. If it happens, it will be great for the school. Don't get your hopes up too high, though. 

(Photo Credit: lance-stephenson.com ... yes, he has his own website)

Terp Basketball Offseason 1: The Returning Players

I was going to do a 2009-10 season outlook, but I realized there are way too many question marks still out there about the personnel that will be playing next year. So, I decided to do a two-part post about the possible personnel for next season. The first post will be a discussion on those players definitely returning to contribute to the team next year, and the second post will be about the question marks.

DEFINITE PLAYERS ON THE ROSTER NEXT SEASON

1. Landon Milbourne (SR): Milbourne followed a terrible freshman campaign (1.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg) with a so-so sophomore season (8.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg), and just followed that with a good junior season (11.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg). Terp fans can only hope he continues to progress and have a great senior year. Although his level of play diminished in ACC season because he was continually overmatched being a 6'7 power forward, Landon showed great toughness and the rare ability to consistently make a mid-range jumper.

WAY TOO EARLY PROGNOSIS: Milbourne is a definite starter next season. It could be at either forward position, but he will be in the starting lineup from the first to the last game, barring injury.

2. Sean Mosley (SO): Mosley was a fan favorite last season because of his incredible grittiness and determination. In only one season, he established himself as the Terps' best defender. Throughout the course of the season, he was matched up man-to-man with team's leading scorers, whether they were a guard or forward. He played much larger than his size (6'4), and often forced jump balls. Offensively, Mosley needs plenty of work. He showed flashes of terrific spin moves and ability to get into the lane, but rarely finished down low. His jump shot always looks good coming out of his hand, but his 37% FG% and 24% FG% (3-PT) need to improve. It would also be good to see his FT% (70.7%) jump up about five percentage points.

WAY TOO EARLY PROGNOSIS: Mosley started 16 of 35 games this year, including the last 15 games of the season. His role largely depends upon other personnel, but Mosley will probably (75%) start at either the shooting guard or third guard position next season.

3. Eric Hayes (SR): Hayes is almost as big of a "love him or hate him" type player as Greivis Vasquez was for the team this year, largely because it seemed that if you loved GV, you hated Hayes, and if you hated GV, you loved Hayes. Either way, nobody can argue with the seeming revitalization of Hayes, starting in the ACC tournament. After being one of the key factors in the loss to UVA to end the season (he missed his first six three-point attempts), Hayes singlehandedly led the team to victory against Wake Forest, and kept the team fighting against Duke. To Hayes's credit, after losing his starting job to Sean Mosley following the BC loss, Hayes never complained, and embraced his role as sixth man for the Terps. As the team's second best returning three point shooter and one of three seniors, Hayes will have a big role for the team next year.

WAY TOO EARLY PROGNOSIS: This is going to be one of the more interesting cases next year. Hayes will likely start if Vasquez leaves, but likely will come off the bench if Vasquez does indeed leave, so I'll call it 50%. Either way, he will get his minutes.

4. Adrian Bowie (JR): Bowie was arguably the most inconsistent player on an inconsistent team this season. He saw his points and assists greatly improve from his freshman to sophomore season (3.7ppg and 0.9 apg to 9.0 ppg and 3.0 apg) but also saw his FG% decrease from 58% to 45%. Bowie will almost always be the fastest player on the court when he plays, but teams (Memphis especially) were able to game-plan for him by sagging off him in the half-court and forcing him to take jump shots, which he could not consistently convert. His size often was a liability on defense, as he had to fight extra hard to get through screens on the perimeter, but his speed in the transition game was invaluable.

WAY TOO EARLY PROGNOSIS: Bowie started 28 of 35 games as a sophomore, but will likely be squeezed out of a starting spot as a junior because of the team's ability to field a serviceable front-court. Since the Terps will most likely play almost exclusively man-to-man defense next year, Bowie's minutes will largely depend on the opposing team's speed.

5. Cliff Tucker (JR): Tucker returns as the team's best three point shooter, and when he gets in, he is a key part of the team's offense. He didn't see much time during the year, though - a mere 12.2 mpg - because of his lackluster defense and apparent poor practice habits. Coach Williams is known to give minutes to those who do both of those things well, and has hinted that Tucker has disappointed him in both regards. Because of what he gives the team offensively, though, there will be minutes for Tucker if he can step up on the defensive end. As they say, he just needs to pretend he's playing against UNC every game (whom he averaged 20 points against).

WAY TOO EARLY PROGNOSIS: There is likely going to be minutes for either Bowie or Tucker next year, but not both. Because of that, depending on the game, it is very likely that Bowie and Tucker's minutes will come inversely proportional to one another. I have a hard time imagining many scenarios where both are on the court at the same time next year.

6. Dino Gregory (JR): Gregory was bested only by Dave Neal as the team's biggest surprise this season. At 6'7 with not much weight on him, Gregory was undersized every time he stepped on the court, especially because he was forced to play center for a lot of his minutes. He made up for it defensively, though, because of his supreme leaping ability. He also probably took more charges than anyone else on the team. Offensively, he was not able to get much more than about one put-back on an offensive rebound per game, but he showed flashes of an ability shoot a short jumper. He should get with Keith Booth and focus on acquiring some low post moves this summer.

WAY TOO EARLY PROGNOSIS: Dino's going to play next year, and he may play a lot. Ideally, he and the two freshman will play in a three-man rotation at the two big positions, but Gary might be reluctant to constantly fill two positions on the court with three players who have a combined one year playing experience (Gregory only got in 16 games as a freshman). He probably won't start, but he will be one of the first two "bigs" off the bench.

7. Jordan Williams (FR): I have never seen Williams play, so all I can tell you is what I have seen on this page. Instantly, what has to jump out at you is his size: at 6'10, 240, Williams is going to be a big body for the Terps down low. Other than that, we will have to wait and see.

WAY TOO EARLY PROGNOSIS: I see Williams starting next year from day one. Don't get fooled into believing that what Dave Neal did this year (be a serviceable starting center in the ACC at 6'7) can be relied upon to be replicated. Williams is going to be the only player on the Terps with real size, and will be thrown into the fire early and often.

8. James Padgett (FR): Same deal with Williams. I've never seen him in person, so you can know what I know by reading this. At 6'8 with a little weight on him, he has good build for apower forward. I like the comments about him, especially about his toughness. This is the guy that scored 50 in a game this year. I don't care if that means he played against bad competition; I want a guy that can score 50 in a game on my team.

WAY TOO EARLY PROGNOSIS: Padgett has about a 25% chance of starting. He will start if either of the following happens: he outplays Williams in practice, or the Terps want to play a traditional lineup, but don't sign Terrell Vinson. If he doesn't get the starting nod, he will be a contributor for the team off the bench.

I'll be posting soon (likely tomorrow) about the players whose roles on the team are uncertain at this point.

(Photo Credits: umterps.com)

A Round of Applause for Gary Williams

Gary Williams' 20th season at Maryland was certainly one to remember. Sure, he didn't win the ACC Championship. Nor did he win the NCAA Tournament. But what he managed to do this past season was nothing short of amazing.

Sure, his team lost games they should have won - most notably against Boston College, Miami, Virginia, and Morgan State - and was left for dead after finishing 7-9 in the ACC regular season. All they had to do was beat Virginia, and they would probably be in the tournament. They lost, and many, including Tony and I, believed the team would not show up for the ACC Tournament after choking away their season in Virginia.

Both Gary and the team proved us wrong, and they beat N.C. State and upset Wake Forest before losing to Duke for the third time this season (though the team looked much better in the last two meetings than in the first). It looked as though the Terps had saved their season. They were seeded 10th in the West Region when the NCAA Tournament brackets were announced and would play 7th-seeded California.

Maryland then went out and beat the Golden Bears before falling to 2-seed Memphis, in a game in which every shot the Tigers took went in, especially from 3-point land. The talent difference was obvious, but you have to applaud the Terps for all they accomplished this year, and I believe Gary deserves most, if not all, of the credit.

He took a team that had 6'7" Dave Neal - who probably wouldn't crack the roster on most of the top teams in the nation - as its starting center to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. He had no front court, one established scorer, a freshman who played great defense but couldn't make a layup to save his life, inconsistent backup guards (Bowie, Tucker, Hayes), and disappointing seasons from big men Braxton Dupree and Jerome Burney. Williams had to rely on Neal, Landon Milbourne (who is generally a small #4), and Dino Gregory to handle other teams' centers and fowards, who almost always were bigger, stronger, and better.

Still, Williams got his team to fight every game. He got them to fight for him while questions about his future at the school circulated. He controlled his explosive superstar as much as he could, and helped him develop into a great all-around guard. Next year's outlook is suddenly much more optimistic for Terps fans than it was 2 weeks ago. Williams already has two top recruits coming in, both of which while contribute to the team's front court as freshmen. Oh, and he could end up getting Lance "Born Ready" Stephenson to commit to Maryland as well (who will announce April 1st). Even if Stephenson doesn't come to Maryland, next year looks promising - though Vasquez's senior year is up in the air at this point.

The more I think about it, the more amazed I am at what the Terps did this year. Tony and I thought they had a chance at the tournament because of a soft non-conference schedule. We knew it was a little optimistic to predict a tournament appearance, but they surpassed that and actually won a game. The only thing I can do is tip my hat to Gary and his staff; he really is one of the best in the country at maximizing talent and getting players to fit his system.

(Photo: Washington Post)

Maryland vs. Memphis: You Know the Drill

I was thinking about doing a long, elaborate post on how it is not likely, but that Maryland can beat Memphis in round two. 

But ... you knew that. And you know exactly as I do how it's going to happen. Or how it won't happen. 

I'm here to tell you right now that Maryland's second half against California should be considered nothing less than what it was, and that is a thing of beauty. They were running and gunning, and executing their press to perfection. The Greivis Vasquez (pictured, left) show was in full effect, and Dave Neal was proving all the doubters - once again - that they're all completely wrong. 

And that's how Maryland can beat Memphis tomorrow. 

When Maryland does what it can do, there is not a single team in America that will consistently be able to beat them. Here's a short list of what that is:

1. Get to the line, and when there, make the free throw (the 67% against Cal has to improve). 

2. Greivis Vasquez is a star, and he needs to put up 25+, 6+, and 6+. He can. Wheeling and dealing into the lane, he opens up shots for his teammates as well as anyone in the country. When his three point shot is falling, he is impossible to guard. 

3. Landon Milbourne can't force his game. Landon needs to be happy taking his shot when he gets a good look, which has been rare of late. Because of this, he has had to overcompensate and take contested shots that often end up blocked. When it's there, take the shot. When it's not, get it out of there.

4. Adrian Bowie and Sean Mosley just need to make their lay-ups. That's all they need to do, because their defense is spectacular. 

5. Dave Neal needs to hit the pick-and-pop. It's his greatest asset to the team, and if he can't step outside and drill the open J, Dino Gregory should be in. 

6. Eric Hayes needs to play with confidence. I'm not saying anything about making his shots, because I think there's a direct correlation. Hayes has shown over the past week that he's a different, smarter, more confident player coming off the bench. He's a quiet leader on this team. 

... That's it. Yeah, I just listed six things, but which one of those is unrealistic? None. I'm telling you, because of the way Maryland rebounds as a unit, particularly in their zone, they can hold their own on the backboard. The players just need to mesh together.

So I ended up doing the long post I promised not to. Bottom line: if the players play like they can play, I do not think for one second that Memphis will trounce Maryland. If Hayes plays scared, Vasquez plays out-of-control, and Milbourne plays frustrated, though, it will be a long day. Time will tell. Go Terps. 

(Photo Credit: AP)

Maryland vs. Cal

Sorry this is late, loyal readers. I've been back and forth on this whole California game. When the draw came out, at first, I couldn't have been happier. A small team from the Pac-10? Please. Show me the Memphis game film right now. 

Then I did bracket research, and my faith kinda sunk. I didn't know Cal was that good at shooting the three. Like, number one in the nation, 43.4% good. As in, our best three point shooter on our team is Cliff Tucker, who is 40%. And they have a team that averages 3.4% better than that. 

And our three point defense is that bad? Like, 184th in the nation? Trailing, in order, Manhattan, Vermont, Rider and UCF. Uh oh. 

Then, I took comfort, because I realized the obvious solution, and if I realized it, Gary Williams realized in 1/10 of the time that I did and had perfected it by the time it even hit my mind. Maryland's three point defense numbers are completely a result of the team's strategy, not talent. It should not be forgotten why Adrian Bowie (pictured, left) is on this team. I'll give you a hint: it's not for his offense. He's just as bad as Mosley at this whole making-lay ups business, and his shooting numbers (both free throw and three point) are abysmal. But he still starts because he's tough, he's fast, and he's a tenacious defender. Sean Mosley has even less offense, but starts for an NCAA tournament team because he positively refuses to back down to anybody on defense. And don't you forget the jobs defensively that Greivis Vasquez did  last season to Tyrese Rice of Boston College and A.D. Vassallo of Virginia Tech. Landon Milbourne can't do anything against a good power forward and Dave Neal does little more than hold his ground (when he's not foolishly going over the back for a steal), but the team has good defensive guards. 

And that's why the Terps are going to beat California. Offensively, it's going to be simple. Run, run, run, and when you can't run, Vasquez will put the ball on his shoulder and go prancing into the lane and throw up shots you hate him for until they go in. This isn't Wake Forest, Cal doesn't have the athletic shot blockers to keep him out. If they go zone and collapse on him, the only player that may be on the court for the Terps that isn't afraid to step out and knock down the triple is Dino Gregory (who, if you've noticed, actually has developed a decent mid-range game). 

On defense, this team has been the most successful when it has gone to a 3-2 zone, particularly with Mosley (pictured, right) at the top of it. That's because big men in the ACC like Tyler Hansbrough, Kyle Singler, KC Rivers, Gani Lawal, and Al-Farouq Aminu would absolutely eat up our low post players one-on-one. Cal doesn't have any of those guys. Their top scorer? 5'10 Jerome Randle, known for his speed. Stick Bowie on him and let them duke it out all game. Next? 6'5 Christopher Patrick. Christopher Patrick, meet Sean Mosley. Next? 6'6 forward Theo Robertson. 6'6 and likes playing outside? Meet the General, Greivis Vasquez. Stick the team's three best defenders on their three leading scorers and trust that neither Jamal Boykin nor Jordan Wilkes, averaging a combined 14.4 points per game, won't beat you inside.

Cal's best basketball is far behind them, and their three point shooting has come back to earth as well. Maryland knows they can play with any team in the country, and are hot at the right time. There's no reason the Terps shouldn't win this one, but they'll make it interesting for us anyway. 

The prediction? Maryland 76, Cal 71. 

(Photo Credits: umterps.com)

Bubble? What Bubble?

Editor's Note: I originally wrote that Maryland played California in Anaheim. They actually play in Missouri. 

The brackets are out, and, I won't lie, when CBS announced that Arizona had made it in the field as a number 12 seed, my heart sank a little bit. "They took our spot." Lo and behold, though, only a few minutes later Maryland was announced as a number 10 seed in the West. It's a better seed than any Maryland fan could have ever hoped for. Sure, you can nitpick, and there's room to. Maryland's playing their first round game against California, and then if they win that they get the opportunity to play the best defensive team in the country, Memphis. To look at it like that, though, is wrong. One game at a time. California is a true 7 seed, and will be a good test. 

I'm going to be posting about March Madness this entire week, so I will keep this initial post short.  Gary Williams is, without a doubt, one of the best pure coaches in college basketball. In no way am I retracting any of the anger I felt earlier this year about the team and their lack of talent, because that is still all on him. What is amazing, though, is that Gary took a team that last year went to the NIT and turned them into a tournament team. He did that while losing two senior big men, including one who was third team All-ACC, and replacing them essentially with a freshman who played tough D but couldn't be counted on to make a layup. He somehow turned Dave Neal, the laughingstock of every announcer who ever covered the Terps, into a functional center in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He calmed down the most hyperactive player in the history of college basketball and somehow got him to be one of the leaders in the conference in assist to turnover ratio. This is all not to mention the fact the team really only went eight men deep the entire year, and all the drama surrounding him and his team midseason. 

He needs to recruit better, so this offseason I give myself permission to say whatever I like. In season, though, I'll keep my mouth shut. 

All Signs Point to the Terps Dancing

After tonight's 75-64 win for the Maryland Terrapins over #9 Wake Forest, it looks like under-sized, under-talented, under-recruited, under-coached, under-performing Maryland Terrapins will be headed to the big dance.

The wins puts Maryland at 20-12 overall as the team finally reaches that elusive twentieth win - a mark that I feel the selection committee cannot ignore. 20 wins overall, three of which came against top ten teams? Sounds like an at-large to me.

In Maryland does indeed make it, Gary Williams will have proved to both Maryland fans and the nation that he does NOT need top talent to succeed. He does NOT need to use third-party recruiters and utilize some shady recruiting methods many teams use. He simply needs players who work for him. Tonight, that was especially on display as Sean Mosley not only made a layup for the first time in weeks, but hit crucial shots down the stretch, and Dino Gregory came up with some huge rebounds and buckets early on in the game.

Tony and I figured this team was done after their lost to UVA. "How would they get up for NC State after not showing up against the Cavs?" We said. "Even if they beat the Wolfpack, how can they beat a good Wake Forest team?"

Well, Gary, Greivis, Sean, Eric, everyone just proved us wrong. And I'm loving every second of it.

(Photo credit: ESPN)

Where Maryland Basketball Stands: Revisited

Remember this post? In it, I laid out exactly how Maryland was going to make the NCAA Tournament this year. More than three weeks later, you're probably chuckling to yourself, saying, "Well that all got blown up." In retrospect ... it didn't. Let's take a look.

Oh, and if you don't really care about all my logic, just skip to the bottom of the post. 

The Elite Teams: Nothing has changed about the teams at the top of the ACC; there is still clearly a top 4: UNC, Duke, Wake and Clemson. I said from the very beginning the Terps would have to go 2-4 against these top teams. At the time, they were 0-1, since then they've gone 0-2, putting them at a not-so-stellar 0-3. 

Did you honestly expect that, when you play 3 road games and 3 home games against these teams, that you would have to win one of the road games? I wouldn't. I still hold by my position they will either beat UNC or Duke. I also said in my original post that would leave us having to beat Clemson on the road or Wake at home. Well, they lost to Clemson on the road. That leaves Wake at home with perhaps the season on the line. 

The Really Good Teams: Nothing has changed about these guys either. Outside of the four locks, there are 4 other strong teams in the ACC that have been getting tournament talk. In fact, in ESPN's recent bracketology, all four of these teams were slated to be in the Big Dance: VT, BC, Miami and FSU. I said in my original post the Terps would have to go 2-3 against these guys; heartbreaking losses against Miami and FSU ensued, and the Terps would have to go 2-1 against them. The night of that post, the Terps blew the lead against BC, leaving them with two must-win games against Miami and VT.

They won both of those games. In this regard, the Terps did everything they needed to do. 

The Bottom Teams: Once again, in three weeks, nothing has really changed about the ACC pecking order, as GT, UVA and NCST are still at the bottom. I said the Terps would have to go 4-1 in their five games against these teams. When I published the original post, the Terps needed to go 2-1. By virtue or a harrowing victory against GT, the Terps now only need to go 1-1. 

Their two games remaining are the two toughest games they will face against these bottom teams: the road games against Virginia, who always plays them tough, and an underrated NC State team. They should come away from those with one victory, though, probably at Virginia. 

Bottom Line: To have a shot at making the NCAA tournament, the Terps need to ...

1. Win one of their next games. If they lose both, the Terps would need to win at least 4 games in a row to close out the season. If they win both, the Terps only need to win one game the rest of the year. 

2. Win two of their next three games after that. If they beat NCST and UVA, they will need a good show in the ACC tournament. If they win the Wake game plus one other, they should be good. 

3. Not lose by 20+ anymore. It's really gotten embarrassing. 

Where Maryland Basketball Stands

Despite how badly things have gone at times this year - you know, the loss to Morgan State, the blown 17 point lead to Miami, losing by 41 to Duke - Maryland is still somehow in a relatively favorable position to make the tournament. With one great non-conference win (Michigan State), one good one (Michigan), and one decent one (American), and only one bad loss (and Morgan's moving up the RPI standings themselves), 8-8 in conference with a tournament win may still get the job done. 

It does depend on what teams make up each 8, however. So, I'm going to categorize the remaining 11 conference games based on conference standings right now. 

The Elite

The Teams: There are clearly four elite teams in the conference - UNC, Duke, Wake and Clemson. Maryland has a total of six games against these opponents. They already played the away game of a home-and-away with Duke, they have two games with UNC, they have a home date with Wake, and an away game at Wake.

Bottom Line: You will have to go 2-4 in these six games (2-3 the rest of the way). 

How to do it: A 41-point loss still only counts as one loss, so you have to go 2-3 the rest of the way out. It obviously didn't look like it last Saturday, but a penchant of teams coached by Gary Williams is the ability to show up for the big game. There has only been one year since the 1999-2000 season when the team didn't win at least one game against Duke or Carolina. I'm calling a home win against Duke on February 25th. The players have heart, and they will be looking toward that game for a long time. All that leaves is to get a home win against Wake or a road win against Clemson. I don't like it either, but it's what you're faced with. 

The Really Good

The Teams: There are four teams besides Maryland that are in the middle of the conference, and will more likely than not be bubble teams at the end of the year - Florida State, Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College. Maryland has already played Florida State in their only match of the season, and dropped the away part of a home-and-away with Miami. They play a home game against Boston College (tonight), and an away game at Virginia Tech. 

Bottom Line: You will need to go 2-3 against these teams (2-1 the rest of the way). 

How to do it: The silver lining of the Terps' failed trip to Florida was that the games at Miami and Florida State are the two toughest games during this stretch. Away against Virginia Tech will be extremely difficult as well, unless you believe in sayings like "we're due" and the law of averages. So, what that means is that the game tonight against BC is a must-win, which isn't too bad because they typically play BC pretty well. It also means that they will probably need to beat Miami in College Park. They should have beaten Miami in Miami this year, so that is also plausible. 

The Bottom Teams

The Teams: And then, there are the three teams that are still quality opponents, but are definitely the three bottom teams of the ACC - Virginia, North Carolina State and Georgia Tech. The Terps won their home part of home-and-away series with UVA and GT. They face North Carolina State on the road later in the team. 

Bottom Line: You will need to go 4-1 in these games (2-1 the rest of the way). 

How to do it: This is the exact opposite scenario as the category before. The two easiest games of these three were the home dates against Georgia Tech and Virginia, and the Terps took care of business and won both of those games. Now, they need to go 2-1 on the road against these three teams. They should be able to beat GT in Atlanta. NC State might give them trouble because of Brandon Costner inside, so that would leave Virginia at Virginia for the last game of year - again. They may want to beat NC State. 

(Photo Credits: AP)