What Is Going On With Dino Gregory?

Dino Gregory, Maryland's junior forward expected to at least be in the starting lineup to begin the season, did not play in the exhibition, and reports are that he violated team rules. However, Maryland is not revealing what happened, and it looks as if this may be a big problem for Gregory.

The Washington Post and Baltimore Sun alike have been trying to figure out what happened, but no one at Maryland, coach Gary Williams included, seems to wish to elaborate. On Jeff Barker's Tracking the Terps blog on the Baltimore Sun, he quotes the Washington Post as saying in the summer that Gregory's eligibility might have been in question due to academic issues. But right now it is not certain what is happening or how long Gregory will be out. He is still on the Maryland roster, so he has not left the team, but the situation is a strange one.

Right now, Maryland needs Dino Gregory to be an available player. During the exhibition against Indiana (PA), freshmen big men James Padgett and Jordan Williams both looked strong. Padgett, who started the game, scored eight with four rebounds and two blocks, while Williams off the bench scored seven points (five from free throws) and grabbed six rebounds. Both looked good to start the season. But Maryland does not want to lose its veteran presence, especially on the boards.

The only starter the Terps need to replace from last year is Dave Neal, who became the important forward Maryland needed. Gregory is the only returning big man that can be effective down low. Landon Milbourne is also back, but he is a small forward thet focuses on shooting, not playing below the rim, and the same goes for Jin Soo Choi and Cliff Tucker, who are more shooting forwards that players who can grab rebounds. It is real exciting to see what Padgett and Williams can do, but they will need help before they jump into the fire of the ACC. For Maryland, lets hope that Gregory can return, and soon, or else a lot of pressure will be placed on two rookies.

(Photo credit: Washington Post)

Maryland Basketball Begins Tonight

The Maryland men's basketball team begins its season tonight with an exhibition against Indiana (PA) at the Comcast Center. This is the only exhibition the Terps will have as they will start the regular season on November 13th against Charleston Southern.

Maryland has been voted as having one of the best backcourts in the country and is the best in the conference no doubt. Greivis Vasquez returned after deciding to not head to the NBA and is the leader of the team. But three other guards are important to the backcourt as well. Eric Hayes showed great stuff in the NCAA Tournament, Sean Mosley might be developing a shot to go along with his defense, and Adrian Bowie may be the point guard when Vasquez is off the court. Cliff Tucker can also be mentioned, but he is more of a swing player.

The big question coming into the season will be the Maryland frontcourt. Landon Milbourne will be a starter, but the Terps need to find who will be their big man. Braxton Dupree transferred out to Towson, so he is no longer an option. Dino Gregory is said to be the likely starter, but Maryland's top two recruits, Jordan Williams and James Padgett, will likely be competing for time as well. Williams, the center like player, and Padgett, the athletic forward being compared to James Gist. Also possibly in the mix is Steve Goins, who people believed was going to transfer, but he is still in uniform, and the Chicago center may have more to show. Right now Maryland will need the play in this exhibition to see who their big man will be.

And of course, Gary Williams returns for his 21st season. The greatest basketball coach in Maryland history will be wearing a neck brace due to recent surgery, but he could have a special team with him this year.

For me, I'll be listening to the game on radio, but ESPN Films has a one hour special in their 30 for 30 series on Len Bias tonight. But, Maryland's season begins tonight.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

Free Kicks: Maryland Students Throw Sharp Objects at Me (Edition)

I need to brace myself for the backlash that will come from the first item on Free Kicks this week, so go ahead and line up for the kick...

Free Student Tickets Exacerbating UMD Athletic Budget Shortfall

So the University of Maryland is struggling to fill the coffers of the athletic department, and I can see why. Historically the Terps have emphasized the non-revenue generating sports (lacrosse, field hockey, and soccer to name a few) in addition to the revenue generating sports that generally support the remainder of the department. This commitment is built on the principle that all Maryland sports should be great, regardless of TV deals or other income, and I admire that commitment (I wish more universities felt that way). However, with basketball and football underachieving as of late, the athletic department has been forced to cut costs in any way possible, most recently raising the spectre of cutting certain sports altogether. At the risk of being torn apart by my Maryland grad compatriots, I have a simple solution that is either too blasphemous to mention or just hasn’t been thought of.

When I visited Maryland, I was always astonished at how Windsor and Falco would get their student tickets- loyalty points, applying online, and getting their passes. That is, for free. So many sports are free at Maryland to students, and I always thought that was odd. Would MD-Duke not get enough fans if they had to shell out $10 for the ticket? At my alma mater, the University of Michigan (as most of you readers either know or have guessed by now), where football is king and basketball takes a backseat, basketball season ticket packages cost $115 for students. For football you are talking $250 or more, depending on the season. In Maryland’s case you might have to flip which one costs more, as basketball runs the show in College Park. Additionally, in order to keep the stands full these prices might have to be lowered significantly (or even cut in half), but something is better than nothing. Getting even 10,000 students to buy any of these packages would solve many of the department’s budget problems, and might even eliminate the current shortfall.

The fact of the matter is that the free ticket policy has been a privilege Maryland students enjoy that most other major universities do not provide. Additionally, with the paltry funding from the state, the ceiling on tuition increases and catastrophic losses in the endowment, this is not a time for such luxuries. Tough times call for tough decisions. It is time to give this student comfort up before the University gives up any of the sports it has worked so hard to build up.

Wieters Going Wild
As the Orioles slink towards another sorry finish, throwing out bodies to rack up innings and sending their walking wounded to the showers early for the season, there is a very bright spot heating up at the end of this all-too-long ’09 campaign. After a sluggish start to the season, matt Wieters has raised his average from .265 to .290 over his last 10 games, and on Wednesday launched his 8th home run of the season (the third in his last 10 games). Having played just a little more than half a season, Wieters is coming on strong and turning into the player everyone in Baltimore has been waiting for him to be. Expectations were far too high on this kid, and perhaps as the Orioles have tanked and the Ravens have taken over the media spotlight, it got to the point where he could just be himself and relax at the plate. Orioles fans were awful impatient with Wieters at first, unfairly so, but we can be sure that the hype machine will be back in full swing when the O's catcher reports to training camp in 2010.

So is South Carolina good or Ole Miss bad?

I am not sure that’s a fair question to either team. South Carolina is far too dysfunctional on the offensive side of the ball for me to consider them a truly good team, and Ole Miss had done nothing this season or last season to merit being ranked in the top 5. That said, even I had started to come around on the Rebels, putting as they were averaged out to #5 on this blog and I had seen their beating up on inferior opponents as signs of major improvement. They may yet be a challenger in the SEC West, but I think they are all out of Kool Aid at this point. As for the Gamecocks, they are a talented team defensively, their 41 points given up to Georgia not withstanding- even great defenses get gashed occasionally. I still don’t think Spurrier has a quarterback in Garcia who is capable of carrying this team, and it will hurt him a lot this season- if South Carolina can’t score points, they will be losing a lot of games 13-7 or 14-10. These are probably both back-end top 25 teams or are just outside of the poll when all is said and done.

Prediction for the Weekend:
Okay, so perhaps I whiffed on the prediction last weekend (I am oh so devastated that the Steelers lost and gave the AFC North lead to Baltimore, it really is killing me inside), but I am 1-1 on this segment so far, with this weekend being a toughie. I can’t call a blowout like LSU- Mississippi State looks like, it has to be something that has a good chance of being wrong to really fit the criteria here. How about this: the Arizona Cardinals are going to find their rhythm at home and score with the Indianapolis Colts- they are one of the few teams that can also score in 34 seconds with no time outs. I say the Cards win this one, 35-31.

Gary Williams Gets Contract Extension, Coach Through 2013

Maryland announced today that Gary Williams has been extended one season through the 2012-2013 season, which could increase if academic and athletic standards are met.

Last season Gary had coached one of his best years, taking a team that was supposed to finish near last in the conference with no frontcourt to an NCAA Tournament berth plus a win over California in the first round. In his 20 years at Maryland he has led the Terps to 13 NCAA Tournaments in the 16 years after the infraction period.

But also, his players recently have been graduating. Last year Dave Neal, the lone senior on the squad got his degree. The previous year saw all three seniors, James Gist, Bambale Osby and Jason McAlpin graduate. Four of the six leaving seniors on the 06-07 squad graduated as well. So with the recent success, Gary receives this extension.

The upcoming year will be an interesting one for Gary Williams. He returns his entire backcourt with Greivis Vasquez, Eric Hayes, Sean Mosley, Adrian Bowie and Cliff Tucker, and will need to rely on his two freshman big men, James Padgett and Jordan Williams, to be solid down low. The Terps have a lot of expectations this season, especially with Vasquez returning, and this has the potential to be a big year for Maryland. Obviously basketball season is still a good month away, but Terp fans are already thinking about it.

There have been obvious problems between Deborah Yow and Gary Williams, but I'm happy that both realize each other's worth. The fact is without Gary Williams, it is hard to know where this team or this program will or would have been.

(Photo credit: AP)

Free Kicks: Entirely Out of Place Wednesday Edition

When I sat down to write my piece for the middle of this week (Windsor had to cover for me yesterday), I couldn’t help but notice that I hadn’t written a true Free Kicks in a while. Additionally, with all the focus on the NFL Draft there were a host of stories that begged our attention. So, if you are not to aghast at moving things around, there were some thoughts I simply had to share. Let’s line up for the kick…

Freeling Unwanted
Sorry folks, I had to make that pun. When Ryan Freel was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in the Ramon Hernandez trade, I was just as excited as anyone to get Freel. His demeanor was supposed to maintain levity in the clubhouse a la Kevin Millar, provide a great utility option at a variety of positions, and give some veteran leadership to a young group. However, less than a month into the regular season, none of that has come to pass. Moreover, Freel is asking to get out of dodge, explaining that he doesn’t fit into the Orioles organization and isn’t happy with his role off the bench. Frankly, I don’t blame him for seeing it that way. Baltimore is stacked in the outfield, with Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, and Felix Pie as starters and Lou Montanez and Nolan Reimold tearing up the minors ready to take over for Pie at any point the young boom-bust project falters.

In that scenario, there is no room for Freel except as a utility guy, something he is suddenly unhappy with (compared to when he arrived here). I am not bitter, but I am a disappointed that Freel would do this so publicly after starting the season 2-15 and doing little to merit additional playing time. The O’s should try to work out a deal to get something for the versatile right-hander, but it won’t be much in this climate.

Grieving Vasquez
Most Terps fans met the news of Greivis Vasquez entering the NBA Draft with a shrug, and perhaps for good reason. Vasquez did not hire an agent, and may soon discover that he is not worth quite as much to the NBA as he would like, and would be very wise to stay another year with Maryland and make a run next season. He needs work on his ball distribution in running the point and generally needs to tighten up his game at the pro level- he won’t get away with a lot of his shots against professionals who won’t be duped by a simple step back jumper. To an NBA team, he is an incredible talent who needs time to develop- might as well do that development in the ACC.

And then there is the Lance Stevenson saga. Stevenson has been strongly linked with the Kansas Jayhawks over the last month or so, but that could change with CJ Henry bolting the Calipari-less Memphis squad for Lawrence. Lance wants to go one-and-done, and battling another (higher rated) top recruit for playing time can’t be that appealing. However, Stevenson has not expressed any additional interest in Maryland since Henry’s commitment to Kansas, so it is unlikely he will wind up a Terp. But if I had to choose between one year with Vasquez and one year with Stevenson, I will take the known commodity.

Was it a Balk? Does it Matter?
I don’t know if Jamie Walker’s pickoff throw to first was a balk or not- I have been traveling since Sunday and didn’t get to see it live. But honestly, it doesn’t make a difference to me whether it was or wasn’t. What was important was the reaction. Trembley’s emphatic defense of his pitcher was inspiring, and Walker’s defiance (and possible suspension) could help bring this team together. Sometimes in a season a team needs moments like these to rally around one another, get fired up, and take on that “us against the world” mentality. Seeing the manager get ejected always brings back memories of Earl Weaver for Orioles fans, but this move wasn’t just about the call. It was about giving a boost to a team whose energy was flagging after their hot start. I am a big fan of Dave Trembley, and he knows when to get upset. This was one of those times, and it could help jumpstart the club over the next few series.

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)

Preview: (10) Maryland vs. (2) Memphis- Fight for the Sweet 16

While the rest of the ACC (save for UNC and Duke) are falling apart, the Terps are still in the hunt after the first round. They are taking on a popular Final Four pick in many brackets, not to mention last year's runner-up in the Memphis Tigers, the #2 seed in the West Regional. Let's take a look at Memphis, and what Maryland will have to do to pull off the upset.

(2) Memphis 32-3 (16-0), Conference USA

What to Watch Out For: The Tigers have a different player leading just about every statistical category. Much is made of Tyreke Evans with his 16.6 points per game, but they have weapons all over the court with the presence of Shawn Taggart and Robert Dozier underneath, both averaging over 7 rebounds a contest. They should be able to hammer the boards over Maryland’s undersized lineup. However, Maryland has had to overcome this in just about every ACC game this season, so this will be nothing new. Against the Cal State Northridge Matadors, their bench also shined as Roburt Sallie could not be stopped from three point range en route to 35 points. Their bench is not usually a significant part of their offense, but Sallie could be a real player to watch if he gets hot again.

What you Might Not Know: This is also a much improved free throw shooting team, with all but one starter shooting 70% or better from the line. A major knock on this team last season was their lack of consistency at the charity stripe, and it may have even done in their national championship hopes last year. However, I still feel good if Maryland has to foul late.

Why Memphis Can Win: In the first round, Memphis was (by admission of their players and Coach John Calipari) looking ahead to the next round and wasn’t prepared for the aggressiveness of Cal State- Northridge. They should be geared up for this one, especially with Greivis Vasquez unwisely stoking the flames by claiming that Memphis would finish under .500 in the ACC. Northridge utilized a pressure zone defense to limit Memphis’ opportunities for good shots, limiting the Tigers to 1-13 from behind the arc with the exception of Sallie’s barrage of threes- Memphis now has more experience with this style, the same one Maryland used against California and the same one the Terps will likely try today. Additionally, Memphis has a great deal more experience in the tournament than Maryland and will react to the pressure with more composure than the Maryland squad that was hammered in the second round in their last foray into March Madness.

Why Maryland Can Win: This team just has “it” right now. They seem to be finding ways to win that they never could rely on earlier in the season. Eric Hayes has finally decided not to be a pure shooter and drive to be basket with more regularity, which should catch the Tigers off guard as they carefully watch Greivis Vasquez. While Vasquez shouldn’t have called out Conference USA, there is no question that they have been tested more often in conference than the Memphis Tigers. They have fought tough against the top teams in the country on a consistent basis late in the season, while Memphis hasn’t played against a truly high quality team since February 7th against Gonzaga, and lost against the two other tournament teams they played this season, Xavier and Syracuse, early in the season. Gary Williams will be able to come up with a creative game plan to enable Maryland to run with Memphis and take advantage of their speed to neutralize their opponent’s size advantage.

The Rundown: Memphis will be able to concentrate their defense on Vasquez to bottle up his opportunities and force his supporting cast to make plays without him- they won’t be able to make enough, though they will keep it close early. Maryland simply isn’t deep enough to keep up with Memphis for a full 40 minutes, and Vasquez will get into foul trouble as he plays even more aggressive to get out of the Tiger’s pressure D. Vasquez talked about “showing [Memphis] what the ACC is all about.” The ACC is 3-4 so far in this tournament, and I just don’t see it getting much better. Memphis might not be very tested, but they are overflowing with talent and are too deep to fall apart late in the game.

Memphis is favored by 9 points. The nod goes to the Tigers, but the Terps should cover.

Photo Credit: (Baltimore Sun/Karl Merton Ferron)

Postgame Analysis: Terps put Golden Bears in Hibernation

If you are a Maryland fan you have to be thrilled about this win. Maryland was picked by many prognosticators to take this game with the way they played in the ACC tournament. Four players (Vasquez, Bowie, Hayes, and Neal) had at least 14 points, and the Terps were lights out in the second half, raising their field goal percentage from 37-49% from halftime to the final buzzer. Greivis Vasquez was a man possessed, racking up 27 points and 7 rebounds along with countless pressure-induced steals late in the game.

However, California did little to help themselves. They shot an abysmal 29% from three point land, 14% below their season average of 43%, highest in the nation. Many Terps fans will chalk this up to Maryland’s stout zone defense, but throughout the game the Bears had some great looks at the basket but they just went completely cold. Additionally, this is not a team that has had to rely on their inside game and as such, they didn’t make nearly as big of an impact in the paint as they could have against this undersized Maryland lineup. Despite all of this, Maryland took the Cal game plan and completely turned it on its head. Once Cal lost its composure and confidence in its outside shot, the Terps were able to eliminate the only other offensive options for the Golden Bears.

The key factor in this ballgame was Gary Williams’ coaching. He did an amazing job in planning for this game and taking the opponent out of their element entirely. For all their deficiencies in size, this team will never be out-worked or out-coached. A lot of focus will be given to Vasquez, and deservedly so, but this was one of Coach Williams’ better games this season (and that is saying something). Now Maryland will go on to face Memphis, which struggled early against Cal State- Northridge before pulling away late, likely indicative of simply overlooking their opponent and sleeping on the low seeded Matadors. They won’t be sleeping on the Terps, but we will save that for another day.

I think this game deserves an MVP/LVP:

MVP: How could it be anyone other than Greivis Vasquez? He makes this team function; without him this team gets outscored by anyone. However, I will give it to someone else just for variety. Dave Neal was a presence inside, and as I cited during the game, he was everywhere on the court. He kept Cal from taking over inside and even racked up a steal to complement his 15 points and 4 rebounds. His performance isn’t huge in the stat line, but the lone senior is playing all-out to have just one more game.

LVP: This is hard, but I have to give it to Sean Mosley. He disappeared early in the game by racking up 3 careless fouls and going 1-4 in his field goal attempts. He had 2 assists to 1 turnover, but he just wasn’t a factor when the rest of his compatriots were stepping up their games.

(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!

(10) Maryland vs. (7) Cal, In-Game Reactions- 1st Half

I am set to write my first ever postgame, but I thought this might be a welcome addition to our blog in the meantime. I have decided to set out my reaction to the game as it comes, updated at some of the commercial breaks when it appeared that things had changed somewhat in momentum or style. Enjoy, postgame will follow the 2nd half reactions!

MD 16, CAL 12; 13:27 1st Half: Maryland has picked up the pace on Cal, something I really didn’t expect- though a fast game is always a good way to make up for a lack of size. It also hasn’t hurt that the Golden Bears can’t seem to hit from the field, going only 33%; way too low for a team that relies on solid shooting.

MD 17, CAL 15; 11:36 1st Half: I am impressed with how Vasquez is rising (yet again) to the occasion, on both offense and defense. The Terps are also getting to the line, which is a welcome surprise compared to what we have seen this season.

MD 24, CAL 21; 7:31 1st Half: The shots are starting to fall for Cal, as they are doing a good job of establishing their confidence at the rim and then going back to the perimeter; the 3s could start hitting home soon. Greivis has picked up another foul and had to sit- which was followed immediately by turnovers on 2 straight possessions. Any question as to how much this team relies on him? Someone else will have to step up the scoring.

MD 24, CAL 24; 3:56 1st Half: Make that 4 straight turnovers, after which Gary Williams had no choice but to put Vasquez back in. Cal’s abysmal shooting is the only thing keeping this in Maryland’s favor, though the Terps are shooting no better. 36% from the field for the Terps, 34% for Cal- neither team is in rhythm from the field.

MD 34, CAL 31; Halftime: Dave Neal hits a three and continues to be overlooked by this Cal defense as he racks up offensive rebounds and gets relatively open shots. Unfortunately, this is not the Cal team we have been accustomed to seeing all season, it is unlikely they will continue to shoot so poorly in the second half. Maryland has faded in the second half of a lot of games this season; they will have to keep up their tough defense and start hitting those jump shots. They spent a few too many possessions trying to draw fouls than actually trying to make the shot by the rim and draw a foul in the process.

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)

MARYLAND IS IN

The University of Maryland has made it to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large bid, getting the 10-seed in the West region, giving the Terps their second NCAA Tournament bid in the last three years. They will head to Kansas City to take on 7-seed California, and the winner will take on the victor of the 2-seed Memphis vs. Cal-State Northridge game.

Maryland was the third final at-large team taken plus the last team from the ACC to earn a bid. It took a strong ACC Tournament showing with two wins, including a win over Wake Forest, to push them into the tournament. When the first region came out, a number of people, including Gary Williams, were worried when they saw Arizona grab a 12-seed, as they were a team fighting for a final at-large bid. But the Terps got their spot in the next region.

This season has been a real tribute to Gary Williams and the poise of this team. So many times this team was counted out by media and fans. At the start of the season when the undersized lineup was shown, after getting upset by Morgan State, after Duke destroyed them in Durham, Vasquez's issues with the fans, after all of the problems between Gary and the athletic department, some fans calling for Gary's head, and after the Maryland loss to Virginia. But through all of that, this team fought hard and earned their bid despite their problems.

Congratulations to Maryland to making it to the NCAA Tournament, and from us here at ATH, we say good luck. Also congrats to Morgan State for their accomplishment in making the tournament as well.

Terps ACC Run Ends: Duke Defeats Maryland

Maryland's run in the tournament is over with their loss to Duke in the semifinals 67-61 on Saturday, the third time this season they fell to the Blue Devils. The Terps end their tournament with two wins and a loss, including a win over top-10 Wake Forest.

The Terps were close throughout, but fatigue caught up to them in the end. Maryland did not have much of an answer for Kyle Singler on the boards, who despites shooting 3-12 had a double double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Jon Scheyer had the other big night with 22 points, going 4-10 from beyond the arc. In the end, Duke went to the free throw line more and converted those shots.

Eric Hayes had a monster night, hitting numerous shots towards the end of the game and keeping Maryland close, finishing with 20 points; 15 came in the second half. Greivis Vasquez ended with 14 points and six rebounds.

Now the question becomes, will the Terps make the NCAA Tournament? They did most of what was necessary, a convincing win over Wake Forest and getting to 20 wins, finishing 20-13, and not ending with a bad loss. They gained a lot of attention with that Wake win to add to their Michigan State and North Carolina wins. Some say the Terps are a lock, some are not sure. Regardless, we will not know for sure until the selection show. But Gary Williams and the Terps did what they could do to get themselves back on the map.

Maryland Keeping Its Tournament Hopes Alive

Who needs the regular season? This is the question that some basketball fans have been thinking while watching the madness start early this year in the conference tournaments. The Maryland Terrapins have certainly been a part of that, stunning the ACC with their convincing win over Wake Forest yesterday evening in which Greivis Vazquez nearly had a triple double and the Terps out-rebounded the taller and more athletic Demon Deacons.

It's very easy to say that this win was just a product of Greivis having another transcendent game, but it reminded me of the UNC game in that the rest of the team played exceptionally sound and smart basketball. They out-toughed Wake Forest from the opening tip and, unlike their previous matchup, forced Wake Forest into a litany of fouls. Maryland got to the free throw line, which has been their strength all season, and capitalized on Wake Forest's errors. Two names that I would like to throw out there for players who deserve commendation: Sean Mosley for finally stepping up offensively and playing a complete game, and Dino Gregory for his monumental improvement in play over the past few games. Dino Gregory has been a crucial part of both of Maryland's wins thus far in the ACC tournament, particularly against NCState where he grabbed a career high eight rebounds.

Now Maryland comes up against the hated Duke Blue Devils, with a scheduled tip off of 3:30 pm for a chance to go to the ACC tournament. Maryland possibly got themselves in with the win over Wake, but given the shrinking state of the bubble, I have serious doubts as to whether or not Maryland will be able to sneak in without a win today. Luckily for Maryland they have already played Duke twice, and they already have a blueprint for how to win. That blueprint being, play the same game they did against Wake except do not sag so much on defense. Maryland needs to get to the foul line, and play hard pressure defense. The Terps will need to play a perfect game to take down the Blue Devils, but they've shown that they're more than capable of doing that on any given day.

(Photo Credit: Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

Free Kicks: College Basketball Edition!

These last few days have been great for college basketball, it is only appropriate we devote a free kicks to it. Let’s line up for the tipoff…

Early Exits for Many Bubble Teams
Providence, Miami, Arizona, Kansas State, Northwestern, Rhode Island, and UNLV all went down yesterday, all but ending their hopes for a bid to the NCAA Tournament. This should be good news for any bubble team still hoping to make a run (Maryland, anyone?), as this year appears to be historically weak as far as teams stepping up and making a case. So many bubble teams appear to be fading down the stretch, and very few mid-majors appear ready to take an at-large bid away from the major conference teams. Only Cleveland State, with its win over Butler, was able to “steal a bid” and put more pressure on the bubble teams from major conferences. Sure, Penn State, Temple, and Oklahoma State won, and Baylor’s run in the Big 12 tournament is cause for concern, but I would’ve bet that the Nittany Lions and Cowboys already had bids before their conference tournaments.

Of course, this all comes back to Maryland. Maryland has to win today to have any chance at a bid, but the rest of the country appears to be doing them a lot of favors.

Big East Tournament Living Up to Hype
Maybe the Big East really is the best conference. First DePaul, who had no wins in all of conference play, takes out the bubble hopes of Cincinnati and played Providence down to the wire. Then West Virginia pastes Notre Dame to the floor and puts a stake in their at large hopes. What is their encore? A dominating win over Pitt, arguably the best team in the nation. I may hate the Mountaineers, but they are recovering quickly from their regular season finale against Louisville.

And that of course leads us to last night’s SIX overtime thriller between Syracuse and Connecticut. I will spare the recap, but last night’s performance was inspiring to me for one critical reason. These teams were not battling for a bid, and not even (really) for seeding. Syracuse has a slightly better seed to gain from a win, but UConn may get a #1 seed regardless- they were playing for pride. It was almost 1:30 in the morning before all was said and done, and these teams were exhausted. I don’t see how they can get up for the physical play of West Virginia, but I will be watching to see whether Syracuse has anything left in the tank.

So… What Does This Mean for Maryland?
Well, as I said before, Maryland hasn’t been hurt by so many bubbles being popped in the conference tournaments, and while some teams may solidify their resume a great deal of damage has already been done. Some of these teams would already be placed ahead of Maryland even with a loss in the first round- Miami, for one, so Maryland will still need to do a lot more than scoreboard watching to go to the tournament this season.

It starts today against a rested and rejuvenated Wake. Maryland had far too much trouble with NC State last night, doing nothing to assuage my worries about their performance outside of the friendly confines of the Comcast Center. The Terps gave Wake everything they could handle and couldn’t pull together a win at home, so I have to question their chances tonight. Eric Hayes will need to be a consistent 3 point threat; he has disappeared far too often for stretches of the game and left the pressure entirely on the shoulders of Greivis Vasquez. When Vasquez has all the pressure on his shoulders he tries to do more than he can pull off and commits puzzling turnovers and falling away shots that are incredible when they hit… but rarely do. Mosley will have to take a more aggressive role offensively to complement his solid defensive play.

In the end, I can’t discount Wake’s size or desire in this one- they will be able to massively outrebound Maryland and they want to prove to the selection committee that they are in fact deserving of a #2 seed. I can’t give the win to the Terps; the -6.5 line in favor of Wake sounds conservative to me. I hope I am wrong, and luckily I usually am.

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)

The ACC Tournament: Maryland's Last Chance

It is the final chance for Maryland to make their case for the NCAA, the ACC Tournament. Maryland as the 7-seed will take on 10-seed NC State, a team they defeated by 11 on the road (eight until the last shot), and the winner takes on 2-seed Wake Forest.

Maryland has won only one ACC Tournament game in the last four seasons, that being against Georgia Tech two years ago. It is consensus that the Terps probably need two wins to have a chance. They have gotten a little bit of help so far, including Miami getting defeated by Virginia Tech.

NC State is a 16-13 team that has lost three of their last four games. They shoot 38% from three-point range with their experienced guards Brandon Costner and Courtney Fells, and they do not have much size either, but a number of 6'9'' players will help. This will not be an easy game for Maryland, and things are not looking good after their loss to Virginia, but they still have a chance.

Game against NC State is tonight at 7:00.

(Photo credit: ACC)

Virginia Crashes Maryland's Party

Even after Maryland lost to Wake Forest, their resume still suggested they would make the tournament as long as they took care of business. But like last year, Virginia used their senior night to spoil Maryland's chances. They won 68-63 in Charlottesville, again putting Maryland in dire straits, now looking at their fourth NIT in five years.

The problems were obvious. The bench barely contributed. The three-point shooting was abysmal. They only went to the line six times while their opponents went 24. They could not take advantage of a team that had double their turnovers. Maryland did not make good decisions on the court in clutch time, which led to bad shooting.

But overall, Maryland had to win this game so their would not be many questions about the team and their NCAA resume, instead they pick up a huge loss to a now 10-17 team and must perform very well in the ACC Tournament, where they have not won a game in the last two years. Now at 18-12 and 7-9 in the conference, with their Michigan State and UNC wins hit hard by losses to Morgan State and Virginia, it will take a huge undertaking to convince the committee to put Maryland in.

This is typical of Maryland. They choose not to prepare enough for the lesser teams, and though they have gotten away with it a number of times, once in a while it bites them. Last year Ohio and American, this year Mongan State and Virginia. Sometimes losses happen, but the great teams rebound and get back into contention. Kansas lost to UMass earlier in the season, a terrible loss, but they have rebounded and are now #9 in the nation. But this is typical of Maryland football and basketball, they do not get ready for games they should win easily. Maryland wins today and they look good. They didn't, and now they look terrible. They had a good shot, and like the shooters in the Virginia game, they missed.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

The Road to the NCAA Tournament: Maryland

Maryland at 18-11 and 7-8 in the ACC is a bubble team that is currently a bubble team trying to get in to the NCAA tournament and avoid going to the NIT for the fourth time in five years. Although many analysts seem to believe that Maryland will get into the tournament, they need to take care of business before they can be sure.

The Terps have one regular season game left against Virginia and the ACC Tournament looming ahead, so they don't have much time to add to their resume. Let's take a look at Maryland's current resume (rankings as of March 3rd):

Maryland (18-11, 7-8 ACC)
SOS: 19
RPI: 57
Key wins: Michigan State, North Carolina
Wins against bubble teams: Virginia Tech, Miami, Michigan
Losses against bubble teams: Miami, Boston College, Georgetown
Key losses: Morgan State

Some things to think about:
--Virginia is a must-win.
Virginia has had a real down year, going only 9-17, losing 12 of their last 14 games. They literally have nothing more to play for, but they would love nothing more than to spoil's Maryland's party. The last thing Maryland needs to do a lose a terrible game this late in the season. Last year Maryland was faced with the same situation, a must-win in Virginia, and Sean Singletary and company beat the Terps down. The Terps can not have the same thing happen this year.

--A win might be necessary in the first round of the ACC Tournament.
Right now Maryland is looking at an seven or eight seed in the ACC Tournament. This could match them up against Virginia Tech or Miami in the first round, possibly NC State. This would be the perfect contest for Maryland, a bubble vs. bubble contest. If Maryland can win this it would give them a quality win plus put them (assuming a win over Virginia) at 20 wins on the season. Obviously two wins would be much better, but at the very least and realistically they need to win their first round.

--The ACC is a powerful conference.
This could be good or bad for Maryland. On the one hand, so many big time teams means that .500 in the conference looks very good. On the other, six teams are locks for the tournament and the Committee despite a weak mid-major field might be hesitant to take too many ACC squads. The Terps will still have to fight to prove themselves.

Right now, the Terps have their eyes set on Virginia. An uphill battle is still being fought, but the Terps still have a chance.

On a different note, it is reported by CollegeFootballTalk.com and ESPN that Florida State likely will been forced to forfeit most of its sports wins during the 06-07 and 07-08 seasons, including football. From the major sports this would include the 24-16 win over Maryland in football in 2007 and a 96-79 win over the Terps men's basketball team in January '07. But it will also impose infractions on Florida State, including the loss of scholarships.

(Photo credit: AP)

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.