The Evolution of Cliff Tucker

Cliff Tucker never got much attention when he came to College Park. The entire College Park world was focused on hoping for Jai Lucas that most people overlooked the recruitment of this four-star Texan. A 6'6'' guard/forward who could drive well and shoot decently from three. In his freshman year, he was an important reserve that had good hustle on the court. Now coming into this season, Tucker was expected to compete for a starting job and at least get at least 20-25 minutes a game. It has not been an easy ride for him.

After missing the tournament last season, Maryland had only three starters set, Greivis Vasquez, Eric Hayes, and Landon Milbourne. Maryland needed another guard and front court presence. For Tucker's potential spot he was competing with Adrian Bowie and Sean Mosley. With Bowie, Maryland would use Vasquez as the swing man and have relied on Bowie's quickness. If the freshman Mosley started, Hayes would be locked on the point and Mosley would play on shooting guard. But with Tucker, Vasquez was more free to play the point with Hayes. Tucker would earn the starting spot with Braxton Dupree as the final spot as the big man. Maryland did not have the biggest expectations going into this season do to severe undersize and youth, but the Terps kept their head up high.

In his first start of the season against Bucknell, Tucker was a bright spot, getting 14 points despite just 19 minutes of play. It was a learning experience for the young Terps team, and it seemed as if he would be an important swing man to Maryland's flex offense. He showed decent shooting and the ability to drive towards the basket. After two average games, neither of which he saw more than 20 minutes, Tucker and the Terrapins began the Old Spice Classic. This tournament would change the outlook on this Texan for the season.

Maryland started with huge upset win over Michigan State, but Tucker was nowhere to be found. He only played seven minutes and did not score despite starting. In Maryland's next contest against Gonzaga, Tucker had a lackluster 18 minutes, just getting four points, not able to help in the Terps 22-point loss. The Georgetown loss made it official, not only did Cliff Tucker not start, but he was not even used much as a reserve, playing just four minutes. Maryland placed in Sean Mosley in the starting role instead of Tucker. His time was dawindling as Maryland set a new starting lineup with Vasquez, Bowie, Neal, Hayes, and Milbourne after the Terps win over Michigan. Tucker has not started since.

Tucker had been playing off the bench but for the most part was not a factor in Maryland's games. He was barely getting time going into ACC play. His concerns were voiced in the media about the lack of playing time. Gary Williams even responded to the media's questions about him, saying that players earn their time in practice. As the Terps headed to North Carolina, it looked that Tucker might finish the season and transfer out.

But Tucker returned to the court and lit up the Tar Heels for 18 points, his biggest performance since the Delaware State game. But even with that game, he again did not see much time in Maryland's next three games. But once again he would bring his best performance when it mattered. As Maryland was in big foul trouble early in their home game against UNC, Tucker got in and lit up the scoreboard. He was one of the best shooters of the night, hitting 8-12 with 22 points plus grabbing six rebounds against a very scrappy squad. It was by far his best performance of the season, and though he was not the best player of the night without him, Maryland would have lost. He stepped up when two players that replaced his starting time, Bowie and Mosley, were not effective at all.

So where will he go from here? The tendency of Gary Williams is to use a player more the next contest if he has a great game the previous time, as does most coaches. Maryland has a big game against Duke at home this week. We'll see if the evolution of Cliff Tucker continues.

(Photo credit: AP, Maryland athletics)

Terps Take Down the Heels!

Before tonight, the Maryland Terrapins basketball team looked like they were about finished. They were beginning a very tough ACC stretch, starting with a drubbing in Clemson. They were coming home to take on both of Tobacco Road's finest, both in the top-10. Gary Williams, though safe according to Deborah Yow, was under fire from the media and his own athletic department. Fans were depressed about the season. Maryland begun their game against #3 North Carolina, and despite playing good defense to start the game, they could not take full advantage of their opportunities. With the Tar Heels by 16 in the second half, and nine with 1:30 left to go in regulation, many were ready to pack it up and get ready for Duke on Wednesday.

But the men in gold weren't going anywhere. They upset #3 North Carolina 88-85 in overtime in one of the greatest comebacks in Maryland history.

With the home gold jerseys that had won them two straight, Maryland never gave up. Despite the foul outs in the front court, including Milbourne, Neal, and Gregory, Maryland did not quit. They came up with huge shots down the stretch to force overtime, eventually prevailing with solid defense and key shots. They played liked their jerseys, golden and representing Maryland like a true team.

Greivis Vasquez had Maryland's first triple double since 1987 with 35 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. He scored Maryland's first 16 points; at one point it was North Carolina 17, Greivis Vasquez 16. As always he was the emotional leader and was one incredible player tonight. He was constantly creating his own shot and running hard every single possession. For once, Vasquez had all Maryland fans in the Comcast Center on his side.

One of the best players for Maryland was Cliff Tucker, who has earned his time on the court. He shot eight for 12 with 22 points, including an unprecedented 5-7 from beyond the arc. To think just a few weeks ago, rumors were he was thinking about transferring. He stepped up in the absence of Dave Neal, Sean Mosley, Adrian Bowie, and Dino Gregory, who combined for six points. Also factor in Eric Hayes, who despite a very slow start ended with 17 points, including two key free throws in overtime.

It was all about those three. They combined for 26-46 from the field, 13-25 from the perimeter, 20 rebounds, and 74 of Maryland's 88 points. Some of the other players had notable moments, like Dino Gregory's block on Lawson's fast break that made Sportscenter's top-10, but Vasquez, Tucker, and Hayes played their minds out tonight. No one outside of Danny Green had their normal big days, not Hansbrough, not Ellington, not Lawson despite his return to his home state of Maryland.

This does not clear everything up for the NCAA Tournament. There is a lot of work still to do. Sitting at 17-9, 6-6 in the conference, Maryland still has Duke and Wake Forest on their schedule plus away contests against NC State and Virginia. But this win not only gives them a huge resume victory over a top-10 team to add with Michigan State, but this win plus Vasquez's triple double has given Maryland a lot of national attention. Congratulations to Gary Williams, Greivis Vasquez, and the Terps, you earned it tonight.


(Photo credits: AP (crowd, players), Maryland athletics (scoreboard))

A Win is a Win

Maryland will be at least happy they got a win after defeating Georgia Tech 57-56, but that is probably all they will smile about. This was a very ugly win that could have easily gone the other way. Maryland did not play a good game, but Georgia Tech played a worse one.

Maryland did not shoot well at all and could not take advantage of Georgia Tech's turnovers. The Terps tried to employ the newfound face-pace offense, but often found themselves slowing down due to their passing issues. The one thing that did go well was that they were pickpocketing the Yellow Jackets well, amounting 12 steals by the end of the night. And in a close game where no one led by more than four at any time in the second half, the Terps put enough together to win.

Greivis Vasquez had a solid overall day with 19 points and three steals. Eric Hayes had a good day on the stat lines with 15 points and three steals, though had six turnovers and had problematic ball control. He had to start for Adrian Bowie, who was suffering from the flu. In that regard, Maryland could not put their best team on the court, but they still looked very sloppy. Everyone else had less than desireable days, though Cliff Tucker is once again showing why he should get more time off the bench.

Gary Williams was real choked up after the game. No matter what the critics say, it is clear he loves this team and loves to coach.

Maryland will get some well needed rest, as Virginia Tech awaits them on Saturday it what will be another must-win game. The Terps currently sit at 15-8, 4-5 in the conference. If they want a chance at the NCAA Tournament, they will have to win five of the final seven ACC games; a very uphill battle considering they have Duke, North Carolina, Wake Forest, and Clemson left on their schedule.

(Photo credit: AP)

There's Still Some Fight in the Terrapins

When the Terrapins came into the Dean Dome last night, every college basketball fan in America could have told you what was about to happen: the Tar Heels were going to run them off the court and win handily. What they probably did not see coming was the amount of resilience and depth shown by these young players.

Yes, Maryland lost by 17 points and the game was not particularly close at any point in the second half, but watching the game there was something about the way Maryland played that was impressive. North Carolina hit 11-16 from three point range in the first half (16-25 overall), and had all of their shots falling, but the Terps rarely let themselves get rattled or demoralized. Instead of letting up after Carolina made a basket, Maryland took advantage of the fast break and exploited the press quickly. Maryland did commit some turnovers, but 16 on the road in Chapel Hill is not a bad number, particularly when North Carolina committed 16 of their own in that game. The Terrapins were able to shoot at 48% for the game, which was a product of excellent shot selection throughout, which is a divergence from previous games in which the Terps would put up bad shots when the momentum swung against them.

The most important thing to take away from last night's game is the play of Sean Mosley and Cliff Tucker. For one of the few times this year, Mosley seemed confident in his shot and played aggressive to the basket, finishing the game with a career high 19 points. For Mosley, the passion has been there all season on defense and on the boards, but he has often been too hesitant offensively to contribute like he's capable. As for Cliff Tucker, all I can say is 'Welcome Back'. Tucker played decent minutes last season and started strong this year, but has been relegated almost solely to the bench for the past month or so. However, with his breakout 18 point, 4 rebound, 4 assist game, Tucker has played himself back into the rotation. Tucker played with confidence I had never seen in him. His physical tools are too great to be stuck on the bench on a team like Maryland. I expect to see big things from him down the stretch this year.

Without a doubt North Carolina was by far the better team last night. They took control of the game and never let it go. But if we're going to criticize Maryland for packing it in early against Duke in their 40-point debacle, let's give Maryland some credit for refusing to blink against the superior Tar Heels. There were a couple of young players who came up big, and the team as a whole played with poise in the heat of failure and adversity. That's worth something in my book.


Programming note: Signing Day news and notes for Maryland Terrapin football will be up later today.

Lessons of the Old Spice Classic

The Old Spice Classic started with hope and ended with disappointment for Maryland. What was expected to be a first round loss to Michigan State then two contests on ESPNU turned into a huge upset of the Spartans then two losses to ranked teams Gonzaga and Georgetown. Now that Maryland is 4-2, and the rest of the non-conference schedule does not have much to gain from with the exception of Michigan and American, they need to learn lessons from the Classic. The ACC schedule starts in five weeks, and Maryland needs to be ready.

Big men dominate Maryland. Not that we did not expect this, but Maryland undersized frontcourt got dominated by Gonzaga's Josh Heytvelt, Austin Daye, and Georgetown's Greg Monroe, all who stand at 6'11''. Normally Gary has at least two players that can play down low well enough the spread the floor, but Maryland does not have those type players right now. Braxton Dupree is the only player that has the physical nature to be able to play with them, but he is still getting used to starting. He is having trouble receiving the ball on Vasquez's passes and is not being physical enough in the paint. The ACC may be a guard-heavy conference, but a few teams do have strong big men, and Maryland needs to develop the frontcourt game more.

Hello Dave Neal! Dave Neal plays his guts out during the Classic. He got Player of the Game against Michigan State and was always hustling out on the court. For the first time in his four years here, he is playing like he is a forward that can shoot for three. Physically, he is not a great player, but he is showing good senior leadership on the court. With the frontcourt problems, don't be surprised if Neal sees 20 minutes a game come down the stretch if he continues play like this.

When Maryland shoots well, they can play with anyone. Against Michigan State, Maryland was 9-19 from downtown, six of those shots missed from Greivis Vasquez. Adrian Bowie and Dave Neal were hitting those shots from beyond the arc. Combined for the other two games, the Terps shot 4-31 on three-point shots. Vasquez, Eric Hayes. Bowie, and Jin-Soo Kim are considered the main threats from three-point range this season, but all will need to step up. With the problems in the front court, the shooting needs to be better to keep Maryland in contention. Before the season, Gary said that shooting has never been a problem in his time with Maryland. That may be true, but they don't have defense to fall back on if they have a bad day. But, the Michigan State proved that they can play with anyone if they are on their game.

The starting five still are not set in stone. Cliff Tucker did not start against Georgetown, as he had a bad Classic. Landon Milbourne and Dupree were not playing great either. Bowie shot very well, and Neal was a big spark off the bench. Sean Mosley got the start against the Hoyas, but he did not play like anything special. The starting lineup could easily shake up during the year in more inconsistent play is seen. Bowie could start if Maryland had another backup point guard, but with Vasquez and Hayes starting, he may have to stay a reserve for now. It does not look like Dupree will be replaced, as Dino Gregory and Jerome Burney are not playing much. Neal can not replace Dupree; that would be giving up any reasonable down low play.

Maryland made a huge mistake letting Bobby Maze go. Maze is the starting point guard for Tennessee after Maryland pulled their scholarship offer to him to get Tyree Evans, which as we all know ended in Evans not coming here after his criminal past came up. If a Maryland fan saw Maze play for Bruce Pearl's Volunteers this weekend, it would hurt. He is the kind of point guard the Terps would love, a primary passing guard that does not shoot often and shows a lot of energy and passion on the court. Obviously he would not have solved many of Maryland's problems, but they could have used a player like him. Maze wanted to come here, did not have a major problem in his past off the court, and Maryland did not take him over Evans.

Maryland must win the rest of their non-conference schedule. As previously mentioned, only Michigan and American provide any competition to Maryland's remaining non-conference opponents. Though the Classic ended with two losses, that Michigan State win was huge, and hopefully one that will mean something in March. The Terps can not afford a defeat like last year's loss to Ohio. These games are all at home except the BB&T Classic against George Washington. It will be hard for them to win eight straight games, especially after nearly losing to Vermont, but it will give them a lot of leeway for the ACC stretch.

Maryland's next game is the ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup against Michigan on Wednesday at 7:30.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

Terps Basketball: 1st Two Games

Maryland is off to a 2-0 start in the season, with victories over Bucknell and Youngstown State. They were not pretty wins, but the Terps got the job done. We all knew that with the departure of James Gist and Bambale Osby that would leave a very young and inexperienced frontcourt, and that Maryland would have to adjust to that.

When asked about whether or not he was worried about his backcourt doing all the scoring with a problematic frontcourt, Gary Williams responded by saying "There's a team in Durham that gets away with that." Gary is right in that this type of team can work, but with the 3-point line moving back a foot this season, it only makes things more difficult.

Some thoughts on the first two games:
--It is possible that Maryland will be going with four-guard sets. Normally Gary likes going with either a 2-3 or a 3-2, but with the problems in the frontcourt, a four-guard set seems to be the best way for Maryland to play. I can not imagine a starting lineup with four guards, but do not be surprised if four-guard sets are used in the middle of halves.

--It is not clear who will be the Terps main player down low. Braxton Dupree is in the current starting lineup. Though he looks improved from last year, he still is having major issues against people he should be dominating, like players his size. Youngstown State was all over him in the first half, and it wasn't until the second half he started getting some big blocks. Dino Gregory and Jerome Burney have seen a little time, but none of the three look very impressive. They are all sophomores, and the competition seems wide open.

--Only two players seem to be up or above expectations right now. Greivis Vasquez had a fantastic game against Youngstown St, having the game highs for points with 28 and rebounds with eight. He is playing his normal aggressive style plus shooting a lot, and with the current play of the team, expect more of the same. The other is Cliff Tucker. Tucker, a starter but still competing for time, is also playing heads up on the court and showing great speed. This all is not to say only two players are playing well. Eric Hayes, Jin-Soo Kim, and Landon Milbourne are playing fine. But this is against teams Maryland should dominate; what will happen against the ACC?

--You know things are problematic when Dave Neal is seeing nearly 20 minutes a game. Enough said.

Maryland's next game is against Vermont, then the Old Spice Classic awaits. Let's hope the Terps are ready for the tournament.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)