*I wrote a second piece on recruiting for today's paper. My first one on Monday focused on Gary Williams' assistants. This one centered on Gary himself. I did these stories because it seemed as if so many of the issues affecting the Terps are related to recruiting. So I wanted to take a long look. Just in case you were wondering.

*Heading into the Miami game tonight, I'm thinking it sure would be good for Eric Hayes if he'd get a few buckets early. You may have noticed that he had several shots against Boston College that rattled out. When you're in a slump you just need a few to fall -- and that's not happening for him.

I know he's taking a lot of heat from fans lately. He is a limited player in some respects, no doubt. But when he's on, he can shoot from three as well as anyone on the team, and the Terps could really use that now.

Here's Williams on Hayes: "I'm concerned but I'm really rooting for Eric because he's played a lot of good basketball here and he’s going to play a lot in the future. If you look at the video…there’s nothing wrong with his stroke."

Williams on the Terps, who have lost four of five: "It's disappointing, but you don’t get discouraged."

Williams, by the way, again mentioned Jordan Williams yesterday and what a difference that he and fellow recruit James Padgett could make next season. I wonder if Williams is raising the expectations bar a little high...

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (25)
Categories: Terps basketball
        

The news from Gary-land:

* Jin Soo Kim is back. The NCAA approved Maryland's appeal, making him immediately eligible. I say in my story today that the team believes Kim, who is 3-for-16 on threes this year, is potentially a good outside shooter. He does seem to have touch and can block some shots and provide energy. What does everybody think of him?

* Williams opened his media availability by saying: "Any questions about my team or Miami?"
He later said: "I’m just talking about Miami and my team for the rest of the year."

The clear implication is that he's not discussing the flare-up with senior associate athletic director Kathleen Worthington. The university wants an end to this story.

Williams later said, "I don't have to answer your question," when he encountered one that he thought was out of bounds.

The rest of the media session was about basketball. Williams said he was pleased that Jordan Williams, who is to play for the Terps next season, was nominated for the McDonald’s High School All-America team.

I'll look at the Miami game in a sidebar box for tomorrow's paper.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (20)
Categories: Terps basketball
        

It's no secret that Maryland was looking to fill some holes on the defensive front in its recruiting. The departures of Jeremy Navarre, Mack Frost and Dean Muhtadi will hurt the line. Travis Ivey and Dion Armstrong return.

So the Terps went out and got some help, led by 6-foot-4, 252-pound DL DeOnte Arnett of Forestville. Maryland said Arnett was rated four stars by Rivals.com and Scout.com.

Arnett and fellow D-linemen Cody Blue and Zachariah Kerr have now enrolled and will be eligible for spring practice.

Other new arrivals are LBs Darin Drakeford and Avery Murray. Alex Wujciak and Adrian Moten are among the returnees at that position.

The entire signing class will be announced Wednesday, Feb. 4.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Terps football
        

Gary Williams will hold his usual, day-before-the-game media availability this afternoon. But I suspect there will be little "usual" about it.

Maryland is desperately trying to get back to the business of playing basketball. But it's not easy. The athletic department and Williams and the media have all, in their own ways, perpetuated this story about Maryland's infighting.

I expect Williams will have little to say today about Tyree Evans and Gus Gilchrist -- the players whose failed recruitments provided the fodder for all this discord. I expect Williams will try to steer questions away from all that and onto the subject of a basketball game the Terps are playing against Miami on Saturday. But I could be wrong. Gary has surprised me before.

I can't help thinking how improbable this whole back-and-forth was.

It all started when I asked Williams a question at Monday's media availability about whether his recruiting had been affected by having more coaching-staff turnover than in the days of assistants Jimmy Patsos, Dave Dickerson and Billy Hahn.

In framing his answer, Williams talked about the two forwards (Jordan Williams and James Padgett) in the new recruiting class. He then raised the names of Evans and Gilchrist as players who could have been Terrapins -- but aren't.

And away we went.

I'll provide an account of Williams' Q&A (due to begin at 3:15 p.m.) after it's over.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (31)
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I thought Tom McMillen might have an opinion about what's going on between Gary Williams and the athletic department.

After all, McMillen played for Maryland (and in the NBA) and regularly attends Terps games. The former congressman also has the perspective of being on the Board of Regents overseeing the University System of Maryland.

I quote McMillen in today's paper saying this public dispute at Maryland is probably hurting recruiting. He wants it to end ASAP.

His comments made me wonder if anyone out there -- a university overseer -- might try to arrange a sit-down with the principals involved to at least get them communicating better. We'll see.

McMillen also offered thoughts on the team in general. He likes the team's potential but admits to some frustration.

Here are some quotes that didn't appear in the story:

"This is a team that is not as deep as some other teams in the ACC but they are very young. They have one senior. They’ve got players like Adrian Bowie who really could blossom into something," McMillen said.

He suggested players' focus has occasionally waned.

"When they take crazy shots and throw the ball away, it's very frustrating. I always tried to make my first shot. I was very conservative about the first shot, because mentally it would affect the rest of your game."

McMillen said there are a few reasons for optimism about the future:

* "You have a team getting a lot of playing experience and big guys coming in."

* "Many times Gary does his best coaching in these situations."

Posted by Jeff Barker at 8:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Terps basketball
        

Observations about the highly public dispute between coach Gary Williams and athletic director Debbie Yow and her colleagues over two former recruits:

1) The way to look at this is as a power struggle. There's Williams, who has more seniority than his bosses and a national championship. There's Yow, who ultimately is accountable for basketball and all other sports at the school.

Each in different ways has felt undercut by the other. I believe Yow felt slighted because -- according to the department -- Williams began recruiting Tyree Evans, a community-college player with a criminal record, without consulting her.

I think Williams believes his experience and credentials have earned him some measure of autonomy. He feels belittled (“Why do they jump on me all the time?” he said) when his decisions and statements are publicly questioned.

2) There is -- obviously -- a communication gap between Williams and the athletic department.

During Tuesday night's interview, Williams seemed to feel the media and the department were questioning his handling of the recruiting of Evans and Gus Gilchrist. You all know both recruitments came with issues -- neither was simple.

In fact, senior associate athletic director Kathleen Worthington said she was questioning Williams' words more than his deeds -- specifically his prior statement that "it wasn't my fault that they're not here. That was somebody else's call."

But that distinction got lost. In this quarrel everyone is playing defense and no one seems to be communicating.

The communications gap is compounded by a very sad situation that is no one's fault -- the death of Yow's sister, Kay. The Maryland AD has been in North Carolina for the funeral.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
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Gary Williams and Maryland's athletic department administrators continue to be at odds. And the tension is mounting.

Let me set the scene from Tuesday night. Gary's team has just lost to Boston College so he's probably not in a receptive mood for an interview to begin with.

I ask him in the locker room -- along with reporters from The Washington Post and other outlets -- about conflicting statements that he and athletic department officials have made about why former recruits Gus Gilchrist and Tyree Evans didn't end up playing for Maryland

I wrote a story on this for today's paper that details the issues. Suffice it to say that Gary, who had just lost a tough game, wasn't immediately interested in chatting about this. At first, he said he didn't want to be interviewed. But then he got rolling.

He said essentially that Gilchrist was going to leave Maryland anyway for a host of reasons, so he just facilitated that release. And he said Evans wouldn't have had a good Maryland experience because of all the media reports about a criminal past.

Clearly, Gary felt challenged and perhaps unappreciated. He said Kathy Worthington, the senior associate athletic director who questioned some of Gary's statements about the recruits, "has never won a national championship."

"I've run a clean program for 20 years. Check my record," the coach said at one point.

He also said: "I coach here, I've got to live here. I've coached here for 20 years, long before anyone else was here. Nobody was here 20 years ago."

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (129)
Categories: Terps basketball
        

What is this propensity for blowing second-half leads? I can only theorize.

The Terps seem to start doubting themselves when things are heading south. Is that because of their relative inexperience?

"If I knew, it wouldn't happen," Gary Williams said. "The one thing defense always gives you is a way to stop the other team."

But somehow, Maryland's defense -- which really is its ace in the hole since the Terps are neither big nor great shooters -- let down in the second half.

Boston College, which had trailed by 16, found its way back into the game pretty quickly. The Eagles did so even with a subpar game by guard Tyrese Rice, who got into early foul trouble and finished with 10 points.

One noticeable liability for Maryland right now is that no one can create or make the big shot in a close game. Maryland's shooters are really in dreadful slumps. Eric Hayes desperately needed some shots to drop tonight for his confidence. He was 1-for-8.

Need a positive? Landon Milbourne has really been fighting and Sean Mosley shot 4-for.4.

Feel better?

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Terps basketball
        

I asked Gary Williams yesterday whether it was difficult to overcome the loss of his key longtime assistants -- notably Jimmy Patsos, who left for Loyola in 2004. I asked whether recruiting has been affected by staff turnover since then.

Here are some of Williams' comments that didn't appear in my story:

"I was very fortunate to have Dave Dickerson, Billy Hahn and Jimmy Patsos for the length of time that you do. I’ve always felt – because I was an assistant coach for nine years – part of my job as a head coach is to prepare guys for head coaching positions," Williams said.

"(Former assistant) Mike Lonergan is doing a great job at Vermont, Jimmy’s up at Loyola and really changed that program, Dave Dickerson is in a really difficult situation at Tulane because of the hurricane," he said.

"We did well enough where they could get head coaching positions. Whether it’s Randy Ayers, Ed Tapscott, people like that, they’ve been my assistants. I must be doing something right if people on the outside think that they’re ready to be head coaches."

Note: Michael Adams was the last assistant to depart, but he left not for a head coaching job but rather for family reasons. He departed in November 2007.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)
Categories: Terps basketball
        

I did a story for today's paper on recruiting. I think it's highly significant what happened after Jimmy Patsos (13 years as a Maryland assistant), Billy Hahn (12 years) and Dave Dickerson (nine years) moved on. The program hasn't had the same stability because of continued turnover with Gary Williams' assistants. Some of you mentioned this point in your posts, and that helped me collect my thoughts for the story.

Here are some comments from Hahn, now a West Virginia assistant, that didn't appear in my story:

"When we first started, we were horrible. Our first couple years, we were on probation and the ACC wouldn’t even let us in the tournament and we didn't recruit very well the first couple of years. People do not have an appeciation of what Maryland had to overcome. People lost sight of that and forgot Maryland was on probation."

Hahn said things eventually started to click. He said he and the other assistants were adept at selecting kids "that fit into the system, that wanted to get better. All I know is that Gary Williams, Dave Dickerson, Jimmy Patsos and Billy Hahn had a pretty good run there," Hahn said.

And what about the state of recruiting in Terp-land today? "I can only speak for the 12 years I was there," Hahn said.

Hahn said every program has its peaks and valleys. "It just happens in every program. When there is a slide, you just have to stop it. That's the key."

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Terps basketball
        

Here, courtesy of Maryland media relations, are the 2008 Maryland football award winners named by the team:

Top Special Teams Performer – Travis Baltz

Freshman of the Year – Torrey Smith

A.V. Williams Award for Outstanding & Conspicuous Sportsmanship – Dan Gronkowski

George C. Cook Memorial Award for the senior with the highest GPA – Dean Muhtadi

George Boutselis Memorial Award for letterman with the highest GPA – Dan Gronkowski

Alvin L. Aubinoe Award as the unsung hero – Andrew Schmitt (special teams), Cory Jackson (offense), Jeff Allen (defense)

C.P. “Lefty” McIntosh Public Service Award sponsored by Don & Terry Wilson – Jordan Steffy

James M. Tatum Award for Lineman of the Year – Jeremy Navarre (defensive) and Edwin Williams (offensive)

Dr. John E. Faber Award for Iron Man – Jack Griffin

Terrapin Club Award for the greatest career contribution to football – Edwin Williams

Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year – Jamarr Robinson

Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year – Hakeem Sule

Most Improved Offensive Player – Da’Rel Scott

Most Improved Defensive Player – Jamari McCollough

Most Valuable Offensive Player – Darrius Heyward-Bey

Most Valuable Defensive Player – Alex Wujciak

Ray Krouse Award for Most Valuable Player – Jeremy Navarre

Distinguished Contributor Award – Tom McCausland

Maryland Football Fan of the Year – Joel Ryerson

Note: The Terps will announce their 2009 signing class on Feb. 4.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Terps football
        

Here's my take on the Duke game, the worst loss in Gary Williams' tenure at Maryland:

It's the sort of game that can elicit a strong reaction -- as your passionate comments attest.

I think the game did expose Maryland's liabilities pretty starkly. More on that shortly.

But it was also what I'd call a "snowball" game. It's that rare sort of contest in which everything goes wrong for a team, and the damage increases exponentially. What I'm saying is that it was a gruesome, revealing loss but that Maryland is not actually 41 points worse than Duke. Maryland's inept shooting fed on itself, as did Duke's success behind the arc. You've heard me say that everything is contagious on a basketball court, and that game was "Exhibit A."

But obviously there were troubling indicators for the Terps:

*The one that particularly struck me was the success of 7-1 Duke center Brian Zoubek. Undersized Maryland couldn't defend him, couldn't keep him off the boards, couldn't drive past him. Zoubek averages 6.4 points and 1.1 blocks. Against the Terps, he had nine points, nine rebounds and four blocks in less than half a game.

My colleague, David Steele, called him "Kareem Abdul-Zoubek" afterward.

You knew Maryland would struggle against big guys this season, but if the tiny Terps had no answer for Zoubek, what will happen against North Carolina and Wake Forest?

*It's official. Greivis Vasquez is in a slump. You could just tell when he missed (or perhaps grazed) the rim on a three-pointer that his confidence has deteriorated. Gary Williams has to hope he hits a few shots and gets his mojo going, because this team needs him. Badly.

*Adrian Bowie has all the credentials -- quickness, toughness and work ethic -- to be really good. But he's still learning whom he can take to the hoop in the college game. That's the way he needs to look at the difficult Duke outing -- as a learning experience.

Bowie and Maryland's other guards surely know that it's often better to penetrate and kick back out than to try to finish on a big man or wait for a foul call. Too often on Saturday the Maryland guards were swallowed up by Duke's defense in the lane.

By the way, some of you commented on the officials. I was amazed Maryland didn't get to the line a single time in the first half. From press row, I was pretty sure I thought I spotted some uncalled fouls when the Terps got into the paint. But would Maryland have been close had it gotten some of these calls? I'd feel silly trying to make that case.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (65)
Categories: Terps basketball
        

Notes from Duke 85, Maryland 44

* Duke was up by 40 points when the crowd erupted in what several Blue Devils said was the loudest cheer of the year at Cameron Indoor Stadium. It was a triple-pass sequence leading to a Gerald Henderson layup to make it 60-20. Talk about embarrassing for the Terps.

* Maryland's point total of 44 matched Duke's largest lead of the game.

* Greg Paulus, the Duke guard who comes off the bench, had as many rebounds (five) as any Terp. Paulus threw a couple elbows as he was surrounded in the second half but didn't draw a foul call.

* The Cameron Crazies' chants included "Hooked on phonics!" and "Sweat, Gary, sweat," and they occasionally yelled in Spanish at Greivis Vasquez.

* Little-used players Steve Goins and Danny Pearman got some playing time, but didn't score.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)
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It's too easy to criticize Maryland's defense after the Duke debacle.

But I would say this:

The zone struggled. Duke shot well inside and outside -- 12 of 25 from behind the arc.

But I think a huge problem comes back to lack of size. All too often, Maryland's defense played one sequence and then surrendered an offensive rebound and had to play defense again.

Giving up offensive rebounds -- Duke had 21 of them -- is tiring and demoralizing for a defense. No Terp rebounder had more than five boards.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
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The Duke game lasted only about two hours in real time, but it seemed to take forever for Maryland.

Gary Williams looked like he was in a hurry to get his guys out of Cameron Indoor Stadium, and who can blame him?

Best moment for Maryland: Dave Neal hits a three-pointer to put the Terps ahead 3-2 in the first minute.

Second-best moment: There wasn't one.

Williams said afterward that Maryland can bounce back.

"I was worried after we lost to Georgetown and we beat Michigan," Williams said. "You worry, but to me this is one game and that's how you have to address it."

Posted by Jeff Barker at 4:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (35)
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At Cameron Indoor Stadium this morning, I got a copy of the "cheer sheet" that the Crazies use. Lots of pre-game notes on Maryland.

Here is some of what the cheer sheet said:

* "Gary williams tends to sweat. A LOT. Make liberal use of 'Sweat, Gary, sweat!" when he gets nervous."

* "Vasquez, where do we even start. This week he said of Cameron Indoor, 'That's my house. I love going in there. It's going to be fun.' He must figure that it can't get any worse than his home arena."

Also, lots on the cheer sheet about Maryland players' graduation rates.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)
Categories: Terps basketball
        

Story in the Duke Chronicle, the student newspaper, begins:

"The Duke-Maryland rivalry isn't what it used to be. Four years ago, every matchup between the two teams garnered nearly as much attention and anticipation as the No. 2 Blue Devils (17-1, 4-0 in the ACC) and their Carolina blue counterparts. But after underwhelming performances in the regular season and lackluster recruiting efforts, the Terrapins (13-5, 2-2) have only reached the NCAA Tournament once in the past four seasons."

My take:

Much of this is, of course, on point. I would add a few facts for perspective:

* Despite the recent imbalance between the teams, Maryland has managed to go 5-5 against Duke in their last 10 meetings.

* The most memorable matchups of the teams, at least in relatively recent memory, were played when Juan Dixon and Steve Blake played for the Terps. Blake, now in the NBA, told me he's still bugged by the 2001 Final Four loss to Duke in which the Terps blew a 22-point-lead. If you want to talk about nationally significant games between Duke and Maryland, you can't omit this era.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
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You don't usually hear coaches talk about next season -- at least not in January.

It caught my attention when Gary Williams said recently that the Terps would have more versatility next season because of their recruits.

Williams was referring to how Maryland is limited this season by not having much of an inside presence. Forwards Jordan Williams and James Padgett could help in that regard next season.

It just made me think how much Williams must be looking forward to 2009-10, when he's expected to have his key guys back (except Dave Neal) but will have some more size in the paint. Of course, we'll have to see how quickly the new guys develop.

Not that Williams is giving up on this season. But, as we all know, a lack of big men leaves you with little margin for error against top teams.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 8:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)
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Let's review what Greivis Vasquez did at Cameron Indoor Stadium in his first two seasons.

Freshman year: He finished one rebound short of a triple double as Maryland beat the Blue Devils, 85-77.

Sophomore year: Duke beat Maryland, 77-65, there last season, but Vasquez had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Vasquez says he loves to play at Cameron -- thrives on the competition and feeds on the banter with the Crazies.

“That’s one of my favorite spots to play,” Vasquez said after Maryland beat Virginia on Tuesday night. “They (the Crazies) give me energy."

It would all sound like so much bravado except that Vasquez has the numbers -- at least so far in his career -- to back it up.

His behavior with the crowd during the Georgia Tech game might have been objectionable, but this -- a road game in an intimidating venue -- is where his extroverted personality can really be an asset for the Terps.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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One Duke player familiar to many Maryland fans -- and Terps players -- is guard Nolan Smith from Upper Marlboro.

Smith, a sophomore, told me last year that he selected Duke largely because of former Blue Devils guard Johnny Dawkins. Dawkins was a close friend and former NBA teammate of Smith's late father, Derek.

"All my friends are at Maryland -- Adrian Bowie, Shane Walker," Smith said. "But Johnny Dawkins put Duke in my heart." Walker has since transferred to Loyola.

Smith's playing time has increased for the Blue Devils this season. He's averaging 10.3 points per game.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Maryland travels to play a Duke team Saturday that is 17-1 and entered Tuesday night's game ranked third in the nation in scoring margin at 19.9 points a game.

Duke is excellent on the boards, ranking 10th in the nation in rebounding margin. Maryland, with its three-guard offense, has often been outrebounded. The Terps rank 135th.

It's probably more instructive to look at Duke's lone defeat than at its wins. The Blue Devils lost 81-73 to Michigan in Ann Arbor on Dec. 6.

In that game, the Blue Devils took 33 three-pointers and made only seven (21.2 percent). They went to the foul line only six times compared to Michigan's 22.

I've blogged before about getting to the line. In this game, it will really be critical. I think the Terps need to get to the foul line 20-plus times to stay competitive.

It will really help the Terps if Duke has a Michigan-game sort of drought from behind the arc, but don't count on it. Maryland has been pretty good defending the three this season, and will have to be exceptional Saturday afternoon. Duke is shooting near 40 percent on threes in its last four games -- victories over Florida State, Georgia Tech, Georgetown and N.C. State.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)
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*Story in the Sporting News today says the ACC is the nation's best conference -- better even than the Big East, which has been getting so much pub.

*Some of you reported problems getting the game on television last night. Was that an issue? Raycom says the game was scheduled to be on WDCA-TV (My 20) in Washington and WNUV-TV in Baltimore.

*Was watching tape of Louisville vs. Maryland from 1980 on MASN. Somebody call Buck Williams and tell him the Terps could use him this year.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
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More from Maryland's win...

*No issues with Greivis Vasquez and the student section. You'll recall that he didn't appreciate a smattering of boos in the last home game and let the crowd know it. Last night, it was all good.

*It was Maryland's 400th win in conference play. Only North Carolina and Duke have more ACC victories.

*Adrian Bowie really provided an early spark with penetration and quickness in transition. Bowie got to the line six times before any other Terp got there once.

*The Terps also got a lift from Dino Gregory off the bench. His follow-up slam made it 11-6 in the first half and ignited the crowd. He had eight points before fouling out with 5:05 left.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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This is clearly not Gary Williams' best team, but he loves these players because their intensity matches his own.

If you looked around the Maryland locker room last night, you saw Dave Neal with a scary-looking knot above his left eye and Landon Milbourne with tissue paper stuck in his nostril to stop a bloody nose. This is a tough group.

Said Milbourne: "We've been doubted since the beginning. I've been doubted because I'm not the same height and same weight as the people I go up against. I take that as a challnge."

Milbourne, who is 6-7, has led the team in rebounding the past four games, averaging 7.5 boards per game during that stretch.

Said Williams: "I like these guys."

A final note: Not a bad crowd (listed at 16,205) considering spring term hasn't started and that it was inauguration day. The team watched the presidential swearing-in together at noon.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)
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The Terrapins play what forward Dave Neal calls “pretty much a must-win” tonight against Virginia at Comcast Center.

But will there be a sizeable home crowd to see the game?

This may not have been the best-timed home game for the Terps. For one thing, inauguration activities make it problematic for some fans to get to the game. The events also diminish interest in a basketball game. Plus, spring term doesn't start until next week.

Said Neal: "The crowd might be kind of dead but I think fans will find a way to get here. I'm hoping."

Posted by Jeff Barker at 8:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
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Remember the old song that went like this:

"You've got to accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. And latch on to the affirmative."

My advice for the Terps -- and I don't need to tell Gary Williams this -- is to accentuate the positive.

Really, this is a limited team, folks. It can press and create turnovers -- give the Terps credit for that -- and it can shoot foul shots.

Somehow, Maryland's free-throw percentage has soared this season to better than 78 percent -- one of the best percentages in the nation.

But Maryland needs to get to the foul line more often so it can take advantage of this important asset.

Getting to the line does more than put points on the board. It usually means the Terps are penetrating into the lane and not forcing perimeter shots. Obviously, it can put the other team in foul trouble.

Let's look at how Maryland does when it gets to the line.

In its biggest games -- the wins over Michigan State, Michigan and Georgia Tech -- Maryland got to the line an average of 21 times.

In its loss to Miami, the Terps went to the line six times -- as Williams was quick to note. Maryland shot 15 free throws in the Morgan State loss, 12 in the Georgetown loss and nine in the Gonzaga defeat.

Let's see if the Terps can get to 20 free throws tonight against Virginia.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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This is Jeff. I'm back. I'll be your flight attendant for the rest of Maryland's season.

Did I miss anything while I was gone? Just kidding. Gary Williams talked this morning about those two tough road losses, and this is what he said:

--When you're an undersized team, you can't afford poor shooting. Teams can sometimes survive cold streaks if they have big guys inside to get the team second shots and to guard the lane. Big guys allow your perimeter defenders to take the sort of risks that keep opponents off balance and keep scores down. But the Terps don't have this luxury.

"You just like to have the versatility of being able to play either way, playing big or playing small," Williams said. He suggested that next year could be different. He's referring at least in part, I assume, to the arrival next season of incoming Jordan Williams, the power forward from Torrington, Conn.

--Williams also said that Landon Milbourne is being asked to play slightly out of position this year. Because of the lack of big men, Milbourne is playing inside defense. That can be tough for Milbourne and the Terps.

"He probably feels he should be playing more of a guard position," Williams said.

The plus side is that Milbourne can match up against bigger, slower guys who can't keep up with him on defense.

I'll have a preview story on the Virginia game later today, and more notes in the morning.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 1:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
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As I hand the Maryland beat back to Jeff Barker, here are some observations based on what I saw over the past week in Florida for how the Terps can be competitive in the ACC this season.

DEVELOP A DEEPER BENCH

Gary Williams doesn’t have many options when it comes to his inside game. Right now, Braxton Dupree is his only sub since Jerome Burney is still injured and Steve Goins is apparently not ready to contribute.

But what about Jin Soo Kim? Those two-minute spurts to give Landon Milbourne a breather are pointless. I don't know if Kim is ready physically, but he has demonstrated a pretty high basketball IQ. If he's a shooter, he needs to be able to get into some sort of rhythm.

As for Maryland's guard rotation, Vasquez and Eric Hayes have no legs left at the end of games. Not only does that contribute to some of the poor shooting, but also to lazy defense getting out on shooters. Sean Mosely needs to be playing more regardless of foul trouble on others, as does Cliff Tucker. Hayes shouldn’t be playing as much as he does.

TAKE BETTER SHOTS

I’m surprised how many open looks Maryland’s guards have been getting given the team’s lack of inside scoring. The Terps have run their halfcourt offense well at times, but their three-point shooting has been atrocious. Maryland is dead last in the ACC in overall shooting and near the bottom in shooting threes.

A lot of it has to do with taking good shots. Vasquez should not have the green light, as he seems to, and he should be yanked the next time he takes a 22-footer with 25 seconds left on the shot clock. The other starters don’t force as many shots, but they seem to panic when time is running down on the shot clock.

PLAYING UNDER CONTROL

Vasquez has done a better job at not forcing as many passes as he did last year; now it’s Adrian Bowie’s turn to play a little smarter. Bowie has come a long way since his freshman season a year ago. But after fouling out for the second straight game, Bowie admitted in the locker room that he needs to cut down on the offensive fouls.

HOLDING SERVE AT HOME

This is a crucial week for Maryland, with the Cavaliers and Eagles coming to College Park. Both teams have struggled in recent weeks – Virginia has lost three of four since winning at Georgia Tech and BC four straight since its upset of then No. 1 North Carolina.

The Terps need to win at least one, or both, or the hot start to their season might go for naught.

(Reporter's Note: I have covered Maryland basketball on and off since the 1985-86 season. It's been an interesting ride, from Lefty Driesell and Lenny Bias through the short-lived Bob Wade era (or was that error?) through Gary Williams' teams with Joe Smith and Keith Boooooth. It's been an interesting ride.)

Posted by Don Markus at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)
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It’s probably not fair to put pressure on Maryland this early in the season, but after losing a pair of heartbreakers on the road at Miami (62-60) and Florida State (76-73 in OT) last week, the next two weeks will go a long way in determining how things could break for the Terps this year.

Except for Saturday’s road game at Duke, a place where Maryland has played well under Gary Williams, three of the next four are at home: Tuesday against Virginia, a week from Tuesday against Boston College and a week from Sunday against Miami.

In the locker room after the overtime loss to the Seminoles, Greivis Vasquez pointed out how the Terps were 3-6 two years ago and won their last seven games to make the NCAA tournament. I seriously doubt Maryland can follow the same path this year, do you?

Posted by Don Markus at 5:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
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Maybe because it happened on the road against another ACC team, but Maryland’s second-half collapse to Miami Wednesday night in Coral Gables didn’t seem as devastating to the Terrapins as losing at home to Morgan State last week.

It will be interesting to see how the Terps react Saturday when they play at Florida State. It took them nearly 30 minutes against Georgia Tech to get their act together after losing to Morgan State.

A year ago, Maryland never recovered from blowing a 20-point lead at home to Clemson, losing at Virginia by 15 in the regular-season finale, then blowing an early 15-point lead to Boston College in the opening round of the ACC tournament.

Do you think it’s going to take the Terps awhile to get over this one, or do you think they’ll beat the Seminoles in Tallahassee?

Posted by Don Markus at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (28)
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It's pretty easy to figure that Gary Williams isn't going to bring up Maryland's lack of success against Miami during any of his pre-game talks leading up to tip-off at BankUnited Center Wednesday night.

Facts are facts: Maryland has yet to beat Miami at home and has only one win against the Hurricanes since they joined the ACC four years ago.

If anything, Williams might point out that the Terps have won against better teams at more difficult places to play -- such as Cameron Indoor Stadium and the Dean Dome -- so a win over the Hurricanes wouldn't be such a big deal.

Maryland could benefit from the fact that it won't be a full house, and might be half-empty, considering that the students are still on break. The Terps have a lot of alums down here and could have a few fans rooting for them.

This two-game Florida swing -- Maryland plays at Florida State on Saturday -- is important since both the 'Canes and the 'Noles are as inconsistent as the Terps. But Maryland will have to play a lot better than it did against Georgia Tech last Saturday at home to have any chance.

A note to Terps fans: I will be subbing for Jeff Barker while he's taking a much-deserved vacation after football season.

Posted by Don Markus at 4:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)
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Maryland media relations says a number of Terps will play in postseason all-star games:

*Offensive linemen Edwin Williams and Jaimie Thomas will participate in the East-West Shrine game on Saturday.

*Linebacker Moise Fokou and defensive lineman Jeremy Navarre will play in the Texas vs. The Nation game on Jan. 31.

*Cornerback Kevin Barnes will attend the Under Armour Senior Bowl on Jan. 24 but won't play while recovering from injury and surgery.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 8:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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These were my thoughts after the Terps missed 26 of 27 three-point shots spanning the Morgan State loss and most of the first half of the Georgia Tech win.

First, Maryland is missing a lot of open looks. As Gary Williams said after the Georgia Tech game, the Terps rotated the ball effectively but missed from beyond the arc. Often they missed badly -- the sort of shot that elicits a spontaneous groan from the home crowd.

Second, the Terps simply aren't that bad. They should be shooting better than they are.

So why was Maryland missing?

I think it's due to pressure and nerves. Look at how many three-point attempts came up long. Good shooting is a delicate process, and pushing a ball deep is often a sign that the shooter isn't calm. These are open shots that the Terps can make when they take the time to set, square up and focus on the rim. I know this sounds rudimentary, but what other conclusion can you draw when you watch miss after miss?

I think Gary Williams can outcoach many of his rivals -- look at how effective the press has been this season. But somehow he's got to get his guys to relax and focus. I think they are particularly prone to nerves in games they are expected to win.

Everything is contagious on a basketball court. Missed shots lead to lost confidence, which leads to more missed shots.

Note: Don Markus will cover Maryland's Florida road trips, and then I'll pick up again with the Virginia game on the Jan. 20.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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It's the yin and the yang, folks.

Gary Williams can be proud that his Terps were strong-willed enough to come back from a 10-point, second-half deficit against Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets have an imposing set of frontcourt players in Alade Aminu and Gani Lawal. Those two combined for 27 rebounds, which was 12 fewer than Maryland's entire team.

But no matter how gritty they are -- in the classic Gary Williams mold -- the Terps will need to play better to stay competitive down the road. That's the sobering piece of this win for Terps fans.

What Maryland has going for it is quickness and defense. The three-point shooting may not always be there, the crisp execution may not be there, but there's always the press. Defensive pressure keyed a 15-2 run on Saturday with Maryland down 50-40. When all else fails, it's Maryland’s relief pitcher.

But fans know that when you have a three-guard offense, you have to shoot better from outside. The press won't be enough against good teams. From the beginning of the Morgan State game until the final minute of Saturday's first half, the Terps missed 26 of 27 three-point shots.

Gary Williams says Maryland may have lost some confidence in its shooting against Morgan State, and he's probably right. He said Saturday's outside shooting was a "hangover" from the previous game.

The weird part is that the Terps executed pretty well in the first half on Saturday, moving the ball to players behind the arc for open shots. They just couldn't make them.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
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Here's something else that Greivis Vasquez said in the locker room after the Georgia Tech win.

He asked rhetorically who was the one who threw the passes that allowed Eric Hayes to hit three-pointers in the second half? And who was the one who penetrated and kicked the ball to Dave Neal for an open look?

Of course, the answer is Greivis himself. And the clear implication is that Greivis feels -- because he heard boos on his home floor -- that he is a bit unappreciated.

Just because he has a bad shooting day doesn't mean he's worthless in a game, Vasquez told me and several other reporters at his locker. He said he makes lots of contributions that don't always get noticed.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
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Did you notice that...

*Nobody could secure the opening tap and the ball was batted around several times? An omen of a sloppy game to come?

*Sean Mosley passed up two open shots early? He's becoming a terrific all-around player but he can be tentative shooting from outside. Gary Williams clearly has a high comfort level with Mosley, though, playing him early and often.

*It was hard to deal with Georgia Tech's big guys when they got inside position. Williams credited Braxton Dupree with playing solid inside defense off the bench.

*A block by Jin Soo Kim with Maryland trailing 42-38 really got the crowd going.

*Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen and offensive coordinator James Franklin both attended the game at the Comcast Center.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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A gritty win today by Maryland in an inartistic game, to say the least.

A sidelight was Greivis Vasquez hearing a smattering of boos in a game in which he shot poorly but made some key passes and finished with 16 points and six assists.

Vasquez yelled a few times in the direction of the student section and told them -- in his own way -- to shut up. I saw him do this after Maryland had taken the lead and the crowd was cheering. The boos were over, but it was as if Vasquez was saying that the fans are of the fair-weather variety.

“I don’t know if they were booing me or booing the other team. It doesn’t bother me. My mind is strong,” Vasquez said. “We’re 12-3. We were 9-5 last year about this time. What the hell are they thinking?

"If they don’t want to believe in us, get the hell out. We don’t need them here. We need the people who are going to support us and be with us,” Vasquez said. “I want to say thank you to the people who were supporting us and believing in us. If you don’t want to support us, get out.”

Posted by Jeff Barker at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (61)
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So why did coach Friedgen hire Massachusetts head man Don Brown?

*He's been a head coach at three schools and so is seen as helping with a range of items affecting Maryland's program.

*Fridge likes his "attack-style" defenses. "I think its going to be a very aggressive thing," Fridge said.

Said Fridge in a prepared statement: "He’s been successful against a lot of the new offenses that we’re seeing, like the spread. He played against Navy and Georgia Southern, so he’s faced a lot of the different styles we see, but he has a little different approach to it.”

*He's 53 and has been around, which means he's made contacts and can be a valuable recruiter. He hasn't yet been assigned a recruiting region yet. He's from Spencer, Mass.

*He must have interviewed well because Fridge didn't know him previously. He was recommended by rival coaches Mickey Matthews of James Madison and Jimmye Laycock of William and Mary.

Note: Alex Wujciak and LaQuan Williams are among the Terps who have had recent surgeries and will miss the spring workouts but are expected back for the fall.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
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Yes, it's true. Maryland has a new defensive coordinator. It's Don Brown, the head coach at the University of Massachusetts. We posted a story on this several hours ago.

Massachusetts made the announcement earlier today -- an action that irritated Maryland's athletic department, which hasn't yet made any announcement itself.

Here's what happened: Coach Friedgen decided recently that he wanted to hire Brown. But Maryland was waiting until the paperwork became official before publicly revealing Brown's name. They're still waiting.

But UMass jumped the gun. Apparently, Massachusetts wanted recruits to know immediately that there was going to be a change at the top.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 2:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Maryland tells me that backup quarterback Josh Portis still hasn't requested a formal release of his scholarship. What he did was request permission to talk to another school -- California University of Pennsylvania.

Requesting his release is a formality, but an important one. Portis needs to be officially released so that he can receive aid at his new school. Maryland is expected to grant him what he wants.

For its part, California University of Pennsylvania says Portis is indeed coming. By the way, Portis is just one class shy -- a Spanish class -- of having enough credits to graduate.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 2:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
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I'll never forget the frustration etched on the face of quarterback Josh Portis when I interviewed him several weeks into the season. He was desperate for more playing time.

"It's frustrating sometimes, you know," said Portis at the time. "God blessed me with a God-given ability. I'm happy for my teammates -- Da'Rel [Scott] is breaking one, Darrius [Heyward-Bey] is breaking one. I haven't broken one yet."

"Oh man, it's just a matter of time," he said. "I'm just ready to explode."

The running quarterback's frustration was shared by his coaches. They said he struggled to master the offense.

"When Portis comes on the field, there are two people that are nervous -- me and the [other team's] defensive coordinator," offensive coordinator James Franklin said.

You might have seen the item in today's Baltimore Sun that Portis is transferring to California University of Pennsylvania. Players had talked about his imminent departure for weeks, but the university didn't confirm he was leaving. Portis told ESPN.com's Heather Dinich, who used to cover the Terps for this newspaper: "I have to move on."

It seemed it all ended for Portis during the North Carolina game, in which he threw a pass that missed an open Darrius Heyward-Bey and later fumbled to begin the fourth quarter. Said Franklin at the time: "You can't make those critical plays. It was clearly a fumble." Asked about Portis missing Heyward-Bey with the long pass, Franklin replied: "That was a touchdown."

You'll recall that Portis began his career at Florida, so Maryland turned out to be just a middle stop in his college career.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)
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Fortunately for the Terps, they don't have to wait long to play again. They shouldn't lack for motivation with their winning streak now history and the ACC schedule finally here.

Of course, it's ridiculously early, but tomorrow's Georgia Tech game is important. For those who look at the schedule and pencil in W's and L's -- yes, this can be a fool's exercise, but I'll play along -- this game really has to be a W. That's because when you have the likes of North Carolina and Duke on the schedule multiple times, your margin for error is reduced when it comes to accumulating enough wins to make the postseason.

Georgia Tech, like Maryland, is in the ACC's vast middle -- a team with some talent but not nearly enough to take anything for granted in a tough conference.

At 9-5, Georgia Tech is clearly vulnerable (losses are to Penn State, Illinois-Chicago, USC, Virginia and Alabama). Weaknesses: three-point field goals (ranked 321st in the nation out of 330 teams) and free-throw percentage (ranked 322nd). On the other hand, Tech's Gani Lawal and Alade Aminu have been strong rebounders, so the Terps will have to be careful not to give up lots of second chances.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Thoughts on Morgan State 66, Maryland 65...

*We knew Maryland was going to have shooting lapses this season. The Terps rely on their inside-out game. When the "out" goes cold, they can be in trouble.

*Maryland also must rely heavily this season on its defense -- not only to keep opponents down, but to create offense by getting steals and transition points. But defense can't always overcome poor shooting. And teams are at least occasionally going to solve Maryland's press.

Bottom line: When you're a limited team in one respect (inside game), your margin for error is reduced in all the other facets of the game.

*The Terps have been susceptible this season to giving up offensive rebounds in bunches.

*This is a tough loss for Maryland because the Terps were so close to making it through their nonconference schedule without a bad loss. It's also tough because Maryland so easily dispatched Morgan State a year ago. The Terrapins won last season's meeting 89-65 in a game in which Eric Hayes had five threes and 19 points. Hayes struggled with his shot last night.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 8:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (44)
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What do you think of Darrius Heyward-Bey's decision to come out a year early for the NFL?

I've said before that I have little doubt about his pro potential. He not only possesses great speed and good size, but he also has an ability to catch the deep ball in traffic.

He made some memorable catches this season. The one that stands out most was against Wake Forest. Chris Turner's pass was tipped before Heyward-Bey secured it falling down for a 41-yard gain. There were a number of plays where Heyward-Bey was running free in the secondary but Maryland couldn't get him the ball.

Are there aspects of his game that need to be developed? Of course. I've heard football experts comment that he should work on his moves after the catch -- cutbacks and the like.

He seemed to disappear for stretches during Maryland's season, catching zero passes against Clemson and Virginia before breaking out with 11 receptions against Wake the next week. Is it that he has problems getting open? Possibly, but I've said before that I think it was more a combination of defenses rolling toward him and the Terps simply not being able to deliver him the ball.

So where does Heyward-Bey's departure leave the Terps? Well, it's not so bad for Maryland.
Torrey Smith and Ronnie Tyler were impressive receivers this season. And there's also Tony Logan and Emani Lee-Odai.

Turner will miss Heyward-Bey as a deep threat, just as he'll miss his favorite third-down possession receiver -- the now-graduated Danny Oquendo.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
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If you're a reporter, you have to love Greivis Vasquez's candor. I remember how frustrated he was after Maryland lost to American last season at Comcast Center.

"It's like a cancer on the team that's beating us and we haven't found the medicine, the cure to beat it. I think our intensity level is pathetic," Vasquez said at the time. "I guess we've got to go to rehab and fix everything because it's killing us right now. We just stink right now. We're just not good."

This season it's a different story. Vasquez is as frank as ever but clearly more content. He likes his hard-working team.

After Saturday's win over Charlotte, Vasquez said: "Every home game, regardless of who we play, we have to win. If we win on Wednesday [against Morgan State] and win eight games in the ACC, we put ourselves in a really good position."

Vasquez also said of freshman teammate Sean Mosley: "I said before the season that I think he's going to be a pro someday.'

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
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I don't mind being critical on this blog when the facts warrant. It's kind of what we do.

But let's give credit where and when it's due. You guys noticed Maryland's free-throw percentage lately? At 79.5 percent, it now ranks second in the nation. UC-Davis is first at 80.9 percent.

You have to go all the way to No. 22 to find the next ACC team on the national list -- Virginia at 74.8 percent.

Last year, Maryland shot 70.3 percent from the line, which was lower than its opponents' percentage of 74.0.

Anybody got theories on how and why the Terps improved?

I'll toss out a few:

* I really liked "Boom" Osby as a person and a player, but his free-throw percentage of 66.5 brought down the team's number last season.

* More important, I believe Maryland's improved conditioning is a factor. Maryland had a penchant for fading late in halves last season. Fatigue can really mess up a foul shot.

More than one Terp has stepped it up. Greivis Vasquez, 78.2 percent last season, is up to 92.5. Landon Milbourne, 79.5 last season, is at 82.5. Eric Hayes was at 85.2 percent last season and is at 95.5.

This will obviously be important in close games during the ACC schedule.

I've got a little time off, so Kevin Van Valkenburg will cover for me at the Morgan State game.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
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Interesting to hear Gary Williams appeal for more national respect for his team. He made the pitch after Saturday's Charlotte game -- not in response to a reporter's question, but on his own.

Said the coach: “At 11-2 hopefully we get some national recognition. If you look at the polls I think we have as good a wins as a lot of these teams that are in the lower part of the polls. And hopefully somebody will take notice of that.”

Many coaches say they ignore the polls. I remember Ralph Friedgen saying during the football season that the only poll that mattered was the one after the final game.

But Gary tends to say what's on his mind. And he clearly believes his undersized but hard-working group merits some more national respect.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (20)
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Did you notice that...

*Maryland, normally quick to rotate its perimeter defense, was slow to the ball beyond the arc in the first half as Charlotte made seven threes. The Terps picked it up in the second half.

*Maryland’s lack of size was evident whenever 6-10 junior Phil Jones was on the floor for Charlotte. Jones, whose career high is 13 points, did little damage, though.

*This game was the reverse of the Maryland-Charlotte contest a year ago. In that one, the Terps took a 21-point lead and then had to hold on. Yesterday, it was the 49ers taking an 11-point lead.

*Charlotte's RaShad Coleman had a little war going with the Maryland fans. It began after Coleman missed everything on a foul shot. The crowd began chanting "air ball!" every time he touched the ball. Mosley put his finger to his lips after a later field goal as if to quiet the crowd.

*Charlotte's Charles Dewhurst landed awkwardly on his knee on a successful drive to make it 49-49. He returned on crutches. Later, Charlotte's Charlie Coley went high for an offensive board and landed hard on his back. This was a rugged game.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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It might be misleading to call the Charlotte game a "breakout" effort for freshman Sean Mosley. That's because you get the sense he'll be having many more games like this one.

The freshman from St. Frances filled the stat sheet -- 11 points, 2-for-2 on threes, five rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes. Now we know why Gary Williams likes this kid so much. It's the work ethic.

His teammates say Mosley is a killer in practice, crashing the boards and playing rugged defense. He plays big for 6 feet 4.

As he iced his ankle after the game, Mosley wore a satisfied look. He knew this was his most complete game. He felt a little like he did in high school when he could control games. "I always rebounded and played defense. Defense brings me into the flow of the offense," he said.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
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It helps Gary Williams that Maryland only beat Charlotte 76-72 last season (in Charlotte). The closeness of that score will help motivate the Terps for today's game. Charlotte has four starters back. The 49ers came within one point (71-70) of beating Clemson on Nov. 22.

Of course, this year's Terps seem far less susceptible than last season's to the sorts of letdowns that can cost games. This year's team senses that it's not good enough to win without playing hard.

The evidence of Maryland's improved attitude is defense. Defense is more about effort than anything else, and Maryland has held its last five opponents under 60 points.

There's more on defense -- and how it's tied to conditioning -- in today's story previewing the game.

Here's my favorite Gary Williams quote from the story. "Conditioning always shows up on the defensive end,” Williams said. “Somehow players seem to find energy to shoot the ball.”

Posted by Jeff Barker at 8:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Can't help but be impressed with Maryland's defense so far. "Shooting is going to come and go, but if you play defense you'll always be in the game," said guard Adrian Bowie.

I wrote a story for today about Maryland's improved conditioning which, I think, has helped with their press and overall defense.

The Terps are yielding lots of benefits from conditioning. They're putting more pressure on the ball, for one. "If you put good pressure on the ball, it's not easy to find open guys inside," coach Gary Williams said.

Maryland also seems to have more energy for rotating to spots left vacant by double-teams.

Of course, Maryland's press won't be able to control games in the ACC the way it has in portions of the non-conference schedule. The ACC teams will certainly handle the pressure better.

But the Terps are hoping their press will at least tire out their ACC foes. Fatigue down the stretch can lead to turnovers and missed foul shots.

Entering this afternoon’s game against Charlotte (5-6), the Terrapins (10-2) ranked second in the ACC in scoring defense at 60.5 points per game and were holding opponents to 39 percent shooting – including 28 percent on three-point attempts.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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I'm ready for roundball. We'll have a Maryland-Charlotte game preview story and some blog thoughts about the hoops team a bit later in the day. Belated happy new year, sports fans.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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With Virginia Tech's Orange Bowl victory, Atlantic Coast Conference teams were 4-6 in bowl games, breaking an eight-game conference losing streak in BCS bowl games. Is that about what you expected?

Biggest disappointment: Georgia Tech getting thumped 38-3 by LSU, and in an Atlanta-based bowl no less. I had thought Paul Johnson's group was better than that.

Most exciting game: West Virginia 31, North Carolina 30. There were a bevy of big-time offensive plays in this one. Would have been fun to see Terps-Mountaineers, though.

Obviously it wasn't a banner year for the ACC. But I think there are some positive signs for the conference in the future -- notably freshman quarterbacks Russell Wilson of N.C. State and Jacory Harris of Miami. North Carolina is a team on the rise, Florida State finished strong and ended with nine wins, and Virginia Tech had another good year.

Footnote: Will be fun to see if Maryland can again shut down talented Cal running back Jahvid Best next season. Best had 186 yards in Cal's Emerald Bowl win over Miami. Maryland will travel to Cal early in the '09 season.

Posted by Jeff Barker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Terps football