Final Thoughts on Maryland Basketball

Maryland's run through the NCAA Tournament ended over the weekend after the Tigers completely dominated the Terps 89-70 in the NCAA Second Round in the Kansas City regional. Greivis Vasquez's comments on Memphis's conference came back to haunt him, as the Tigers took Maryland down easily. The 10-seed Maryland upset 7-seed California in the first round, but their run is over.

Looking back on this team, it is quite the story on how well these men played. Everything did not seem to look right for Maryland. They had no dominant front court, with their tallest starter being a 6'7'' player that was seemingly out-of-shape. Their leader was the target of everyone, including some of the home fans. The head coach was under attack from some fans and the media. The athletic director and coaching staff continued to fight. The Terps were picked to finish 11th in the conference. Losses to Morgan State and Virginia seemed to nullify wins against North Carolina and Michigan State. But through everything, this team made it to the NCAA Tournament and won a game, which is much farther than almost anyone had them going.

Dave Neal, a player widely considered a joke coming into the season, became an important leader on the court plus a credible player. His clutch three-point shooting and heart were invaluable. His basketball career might be over, but he stepped up when needed in his senior year.

Greivis Vasquez remained the leader of the team despite constant attacks from arrogant Maryland fans and the media. Though he was not perfect by any means, his play was key to Maryland's success. Without him, it is hard to imagine Maryland being competitive.

And Gary Williams is probably the best story of them all. Every year a number of people, coined Gary-haters, attack him for not being a good coach, apparently believing that 13 NCAA Tournaments out of 16 years is not enough and that we should be in the Sweet 16 every year. Even after winning a game in the Tournament and losing to a very high seeded team, they still call for his head. The athletic department and the media was on his back constantly. Through all of it, he kept his team motivated and backed up his players, and they in turn backed him up and turned the 08-09 year into a very successful one. Despite the problems the team had, the lack of size and consistent shooting, this team was turned into a very good one that could compete with the best. Not to mention winning the first round for the eighth straight opportunity.

I want to give congratulations to everyone in the Maryland basketball program for a great season. We will hopefully see you all next year.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

(10) Maryland vs. (7) Cal, In-Game Reactions- 2nd Half

And the second half begins…

MD 46, CAL 44; 15:14 2nd Half: This game is getting pretty chippy. The Terps have racked up 4 fouls already this half, giving Landon Milbourne 3 on the game and 4 other players saddled with 2. For their part, Cal’s best defender, Jorge Gutierrez, stayed on the court with 3 of his own. Maryland is going to have to play with a bit more discipline, or the bench will be under a lot more pressure. The Golden Bears seem to be playing much looser this half and it might soon start to show on the scoreboard.

CAL 51, MD 50; 11:49 2nd Half: Cal took their first lead at 14:39 after Adrian Bowie missed a wide open three pointer. The Terps took it back at 13:55 but gave it back again soon after. The story of this game so far has got to be Dave Neal- he has never been the most athletic or the most talented player on the court, but he is fighting for one more game in a Terps uniform. He is making all the hustle plays he can and has given Maryland life when they needed it the most. Someone besides Neal and Vasquez is going to have to get hot.

MD 59, CAL 51; 9:55 2nd Half: So just after I write that someone new is going to have to get hot, Eric Hayes and Landon Milbourne respond with consecutive three pointers to give Maryland their largest lead of the game. Talk about good luck… While Cal has developed a strong presence inside (who hasn’t against Maryland?), they continue to live and die by the three. So far the Bears have been let down by a 4-16 effort so far from behind the arc. I would like to say it is the Terps zone defense that is keeping Cal at bay, but they have missed a lot of good looks today.

MD 63, CAL 53; 7:54 2nd Half: A lot more commercials this half, huh? Anyways, Greivis Vasquez seems to be right into his 2nd-half, big-game self. He launched an air ball but followed it up with a brilliant steal and layup. Maryland is playing with a lot of confidence right now, and the Cal players seem to be getting too anxious for this stage in the game. Cal’s poor shooting seems to be getting into their head- I haven’t seen them play this sloppy all game. They need to stop pressing these deep shots to have a strong chance of coming back, but it is tough to ask a team to change its M.O. in the NCAA tournament.

MD 74, CAL 61; 3:32 2nd Half: Cal is 2/3 from three point range since the last break, but Maryland’s defense has been absolutely incredible, forcing a 5 second violation, a couple steals, an offensive foul, and a host of bad shots from the #7 seed. The whole Terps squad is getting into the act now, this is fun to watch for a Maryland fan.

MD 76, CAL 66; 2:11 2nd Half: The Golden Bears have started a full court press and hit another three pointer to cut the lead to 10. It might not be too late for Cal if they can get into rhythm from behind the arc (better late than never); Maryland is going to have to take their time and not give Cal too many quick possessions.

Maryland 84, California 71; FINAL

Postgame Coming Soon!

The First Round: Terps Take on California

10-seed Maryland is set to begin their NCAA Tournament with their first round match against 7-seed California today in Kansas City.

This will be a matchup of a lot of three-point shooting plus problematic front court play. Neither team has very good big men and rely on perimeter play for needed points.

They have one of the best three-point shooters in the country, Jerome Randle, who coming into this game is a 46.8% shooter beyond the arc. He is a 5'10'' guard who is speedy, and will be an interesting matchup with either Bowie or Vasquez. All the perimeter shooting will come from three people, Randle, Patrick Christopher (37.6%), and Theo Robertson (49.1%, 60 less shots than Randle), who combine for 408 of Cal's 468 three-point attempts this season. As a team they shoot 43.4%.

Their main big man is 6'8'' Jamal Boykin. If that name sounds familiar, it is because he is a Duke transfer. He averages nearly 9.6 points and 6.4 boards a contest. But like Maryland, they don't have many big men and do not rely on winning the boards.

So where does this leave the matchup? This game will be decided by the better perimeter defense. Both teams will expect big shooting from the other; Cal's trio of Randle, Christopher, and Robertson vs. Maryland's perimeter trio of Vasquez, Hayes, and Neal (yes, Neal). Teams hate to live and die by the three, but these teams are very similar in style of play.

Maryland fought hard to get here amist all the turmoil from critics and the media, but they are here now. Good luck to the Terrapins on Thursday.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

First Round Complete: Maryland Defeats NC State

A close game to the finish, 7-seed Maryland came out with the victory 74-69 over 10-seed NC State in the first round of the ACC Tournament. They advance to the second round where they will take on 2-seed Wake Forest on Friday.

The Wolfpack had an early 21-8 lead as Maryland's shots were not hitting at all. Key three-point shooting from Eric Hayes and Cliff Tucker put Maryland in the lead, but the teams went into the locker room tied at 29. After getting an early lead in the half, the two teams would go back and forth: between 12:23 and 3:54 no one had more than a two point lead. The Terps were helped by foul trouble to NC State's key players. After getting a four-point lead, Maryland kept the lead with Hayes's free throw shooting and never looked back.

Hayes ended with a career high 21 points on 5-6 three point-shooting, plus Greivis Vasquez got a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists. Dave Neal ended with 10 points, hitting his only two perimeter shots.

Maryland takes on Wake Forest next, a team ranked #9 and one that defeated Maryland just a few weeks ago. A number of NCAA bubble teams have been falling quick, including Providence and Miami, but Maryland at 19-12 still has work to do. If they lose to Wake, it is over.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

Wake Too Much For Terps

The stage was set for Maryland to deliver the midweek upset to lock them into the NCAA Tournament and give Dave Neal a great senior night. But Jeff Teague and the Demon Deacons had other plans, and muscled their way past Maryland 65-63. Maryland had a double digit lead in the first half and a seven-point lead in the middle of the second half. But in a game where the frontcourt play was very physical, the Terps just could not handle the pressure, capped by Jeff Teague's 13 second half points, including a towering dunk over Neal.

The problem for the Terps was that they could not employ their advantages tonight. They are one of the best free throw shooting teams in the conference; only twice to the line tonight. They need to shoot threes well; that did not happen tonight. Landon Milbourne and Adrian Bowie have not been themselves, putting more strain on Greivis Vasquez to perform well. When Maryland tried to employ their fast-paced style, the Deacs employed their cross-zone, which Maryland could not adjust to at all. When Maryland's consistent players don't perform, their lack of depth prevents them from adjusting. Despite all of this, they had a chance to win, but they could not deliver.

Neal was the only one who shot well all night, going 5-6 from beyond the arc and ending with 19 points. Vasquez was 7-24, 28 for three-point shots, getting 17. No one else for Maryland got more than six points.

This puts Maryland at 18-11, 7-8 in the conference, setting up yet another must-win game this weekend on the road against Virginia. Last year the Terps needed that victory and the Cavs spoiled the party; Maryland can't afford that again.

Terps Head to Durham

To Maryland fans, the two Duke games are the bigger games of the year. Maryland-Duke may not be a full-blown rivalry, but these two do not like each other at all. The first installment of the 08-09 season commences this afternoon as the Terps will face the Blue Devils in Cameron Indoor Stadium at noon ET.

#2 Duke is prime to take over the #1 ranking for next week if they defeat Maryland, as current #1 Wake Forest got upset at home to Virginia Tech earlier in the week. They hold a 4-0 record in the conference with a 17-1 record overall, their lone loss coming against Michigan back in Ann Arbor on December 6th.

At the frontcourt, Kyle Singler is is a 6'8'' forward that plays hard down low, having a strong sophomore season, averaging 16.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Their other big man is junior Brian Zoubek, a 7'1'' pure rebounding and defensive center. He averages 4.7 boards a game, but only averages around 14 minutes a game. Maryland needs Dave Neal and Dino Gregory to step up today. The Terps saw how a seven foot player does against Maryland on the board when they played Virginia, 7' freshman center Assane Sane had seven boards in just 10 minutes; the Terps were very fortunate he got into foul trouble.

Duke has normally been all about their backcourt in recent years, and this season has a strong one. While junior Gerald Henderson isn't the cleanest of players, he averaging 14.4 a game, and Jon Scheyer is getting 13.3. The Blue Devils love to own the perimeter and are a big time shooting team.

One key aspect against Duke especially down in Durham has been Greivis Vasquez. He thrives off the hatred from the crowd and has scored more than 20 points each time he's been down there. But the Terps need more than just him to step up. Maryland still is not looking good all-around, barely defeating Virginia and Georgia Tech at home and in turn barely losing to their two Florida opponents. Adrian Bowie and Dino Gregory have been decent of late, and will need to continue their success. Duke is heavily favored in this contest, but Maryland needs to play well.

Maryland's Last Non-Conference Game: What Needs to be Done

Tomorrow Maryland will wrap up its non-conference schedule with their game against the Morgan State Bears, which should be an easy victory. Maryland has done what they needed to do through this play, going 11-2 including winning all nine games at home and taking away what should be helpful wins in March against Michigan State and Michigan. But it has been a rough ride in certain games, including slow starts and very rough frontcourt play. Before the ACC stretch begins this weekend against Georgia Tech, here's what Maryland needs to work on.

--Find the frontcourt options.
Maryland clearly has issues down low, and it is not clear how this will be solved. The Terps leading rebounder is Greivis Vasquez. The two main forwards for Maryland are not the kind Maryland needs: Landon Milbourne, a 6'7'' athletic forward who is a good shooter, and Dave Neal, a 6'7'' banger that can shoot from anywhere. The problem is neither is good at snagging

rebounds and pushing in the paint. Dino Gregory seems to be developing there, but he is never seeing much time on the court, so Gary must feel he is not ready to be that type of player yet. Braxton Dupree, the player Maryland was hoping to be the big man, is barely even on the court since the Old Spice Classic. Jerome Burney is still out with a stress fracture but even when he was healthy he was not playing. This is not a problem that will solve itself, the ACC is full of solid frontcourt players. Maryland will need Neal and Gregory to step up their game so they can compete in the paint.

--Adrian Bowie and Sean Mosley need to develop their three-point shot.
After the Charlotte game, Gary emphasized how much he liked Mosley's play particularly since Maryland has limited three-point threats. Only Eric Hayes and Greivis Vasquez have taken more than 30 three-point shots this year. Without a solid frontcourt, Maryland needs to adapt to these circumstances, including having more threats from the perimeter. This would spread out the defense more if they respected other shooters. This would fall on Bowie and Mosley, both who see a lot of time on the court. If either of them can become a three-point shooting threat, that would ease a lot of pressure on the frontcourt and Vasquez.

--Work on playing a 40-minute game.
In a number of non-conference games, most notably Elon, Charlotte, and Vermont, Maryland's slow starts got them in real trouble. The Terps have done well recovering in the seocnd half and traditionally do better in the final 20 minutes. With Maryland's system, they will need to shoot consistently, and they won't be able to come back if down early. They will need to play games close or put their opponent away quickly.

--The half-court offense needs work.
Maryland has clearly established that they like fast breaks and points on turnovers, however they are stuggling when it comes to regular-style play. The ACC will not be committing as many turnovers or as many bad passes. Maryland needs to be able to slow down and be calm on possessions.

(Photo credits: Baltimore Sun)

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)

Maryland Upsets Michigan State, Now Goes After Gonzaga

Thanks to a 23-5 run and the Spartans foul trouble and bad free throw shooting, the Terps defeated the #6 team in the nation 80-62 in the Old Spice Classic. The Terps next face another top ten team, Gonzaga, at 5:30 on ESPN. Because Maryland won its first game, both their remaining games, against Gonzaga and against either Tennessee or Georgetown, will be on the main two networks of ESPN instead of ESPNU.

Dave Neal, Dave Neal of all people got player of the game, and it was well deserved. A perfect 3-3 from downtown, 17 points and five rebounds from the team's lone senior. Greivis Vasquez also had 17 plus six assists, Eric Hayes had 13 points, six rebounds, and five assists, plus Adrian Bowie landed 13 points.

Even if Michigan State had better free throw shooting (12-27, 44.4%), this game was just going Maryland's way. The team looks a lot more physical trying to grab rebounds, the shooting looked better, and this was a much better showing than in the previous three games. Maryland steps up their play when the opponent is better, and this game gives Maryland fans all sorts of hope. Hope that an undersized team can still shoot well and compete, with a deep backcourt. Maybe this is only one game, but this is a fantastic win for the young Terps.

Gonzaga is up next, the #10 team in the nation. They are led by Kansas transfer Micah Downs, averaging 14.7 points a game. Jeremy Pargo plays the point, getting at least eight assists a game. Sophomore Austin Daye is their main big man, because Josh Heytvelt is not playing to expectations. But this is a different squad than the Spartans. Maryland won't have free reign to grab rebounds against this team with the severe height disadvantage. The Terps will need to shoot well against and be able to spread out Gonzaga's zone. It will not be an easy game, but Maryland has already surprised the basketball world, they can do it again.

(Photo credit: AP)