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    2009-10 Maryland Terrapins Basketball Preview, Part I

    Gary Williams on the court during the Maryland...
    Image via Wikipedia

    I started this blog the year I graduated from Maryland’s Smith School of Business in 2004.  I believe my “season preview” post for that 04-05 season predicted an Elite 8 appearance as the Terps were poised to build off their improbable run in the 2004 ACC Tournament.  John Gilchrist looked like he was headed for the NBA Lottery and all signs pointed to the Terps remaining in the upper echelon of college basketball.

    What a dismal five years it has been in retrospect.  In fact, I’m starting to think that Turtle Soup is bad luck.

    If only it were that simple! In fact, the Terps problems were easy to pinpoint. We’ve all learned that a successful program must prepare for success.  It doesn’t just magically appear.  The great John Wooden said it best, “failing to prepare is preparing to fail” Gary Williams has learned his lessons better than anyone.

    Fans and alumni have been heartened by Gary’s rededication to recruiting.  Many of us (including myself) now see a path back to sustained success thanks to these efforts.

    It started last year with the addition of Sean Mosley, a four-star recruit from Baltimore.  It continues this year as Gary and the Terps welcome two four-star recruits, Jordan Williams and James Padgett. Next year looks even better; but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

    Padgett and Williams will be immediately called upon to plug the holes in the frontcourt.  Their progression throughout the season is the most crucial component to the Terps success.

    But before I get into my analysis of the team player by player; let’s take a look at the schedule.  I’m going to break down the schedule and try to make some predictions about the upcoming season.  Now, before you scoff at my attempt to predict the future; one need only look at the last paragraph I penned in last season’s preview:

    According to my count, the Terps will finish the season 22-8 (10-6) in the regular season. That’s good enough for a #3 seed in the conference and a #5 seed in the Big Dance. Yes, in perhaps his greatest coaching job ever, Gary Williams gets it done and proves the doubters wrong.

    Ok, so I was way off on the conference and regular season win totals; but look at that last sentence!  It was like I had a crystal ball!  Who could look back at last season and not agree that Gary Williams pulled off a sublime performance? (which begs the question, what on earth was I smoking to think that the Terps were winning 10 ACC games last year?)

    Now, that I’ve simultaneously built up and destroyed my credibility; I give you my annual stab at predicting the record for the upcoming season:

    Easy Wins aka Cupcakes aka Teams that if we lose to will cause me to put a hole through my flatscreen TV

    (Note: I realize that we have lost to cupcakes in each of the last two years so my flatscreen is not feeling safe right now)

    - Indiana U of PA (DII)

    - Charleston Southern

    - Fairfield

    - New Hampshire

    - Chaminade (DII)

    - Eastern Ky

    - Winston Salem State

    - Florida Atlantic

    - William and Mary

    - UNC Greensboro

    - Longwood (??)

    By my count that is 10 easy wins, two of which don’t count in the eyes of the Tournament committee because they are against DII schools (note: I can’t tell if the IUP game is an exhibition or not. Either way it doesn’t matter I guess.). Let’s call it 8 wins and let’s move on.

    Tough Non-Conference Games

    - Cinncinnati/Vanderbilt (Born Ready Alert!)

    - Maui Classic third round game (opponent TBD)

    - Indiana University (of Indiana)

    - Villanova

    Considering the fact that Jordan Williams has already predicted that MD will win the Maui Classic, who am I to argue?  Nevermind the fact that I can’t recall the Terps ever winning a preseason tournament.  I’m giving Jordan and the Terps the benefit of the doubt.  The field in Maui is pretty weak (Wisconsin, Gonzaga, Colorado, and Arizona are possible opponents) and none of those teams have the senior leadership that Maryland boasts.

    As for the other two games; I think we win one of them.  IU is on the road but coming off a horrendous season.  Nova is a top 5 team, but the game is in DC.  The final tally is that Maryland comes away with three “quality” non-conference wins out of four.

    Before we head into the ACC season, our Terps should be 11-1 (12-1 counting Chaminade and 13-1 counting IUP).

    ACC Schedule

    My quick primer on the ACC is as follows:  Duke is down and wildly overrated, UNC is good but reloading, Ga Tech is a sexy pick, FSU will be tough and so will Clemson.  BC, UVA, VaTech, NC State, and Miami will suck as usual and Wake is rebuilding.

    Home Games:

    - FSU

    - NC State

    - Miami

    - UNC

    - UVA

    - Ga Tech

    - Clemson

    - Duke

    I see Maryland struggling against UNC, Ga Tech, FSU, and, Clemson (I’m telling Duke is going to be bad). That said, we should win our home games and I think we can ome away with a 6-2 home record. For those keeping score; that’s 17 wins so far.

    Road Games:

    - at BC

    - at Clemson

    - at FSU

    - at Wake

    - at Duke

    - at NC State

    - at Va Tech

    - at UVA

    Road games in the ACC are nearly impossible to predict; but I look at the schedule and see 4 wins. I think Va Tech, UVA, and NC State are winnable and we should be able to pull out one more on this list.  Based on my calculations; I’ve got the Terps coming in with 21 wins, and 7 losses.

    I’m about to set a record for longest post ever; so I’ll leave it at that for now.  Let the dissection begin.

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    Author: Jeremy |October 21st, 2009 | Tags: , , , | 118 comments

    • Ricksterps
      http://everythinglubbock.com/content/video/?cid...

      I know Wheels has mention Leach as a possible successor to Ralph. This guy is such a departure from RF (maybe not a bad thing) it's not even funny. Check out this link to him referring to his player's "fat little girlfriends" about 10 times. I don't think he was real happy with the beat down they took this past weekend.
    • Wheels
      Leach has been trying to get out of Lubbock almost since he got there. He's a strange dude, to be sure. Just imagine that offense in College Park. Do you think Derrick Williams (or the Hayden brothers...or Lamaar Thomas...or fill in the blank) would have left the area if he knew the ball was going to be in the 50 times a game? Yeah, Leach doesn't seem to send QBs to the pros or get to BCS bowls or win the Big 12...but it's tougher to do that from the Big 12 south than the ACC Atlantic (or whatever shit division they call it) would be, no?

      Leach...a lapsed Mormon lawyer who has an infatuation with pirates and cuss words...just imagine how awesome...what a freak show... it'd be in College Park. He'd win 8 or 9 games a year. And people in DC and on ESPN would pay attention....just like people pay attention to Lubbock, TX now because of him.

      That's it...I need to start a "hireMikeLeachinCP.com" site. I'm more fired up about this now, Rick! Get me Kevin Plank on the phone...
    • Ricksterps
      First poll of the season just came out and we are barely outside the top 25 at 26. Not bad at all. If we take care of business we could very well be in the top 25 for the better part of the season.

      When you start the season barely getting any votes it is an uphill climb to get in the top 25 for the season.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Ricksterps is referring to the ESPN Poll http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankings?pollId=2
    • eddienj
      Walt certainly had less talent around him. Without him we would've barely won a game. But GV's importance can't be underrated. Let's imagine he stayed in the NBA draft. What would this season look like? I shudder to think.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      If Greivis had entered the draft I think we may have been Born Ready for one season.
    • DiamondbackRuss
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Tobias Harris at the Lebron james Skills Academy

      http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4596075
    • okaybowler
      Is that where you learn how to travel and never get called?
    • idkwid
      i don't think he will even require much shaping, i think he is a star wherever he goes. Ifn there is to be any shaping for him at MD, it will be to play relentless defense and play a team game.
    • nmprisons
      With T. Harris coming on the 13th, I hope that we can put on quite a show for him. There is some talk over at Testudo regarding making some shirts, etc.

      It would be an amazing class if we could land him. He seems like just the kind of player who Gary could shape into a real star.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Shirts, signs, chanting a recruits name, making a life sized stand up of a player in the school's uniform and taping a recruits head onto it...all these things show love for the recruit and all, but they're pretty much in the gray area of secondary violations. It's happened this year at Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and West Virginia to name a few. So far no action that I know of has been taken by the NCAA's but if Maryland students were to do it the NCAA would probably hit us with a near death penalty just to prove a point and discourage others LOL
    • grayson
      BB can't start soon enough. I can't wait!
    • Ricksterps
      Walt Williams is up there and he played on very poor teams. However, I would argue that GV is no WW. WW had NO talent around him at all.

      I think how well the team does goes into the equation but it's not the deciding factor. Gary loves him so he is going up unless he is caught with a dead girl or a live boy.

      My only point with GV is we are forgetting his first year or two. He was a TO machine that cost us dearly at times. Last year his cocoon hatched and he was THE reason for our successful season.

      He will have a great year and any discussion will be rendered mute.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Yeah, but Walt helped Gary save the program.
    • jonbruns
      I agree Russ. The two Williams' save the Terps program. Walt stayed with the team, and got us pub, when we basically got the death penalty. Not to mention he was incredible. Probably my favorite Terp ever.
    • idkwid
      how bad would we be without GV. Many times, when he was not in the game, Md looked utterly lost. One of our big problems, and we need to work on it this year, is how to play without him.
    • talaya7
      Maybe it depends on the school. If the hypothetical was at the GW, AU, or Temple, I'd be quicker to add that student-athlete to the all-time honor roll quicker than if school were Maryland, Kentucky or UNC.
    • idkwid
      Maryland is not Kentucky or UNC, but i have dreams!
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Supposedly CJ Leslie will be in Lexington in time to attend the Blue White Scrimmage tonight.
    • GERRY
      Talaya7 - Hypothetical example follows:

      Jim Hoopster gets a 4 year scholly to UMD. During that 4 years he Leads the team in
      scoring every year, and is in the top 2-3 in rebounding, assists and FT percentage.
      Team has one year in which they take 3rd Place in ACC tournery and losed in NCAA lst round. the remaining 3 years they have respectable records 18, 17 and 19 wins.

      The guy did what everyone wanted him to do but the team peformed admirably at best.

      Not trying to redefine the requirments for Jersey in rafters but reluctant to have it rest
      on.....how the team does.

      Don't need to carry this much further, unless others want to chime in, but it interesting chat. Thanks
    • idkwid
      Its not his fault he plays with big men who can't catch a pass andwho bounce their dunks off the rim!
    • talaya7
      Gerry - I respect GV's contributions during some down years, too. To me, however, I think what the team achieves is as important as individual statistics. Based on the team's performance the last 3 years, putting GV's jersey alongside Elmore, Bias and Dixon would be "grade inflation." If the Terps have a mediocre year, I'd be against it. If this year's team excels, however, I'll make the case with you!
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Wow...just wow. North Carolina State lost a scrimmage to Richmond by 8 points. Or so I'm told. It's only a scrimmage but wow. Yet, Sidney Lowe still gets good recruits.

      Must be the red blazer.
    • DiamondbackRuss
    • GERRY
      Talaya7 - Thanks. GV would have to have a mediocre year to not have his jersey in the rafters. He's meant that much to this team "throughout" a 4 years span. What other Terp (s) have lead the team in Points, Assists and Rebounds in the same year as GV has done?

      That's going to be tough to improve upon with the way we stack up this year. If he can
      garner one of those 3 and 2nd's in the others.....Look in the rafters.

      He's meant that much to this program.

      Lots of players before GV's arrival have had a great year or two. There's not a large crowd of past terp greats that can match both his performance, production and net worth to the program. I sincerely hope we make a lot of noise in the ACC and the ACC
      CHampionship. And, we should get to the NCAA Sweet 16 and beyond.

      Not certain how critical those are to GV's jersey getting in the rafters. I 20+ win season should seal it.

      P.S. Help !Need some Tech advice on this one. Hesitant to ask this but why are my comments being marked as an "unregistered guest"? Did I miss something along the way during all
      the revisions?
    • idkwid
      LOL!!

      How can you be so wrong on bb and so right on fb ????!!!!!!
    • Wheels
      I'm not sure if anyone saw this about Ralph using 10 true freshman this season:

      http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/...

      But it raises some interesting distinctions between college football and basketball that I think go beyond the notion that football requires the extra year of bulking up compared to basketball (hello Kevin Durant!). It goes to the heart of the NFL age limit. We rarely see incoming basketball freshman redshirt because the supply-demand forces of the NBA basically ends the practice of redshirting. However, since the NFL has placed their barrier of entry at least a year later, coaches and players feel that it is in everyone's best interest to redshirt the freshman year. The NBA age barrier does the opposite, encouraging players to enter a post-grad year or complete one year of college ball before moving on. The NFL is a case where artificial economic barriers likely improve the quality of both college and professional sports; whereas the lame NBA age barrier has actually caused a watering down of both sports. I find that a bit fascinating.

      Back to the Team that Jeremy Shall Not Speak, playing 10 true freshman (mostly on D) means that Ralph is going to have a massive senior class in 3 years. He's essentially jamming two classes together (redshirt freshman this year plus the 10 true freshman). This is a recipe for disaster in 4 years...again. I know he needs these kids now, but he is taking short term expedience for long term strategy. Given that this team likely won't win another game this year, he's blowing redshirt years on a losing horse. He also probably won't be here in 4 years due to his age alone.

      In 3 years, MD will probably win 8 or 9 games with a senior laden team (like last year). Ralph will retire (isn't that when his contract ends anyway?) and leave the next coach with little room for error, at least on the experience side of things (like this year). If you're USC, you can get away with playing true freshman whenever you want because you replace them with equal or greater talent in the next recruiting class. MD, nor anyone else in the ACC, can afford that luxury. From a macro strategic perspective, Ralph is trying to win now to the detriment of the program 4 years from now. The hole gets deeper with every redshirt he burns. His off recruiting cycle for OL factored huge into this year's mess, and now he's creating another off recruiting cycle again...this time on D.
    • Ricksterps
      These rebuilding years are acceptable when they are preceded by top 25 teams going to really good bowls. When they are preceded by trips to the Humanitarian Bowl you've got issues.

      Ralph is playing with fire here. If he comes back the next two seasons, he better put some good teams on the field.

      This is his 9th season. He finished in the top 25 his first three seasons and none since. I know Wheels hates hearing this but a lot of that was done with Vanderlinden's recruits. I give him credit for getting those kids to fulfill their potential but he hasn't been able to get his own recruits to that level. Not even close.

      The point is this isn't the same as Gary. Gary had a prolonged period of success culminating in a national championship. He then struggled but even then he was always in the running for a tourney bid at the end. He never had a total implosion season like we are experiencing this year.

      If Fridge stays on through next year and we don't make a good bowl again, his 11 years will not leave any great legacy. Especially if he leaves us with the same level of program we had before he got here.
    • 8-8? Come on Wheels. This team should've been 8-8 LAST YEAR in a tough ACC with less experience and talent. 10 conference wins is the bottom. I'm Bullish on the Terps. Real Bullish...
    • Wheels
      Maybe it's an ego protection move on my part to think 8-8 sounds right, but after the battered-spouse/fan syndrome I've felt for at least the last 5 seasons, I'm trying to lower my expectations. For me, a solid 8-8 and 20 wins sounds very bullish to me!
    • I get being gunshy but we lost one player right? Dave Neal. Guy played his heart out and made some big shots. But we are talking about 8.5 points and 4.3 boards. That's it. Plus everyone a year older and a down ACC. Be bold. Be more bullish!
    • DiamondbackRuss
      I wouldn't say the ACC is down. Both Duke and UNC are preseason top 10 picks. Ga Tech has alot of talent so does Wake. And BC will be good.
    • Duke without Hendeson and Williams will be worse than they were last year. UNC without everyone will be worse. Wake lost players and (shhh don't tell anyone, has a crappy crappy totally out of his league coach). BC could be better than they were last year and GT will be better.

      I'm not saying all these teams are terrible and I'm not saying the Terps will be ACC champs. That said if you look around the league lots of teams have lots of question marks and one team basically has none, that's the Terps. I think a solid over under bid (and this is because the Terps never get any love, even from their own gunshy fans) is 9 ACC wins. And I would take the over.

      Speaking of gambling if you want to make some easy money over the next 30 days bet the Wizards vs. the spread each and every night. Wizards without Jamison coming off a crappy year will be constantly underrated and probably beat the spread 10-12 times out of the 15 games he is expected to miss. Last night they were 8 point dogs at Dallas (without Josh Howard!) and won by 10 and were up 8 to 10 from mid second quarter on. Next investment opportunity Friday vs the Hawks.
    • talaya7
      Gerry - GV's had the best career since Blake, but he has not distinguished himself to the level of the all time greats.....yet. For GV's jersey to go in the rafters, the Terps would have to have a BIG season......like ACC championship or final 4 big.

      Chris - I'd be happy if Mosely exploded onto the scene as a scorrer this year, but I'm not seeing that happen. I see him more like Byron Mouton. Besides garbage minutes, I've never actually seen Goins play. My hopes for him this season is based on his situation: (1) he's a city kid, (2) he's a late bloomer, (3) he's been surrounded by overachievers (Neal, Dino, GV, Blake, AB) with high work-ethics, (4) he's got a coach with a history of developing big men, (5) he's seeing 2 incomming Frosh to challenge him further. I'm speculating that it's a formula for a suprise. I can't wait for the season to find out.

      Wheels - UNC and dook are not looking like #1 seeds at this point. In fact, no one in the ACC is looking like a #1. Miami, FST, BC, WF and Clemson also are replacing lots of production. It's a down year for the ACC. It's possible for a dark horse - maybe a team picked to finish 5th - to actually win it.
    • Wheels
      Maybe I'm out in left field on this, but I think the ACC will be down this year. My reasoning? Dook being picked (along with UNC) as the favorite to win the conference. Dook has an unathletic backcourt that has little depth. Their incoming freshman guard will either start or see significant playing time. That's not a good sign for them. Their backcourt is young and not deep at all. Can you say foul trouble? Even with Singler, who on that team scares you? They might play well at home, but at last count, they will have 8 ACC road games to play. For as much as many of us (including myself) have dinged Gary for the drop-off in performance since the NCAA title, how in the world is there not more of a national clamor about Dook?

      UNC is also very young, but they at least return a core group of experienced (yet maybe not starter quality) players (hello Mr. Ginyard). I likened this year's GT team as last year's Wake team, which means that I won't be surprised to see them attain a lofty midseason ranking and then fall totally apart. I think Clemson is a real dark horse contender. If they can get out of their own head, they might win the ACC.

      So, where does this leave MD? I'm going to set my own expectations at 8-8 in the ACC with a 20 win regular season. They're going to lose games they shouldn't lose. After the last several years, I'd rather err on the conservative side of things with this program.
    • Ricksterps
      DBR,
      What does your gut say about our chances with Tobias?

      I have a feeling he is coming to UMD. I think he will look at us as his best option to get PT and exposure while also winning games.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      I'm hoping he'll commit to the Terps, but I'm not expecting him to ever wear a Maryland uniform.

      I talk to alot of people in Knoxville and they're extremely confident that Tobias will be Vol. They practically talk about it as if it's already a done deal.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Late last night I got an email from my best Tobias Harris source and he says that right now Tobias is as open as ever on his final choices. Says he has good choices and the leader seems to change every day. He also says that he knows Tennessee moved up after their visit and Syracuse did well too. He also thinks Louisville and Ga. Tech are long shots.

      I'm thinking there could be more reshuffling after Harris visits Louisville, UMD and Ga Tech. All we can do is hope and wait for now.
    • idkwid
    • Ricksterps
      "It's not about me. It's about the whole team," he said. "If we win games, my name's going to be there."

      If GV remembers this all season we will be a damn good team.
    • It should be fun watching Gary doing his thing, the players develop, stepping up to the challenges. Can't wait for the season to start.
    • idkwid
      Yes, GW has more options, weapons, flexibility, experience, strength, and stamina with this group. Most ACC teams this year are losing those attributes from last year, Maryland is one of the few teams gaining them
    • GERRY
      Lots of plaudits coming GV's way and deservedly so. He should have a superb year. He's
      surrounded by a great staff, a HOF coach, and guys he's been playing with for 4 or more years. So what's to be concerned about?

      First, I really believe he's a total team player and that he's more diversified than most others on the team.
      Second, he truly is a Terrapin, loves U of MD and would take a bullet for GW or at least an arrow.
      And, you know where I stand i.e, he doesn't have much to prove to us. He's the leader until someone takes it away.

      So what's to be concerned about?

      He 's human, he's hungry and most certainly wants to be a high top 10 NBA pick. Against that backdrop, a tendency to play for the NBA scouts instead of MD. could possibly creep into his game at times, perhaps even the wrong times. Sure, that's what "one and done" guys do and he's certainly not one of them.

      Look at the confluence he's facing. His jersey in rhe rafters. Memorialized thereafter. A lst round NBA pick. He should be a lock on those.

      I also believe he wants an ACC and National Championship. It's going to boil down to whether he can maintain focus on the "at hand" challenges rather than the "fotunes" coming his way".

      He's sure to be one of the most celebrated Terps in a long time. Again, he deserves it and just needs to handle it.

      It's going to be an exciting ride.

      What say you?
    • Chrs0049
      The real dagger of a rule change is the "zero tolerance" on "excessive celebration": http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/a...

      No doubt that costs as at least one game this season, either someone getting kicked out of a game or getting a T at a bad time. Typical NCAA - make sure the players (who aren't getting paid and shouldn't have to act like professionals all the time) have no fun on the court then turn your back to them in regards to recruiting off it.

      Talaya - I'm expecting BIG things from Mosley this season (like 3rd leading scorer big). I would hope 10 + is easy. Also, I'm not sure if Goins is going to be giving us 10 min a game, or needs to. The way I break down the 5 is Gregory getting 20; Padge getting around 15 (sharing time at the 4) and Williams getting 10 to start.
    • idkwid
      for Goins, I see some clean up duty on blowouts, and some judicious use if the big guys get in foul trouble. Maybe in for the last 2 minutes of the first half. Every minute Goins is in, one these eight talented guys is NOT -GV,LM,DG,JP,JW,EH,SM, or AB, even JSC, all of them have more talent and experience. GW will play a better player out of position, than put in a marginal player for extended lengths, in most situation. I know, I know, Mike Grinnon, in that one game!
    • Ricksterps
      I hear ya Talaya. The one that really burns me is when the offensive player gives a head fake and the defensive player leaves his feet. The O player then jumps forward into the D player, throwing the ball up for a foul.

      Fouls are suppose to be called when an advantage is gained. It's not suppose to be an offensive strategy to score.
    • talaya7
      It's exactly because coach K teches his players to fall down that we need the rule in the first place. Now we wants a 'no-flop' zone painted on the court?

      I have an alternative suggestion. Instead of teaching his kids how to manipulate the rules, he should teach them to play the game on their feet - like Mr. Naismith intended!
    • Ricksterps
      http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/...

      I'm sure we are all shocked, SHOCKED, that Coach K doesn't like the new change to blocking calls.

      In all seriousness I will have to agree with him. If you want to put this rule in you need the lines on the court, way too objective otherwise.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      The #1 ranked Terps won the ACC Field Hockey regular season title.
    • talaya7
      Thanks, Chris, for the most excellent scrimmage reporting!

      1. With Burney gone and Dino being foul-prone, it's good hear that Goins is making strides. I'm counting on him for 10 strong minutes a game.

      2. It's also good to hear that Mosely is playing with confidence. I'd rather if he did not take any 3's, however. He's a wide-body, too, and plays more effectively in the paint. If he just hits his lay-ups he'll score 10 a game.

      3. Tucker, on the other hand, is a legitimate 3-point threat. If - big if - he becomes a consistent scorer good things will follow.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      I hope Cliff's mind is in the right place this season. He gives us depth because he can play SG or SF. Plus the kid can shoot from the perimeter and isn't afraid to slash inside and draw contact. He was a four-star recruit, so it's not unreasonable to expect some consistency from him this season. He showed flashes of his talent against the eventual National Champs so he knows he can get it done at this level.
    • Ricksterps
      Is UMD a basketball school? Yes. I am more of a UMD hoops fan than football but I still follow my football team.

      There was a lot of discussion earlier this year and now that we suck, no one wants to talk about it. I won't ell you what other school that sounds like...

      On BB news, we were picked fifth by the ACC writers today. GV was preseason first team all-ACC and he finished second behind Singler for preseason player of the year. GV is going to have to be all world to beat out Singler.

      http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ar...
    • DiamondbackRuss
      According to Gary, Greivis received the highest number of votes for the all-ACC first team. Gary also says the team has lots to work on before the November 3rd exhibition.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      A Tobias Harris work out video that he Tweeted about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaiJg6nWC8g

      Also, Harris tweeted the following: "if you dident know @kendallmarshall been commited to unc since 3rd grade ...."

      Its been a long time since Prisbell or whoever brought up that whole crap about the Marshall's complaining about how Gary didn't recruit their son. As I said way back then they were just looking for "cover" with the locals. Kendall was never going anywhere but UNC.
    • idkwid
      Iz this gi academical eligable?
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Huh?
    • Can we please return to MD basketball? It's a happier subject. It will be fun watching this team grow together this year. One thing you have to say about these seniors is that hey have been focused, worked hard, and set good examples for the rest of the team, even when they were underclassmen.
    • Wheels
      Can we save this post for posterity? Not to pick on Mike's post, because it pretty much summarized the general feeling of the MD faithful. I'd like to save it because the first unexpected loss of the hoops season will usher in the howling. And this team will lose an unexpected game. After all, Jeremy has set expectations for W-Ls this coming season based on....?
    • eddienj
      I will say it again.

      28-0, 16-0

      I GUARANTEE IT.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Hopefully UMD can avoid the dreaded RPI busting loss that we've had the past few seasons (Morgan State, Ohio, AU etc).

      Terps picked to finish 5th in ACC per Balto Sun
      http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/bal-ac...
    • Ricksterps
      You really think we are worse than Syracuse? Ouch...
    • Wheels
      If the game was played up in the Carrier Dome, Syracuse would hang 50 on MD. If the game was at Byrd, maybe MD would win 13-10 or something like that. Out of the 120 D1 teams, MD is maybe better than 20. Maybe. I bet this team has 20 players drafted over the next 4 years. It's mind boggling how bad they are. Imagine if Randy Edsall at UConn coached this team or Jim Grobe...or Paul Johnson. Does anyone here think MD would staring at a 2-10 season if any of those people coached this team? They can't even figure out how to get the ball to Torrey Smith. They can't even formation a way to it. Look at how Notre Dame finds a way to get Golden Tate the ball. Not our guys, though. Nothing in the slot, nothing out of the backfield, nothing deep, nothing crossing...not even 5 yard hooks just to get him in space and in the groove of the game. We saw it with DHB last year. Now that teams won't even kickoff to Smith, he basically gets removed from the game; and the coaches can't figure out a way to get him the ball. The funny thing is that MD has so many weapons at the WR spot that I am amazed that other teams can even rotate a safety over to him at all without getting burned. Maybe it's because MD doesn't have a legit TE this year. Or maybe it goes back to Turner and him getting battered and assaulted every game. I don't know where Ralph lost his edge. Maybe he can get it back. I hope he can. I worry that they won't be able to shake this culture.

      Sigh....back to hoops talk.
    • Wheels
      This is the bottom for MD's football team. A loss to Dook. That's bad. Okay, so out of the 6 BCS conferences, I'd say that MD is better than only 1 team right now: Washington State. If MD could play the worst teams in every BCS conference, Wazzu is the only one that I think MD would be a favorite to beat. Every other bottom BCS feeder is better...I State, Colorado, Syracuse, Louisville, UCLA, Illinois, Indiana, Vandy...they're all better than MD. It comes down to coaching (and Ron Zook might be the worst coach in the BCS...and they'd probably beat MD, too). When you see a team with the measurables of MD lose the way they lose, and then you see a team like UConn consistently win games and hang tough in losses, you really see just how poorly this MD team is coached.


      Now, when you look at non-BCS schools, MD would be lucky to finish 5th in the MWC behind TCU, BYU, Utah, and Air Force. They'd probably finish in the top 3 of the WAC and in the Sun Belt. Right now, they'd struggle in CUSA. I mean...this is bad. They won't win another game the rest of the way in.
    • Ricksterps
      The football team is having a much worse season than the BB did last year. How many articles have been written about the program being in free-fall? Fans and the media just don't see our football program as anything other than a diversion until BB season starts.

      Ralph was on his way to changing that a few years back but he has lost most of that ground since.
    • Harry
      Trying to find some solace in the team not be named loss yesterday, I looked up some stats of the coaches prior to Ralph during the 15 year "Wasteland" period. Starting from Ross's last year 1986, where he went 5-5-1, to Vandy's last year 2000 5-6. Team was combined 55-98 over that period, with 2 winning seasons at 6-5 and one bowl game (1990 Independence under Krivak).
      Ralph is 8+ years is at 66-42, with 6 bowl games in what will be 9 years.
      His last 5 years he is 35-34, which is .510% winning percentage. Since 1900, UM has a .520% winning percentage.

      So I guess my conclusion is I feel better about where we are today compared to the '80's and 90's. However, statistically in history Maryland is a barely over .500 football program and the last 5 years Ralph is reverting to the mean.
    • eddienj
      Thank you for the scrimmage info! Great stuff. Padgett played good competition in HS so guys from strong HS programs usually adapt to the college game faster. Williams could be special though. I'm thinking Lonnie, who didn't get his chance until Ekezie got hurt towards the end of freshman year. Then he exploded as a soph. If Milbourne and Mosley turn out to be studs this season (as many are reporting and predicting) it could be a special season. A really special one.
    • I applaud everyone for keeping the focus on basketball. We all know there was a game down in Duke today that was played by a team that shall not be named for the rest of 2009.

      Great feedback on the scrimmage. It sounds like Padgett may wind up starting by season's end.

      November is such a big month. Between the start of the season and Tobias picking a school; a lot hangs in the balance for the program.
    • GERRY
      Thanks guys especially Chrs. It's contributions like these that make the Soup.....the best.
    • Ricksterps
      Thanks for the info Chris, good stuff. Gary had stated that Bowie was much improved from the 3 pt line and thought he would be a big contributor from there. Good to see something that backs that up.

      If Mosley can get that outside shot to fall he will be an impact player this season for sure.

      We lost to Duke in football and no one cares. That is much worse than losing and everyone going ballistic. Not good days for the UMD football program.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Oh I care, that we lost another FB game. Particularly to Duke...I don't think Vanderlin managed to pull off a loss to Duke.

      This season is in shambles and I'm not too sure there's another "W" on the schedule. But as I said before the season, this isn't the Duke of old...Coach Cutcliffe is changing things down there. Figures that Duke would improve right about the time they pop back up on our schedule.
    • Chrs0049
      Who cares about Football - went to the scrimmage today, here's my thoughts

      gured I'd share my thoughts here. IIRC Teams were something as follows

      Quarters 1 & 2

      Red ???
      Milbourne
      Vasquez
      Williams
      Bowie
      ???

      Black???
      Mosley
      Hayes
      Gregory
      Tucker
      Padgett


      Quarters 3 & 4

      Red
      Milbourne
      Tucker
      Mosley
      Williams
      Goins
      Bowie

      Black
      Vasquez
      Hayes
      Gregory
      Padgett
      Kim

      Padgett - Workhorse. Looked a little hesitant/ quiet in the 1st quarter. Played with more confidence as the game went on. Strong. Gave Milbourne fits when matched up with him. Excellent fundamentals - good box out & rebounding position. Instinctively goes to the basket. Ended up with a lot of layups/ dunks off of nice passes from Tucker/ Hayes. Finished with 14+ I'm guessing. Runs the court well. 3/4 (?) at the FT line. Looks ready to contribute now. Had 2 or 3 and 1's. Interesting look w/ him and Gregory on the floor at the same time, both similar players although Padgett looks bigger and stronger. Most likely the first big off the bench

      Williams - Doesn't seem to have the natural basketball instinct of Padgett. Saw flashes - Tucker hit him in stride at the FT line on a fast break and he went up to tomahawk it, seemed like he was in the air forever and it was probably the biggest "oooh" moment from the crowd all afternoon (reminded me of the way Blake Griffin threw it down last season) -- until his dunk got jammed by the rim. Rebounded after that, had a nice 6 ft jumper from the base line and a little hook as well.

      Practically split minutes with Goins - there were times when he was on the court when you could tell he was gassed. Initial thoughts were that he dominated in HS due to his size, and didn't have to work on all the little things like pick & rolls, positioning, etc. Set weak screens which is disappointing because he is wide (in a good way). After quarters 1 and 2, Vasquez was working with him on the sideline showing him how to set a good pick and how to get low for position. Needs to get more aggressive. Dave Neal will be missed this season. No one ran the pick & pop with Vasquez the whole day. Will be a work in progress this season. Maybe finished w/ 6 or so points

      Quick notes on the rest:

      Vasquez - Enjoyed himself immensely (not surprising) - looked a little more comfortable playing without the ball in his hands (was never the lead PG on a team). The four years he and Hayes have spent together have paid off, they read each other well. Had 3-4 3's. Nothing to indicate he won't be the alpha dog on our team this year. Finished w/ 15+

      Milbourne - Stud. Often times looked like the best player on the court. Had his way w/ Dino on the offensive end when matched up with him. Might have had more offensive rebounds then everyone else combined. Looks more comfortable as a 4 this year. Anyone who thinks Milbourne shouldn't be playing the 4 now has no idea what they're talking about. He's a matchup nightmare. Mid-range still looks good. Looks like he lives in the weight room - has come so far since his freshman year. [B]Bold prediction:[/B] will make 2nd team all-ACC this season.

      Mosley - Alpha Dog in waiting. No doubt whose team this is after Vasquez leaves. Jumper still looked hit or miss but had a couple threes. Great in transition. Vasquez had his number when matched up against him. Still a workhorse down low. Probably finished with 12+

      Tucker - Looked his best in the open court. Made a couple bad decisions in transition early, then made up for it as the game went on. Had a couple of 3's. Had the play of the day on a 3 vs. 2 dragged both defenders to him and made a sweet no look pass in between them to a streaking Dino who finished strong. Gave Padge a couple sweet passes that lead to layups.

      Gregory - Works his tail off the entire game. Looks like he gets from one end of the court to the other faster than anyone else, even in the 4th Quarter. Has developed a nice little touch in his offensive game. GREAT in transition. Had a lot of trouble guarding Milbourne face up (but who doesn't?), but was outworked a couple times for rebounds by smaller players. Finished w/ maybe 10? Would be willing to be he'll start the season at the "5".

      Hayes - Could not tell effects of turf toe. Nothing spectacular, steady pg. Shooting was off today. Experience will be huge asset to the team this year.

      Bowie - Had 3-4 3's; will not get my hopes up about his shooting until he continues it through December this season.

      Kim - 8 pts (?) a couple 3's, doesn't look like he put on any weight. Couldn't tell anything different about him from last year.

      Projected Starting Lineup:
      Vasquez
      Milbourne
      Gregory
      Mosley
      Hayes/Bowie
    • Name
      Good stuff. Thanks.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Good stuff Chrs much more detailed than what was txt to me. On Dino, when you indicated that he finished with maybe 10...was that points or fouls? Last season he picked up fouls pretty quickly, so it's important he stay in games for us this year.
    • Chrs0049
      Points (all numbers indicated above are points) - The officials were picky - lots of touch fouls, traveling violations, even a lane violation on a FT - but I bet that's by design from Gary or the officiating crew just to get the players used to playing non-pick up ball.

      I had no way of tracking fouls but I don't feel like he picked up a lot (even though he was matched up w/ Milbourne, Padgett, Williams). I was impressed w/ Gregory, I think he played really well. He looks a lot more confident than last year.
    • Lupo's
      And we lost to Duke... in football.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      In today's B-ball scrimmage, Eric Hayes showed moved well. Which is good news, perhaps he's recovered or mostly recovered from his turf toe injury. Sean Mosley did a bit of everything...10 rebounds and 21 points and has improved his jump shot. James Padgett used his quickness and toughness to score 17 points.

      Steve Goins looked pretty good but took a hard tumble. Since he's coming off of knee surgery that's worth monitoring.
    • idkwid
      bb, bb, bb, bb, bb
      i love the focus!
    • Ricksterps
      Thanks for the info JMS. The future really looks bright for our Terps.

      I have heard that Chuck D is a big reason we are getting some of these recruits. Maybe he has a little of his old man's charm working for him.
    • PC
      SI named Greivis the Most Entertaining Player in College Basketball:

      "This pick will, like Vasquez himself, be controversial. But no player shows more raw emotion -- revving up his own fans, angering road crowds, even exchanging insults with his own student section -- than the Terps' Venezuelan combo guard. You don't know what you're going to get from Vasquez night-in and night-out; it could be a meltdown, like the 2-for-10, four-point game he had in a blowout loss to Duke last season, or it could be a tour de force, like the 35-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist show he put on in an upset of North Carolina. Whether you love him or hate him, you're always compelled to watch. His combination of energy, flair, unpredictability and skill is unrivaled in college hoops."

      http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/pho...
    • eddienj
      I love it. Absolutely love it.
    • JMS
      Terrence Ross info;

      Terrence Ross made a difficult decision this summer in choosing to bypass the summer shoe camps and AAU tournaments.

      "Staying here at Montrose over the summer will benefit me in the long run," said Ross. "Coach (Stu) Vetter thought it would be better for me to work on my game here and also get my grades in order.
      "The temptation is that you want to go out in the summer and prove yourself and test yourself against the best players. But you don't necessarily get better. By staying here I could work on the parts of my game that need improvement, and also the academics were the big thing.
      "You can't go to college without having good grades, so I feel good that I did what I had to do in the classroom."

      Skipping the summer camps did provide Ross with plenty of motivation though.

      "It was frustrating in a sense," said Ross. "I see all these players ranked ahead of me now, and I know I am better than them. It makes you a little angry. It's weird how you get dropped in the rankings when you didn't even play. But I am a better player now than I was before the summer.
      "I worked really hard on my ballhandling and creating my shot, and I feel so much more comfortable now bringing the ball up the court. As I said, staying here will help me later on, and when the season starts, hopefully people will take notice that I can play."

      Ross did take time to make an official visit to Maryland in early October.

      "Yeah, it was fun hanging out with the players, but the visit was more for my mom and grandmother to be honest," said Ross. "I am over at Maryland almost every week, so there wasn't really anything new for the coaches to tell me or show me.
      "I played a lot over there during the summer too and I know all the guys. I pretty much hung out with Jordan (Williams) and James (Padgett). It was a fun weekend."

      Ross also keeps in touch with his future teammates in the Class of 2010.

      "I haven't talked to Mike (Parker) for a few days, but I am constantly talking and texting with Terrell (Stoglin)," said Ross. "We were just texting back and forth today. The three of us are close and are really looking forward to playing together at Maryland. We think we can all make an immediate impact and I think it's a really solid class Maryland has coming in. Our goal is to get Maryland to the Final Four, and to contend for a championship."

      Ross feels like this will be another powerhouse squad at Montrose in 09-10.

      "We're going to be good, no doubt about it," said Ross. "We have some weapons offensively and we are very athletic. The only question right now is at point guard, but we have 2-3 guys who can play there. No matter who winds up with the job, we're going to be tough."

      The Portland, OR native has been keeping in touch with the Maryland staff since his commitment.

      "I'm allowed to call them a lot, and I talk to the coaches every week, especially Coach Rob (Ehsan). But I talk to Coach Driesell, Coach Booth, and Coach Williams a lot too. Maryland basically recruited me harder than anyone, and they made me feel wanted. I liked the area, and I liked the program, so it was an easy decision. I am really anxious to get there and start playing," said Ross.

      Ross also mentioned that "I think I am still growing. I am up over 6-6 now, and pushing 6-7. I've been in the weight room and am getting close to 200 lbs."
    • Name
      Great article, and great get for MD. Thanks
    • JT
      Nice preview Jeremy.... And Happy Anniversary!! 5 years - and still going strong!

      I concur - 21/22 wins, 9-10 wins in conference.

      However, Maui will determine how this team jells - a mixture of new and old players will need to play together and where better than Hawaii. If we advance to the championship or 3rd place game, beat Indiana, and have a strong team effort vs. 'Nova in those ten days, it will reflect both our strengths and weaknesses.

      It'll be between us, GA Tech, Duke and Carolina for the top spots in the league. I can't see anyone with more than 11 wins (12 on the outside). It will go to tie-breakers. Carolina is down yet remain strong, Duke is down but has a strong pg, GA Tech has talented one-n-done players and a year-old bench from a 2-14 team in-conference. Miami, BC, FSU, and Clemson - all are question marks. VA Tech, VA, and Wake will be retooling or rebuilding. Non-conference is favorable - not a strong as powerhouses yet not weak - Wisconsin, Zags, Arizona, Cincy, and Vandy at Maui. Cincy should win the Big East; Zags should win the Big West; Arizona, Cincy, WI, and Vandy should be top-end of their respective conferences.

      Longwood is a small D-1 school. And the rest of cupcakes... should-win easy... Thus, 22-7 is a reasonable prediction.

      Projected NCAA profile: Low 40s... maybe upper 30s
      22 wins - third-place finisher in top-ranked conference - the ACC
      Conf. 10 wins w/ ACC semifinal appearance
      Key Losses: Duke, UNC?, 'Nova, GA Tech, Clemson (1)
      Key Wins: Duke, Cincy/Vandy winner, 3rd Round of Maui, Indiana - Big 10 challenge, UNC?

      Have UNC as toss-up b/c MD has a strong winning record on Superbowl Sunday, just can't remember the overall record.

      Can't wait for the season to begin! And for part 2...

      Go Terps!

      - JT
    • idkwid
      Last year, Burney, Neal, Gregory and Dupree accounted for 63.7 minutes, with Milbourne mostly at the 4. to move him any more to the 3 this year, Williams, Gregory and Padgett would have to account for all those minutes, plus more.
    • idkwid
      Landon at the three will still be be limited. Putting him there squeezes the four best proven players (Vazquez, Hayes, Mosely and Bowie) into only the 1 and 2 and expands the 4 and 5 to only three players (Williams, Padgett and Gregory) with much less proven excellence. So you have four proven players battling for two positions and three lesser (in experience or proven output) players trying to cover the other two positions, it makes little sense to do a lot of that. That's not counting potential foul situations on the big men, remember, Dino fouled a lot.
    • gbx79
      IMO GV became a better team player last year - in part because the other players learned their roles over the course of the season, but also because his feel for the game improved. Now he's got the NBA tryout experience under his belt, true bigs inside (assuming they contribute as expected), Landon at the 3 more often, and what I expect to be improved scoring options from other positions. He shouldn't need to hit the boards after every shot, should have the opportunity for a ton of assists, and should still be the guy that can pump in 25 when MD needs him to. This could be a special year for GV.
    • Ricksterps
      I have to agree with Talaya. GV was out of control too much the first two years. We remember last year but he REALLY improved his TOs. Prior to last season you had a lot of people thinking he hurt our team as much as he helped it.

      I just hope he improves as much from last year to this year as he did Soph to Jr.
    • talaya7
      MarkMax,
      There is definitly truth in what you are saying. A big part of GV's early career problems were due to surrounding personell, but that does not explain most of the change. GV's bad shot selection and dribbling the ball off his foot or going for a 1 on 4 fast breaks cannot be blamed on Dupree's stone hands.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Jim Hart, director of Albany City Rocks, says Hippolyte Tsafack has a high level of interest in UMD. Claims Hipp “loves Maryland.” He also said that he beileves Hipp will visit College Park next weekend. Hart also indicated that Auburn, Alabama, Miami, and UCLA are all showing interest in Hipp. But he thinks Maryland has a great chance to get Hipp if they want him. I do know that the Terps have recruited Hipp longer than anybody.
      -------------------------------------Updated at 1:38pm Eastern----------------------------------------------------

      Tsafack will visit UMD next Friday and teammate Mychal Parker will probably be coming with him on the visit according to their HS coach.
    • PC
      Any idea on who they like more between Pankey or Tsafack? It looks like they are very similar and ultimately comes down to who has more potential to develop. I have to think if one commits, the other would likely move on.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      My best guess is that if all things were equal, the staff would prefer Tsafack.
    • talaya7
      GV as a "chucker" was mostly during his first two seasons. Last season, he played under control. Based on what I saw on TV - Neal deserves credit for GV's maturation. Quite a few times I recall GV making a bad play (which happends to everyone), getting that look on his face that previously forecasted a meltdown, and then Neal jumping in the frame to have a word with GV. I don't know what Neal would say - sometimes he seemed to be encouraging and sometimes he seemed to be angry - but it usually worked. That's what senior leadership is about and it's why Neal is a bigger loss than his stats would indicate.

      A key question to how well this year's team does will be whether the GV/Hayes/Milbourne triumvirate have learned their lessons from Neal or from Gist (who was a great player, but - unfortunately - not the Senior leader the Terps needed).
    • Markmax33
      GV's turnovers the first 2 years were largely the fact the team around him wasn't catching easy passes, moving to the correct spots, etc. He just couldn't trust them and he got stretched out into spots where he was expecting help from teammates and they weren't there. I don't think GV's game changed with Dave Neal, he just learned he could trust a guy finally and give him a kick-out pass for an easy 3 pointer!
    • looper
      Hayes has turf toe? Geez...his confidence was at an all time high towards the end of last year and I really expected him have a solid season. I hope this is a recoverable issue and that it won't bug him all year. Turf toe has kept people out of various sports for extended periods of time, even sidelined them for good. Drink your milk Eric...or whatever helps the toe!

      Jeremy, I think your estimates are right on. I will say though that I like our chances every time we step on the court. I don't care who we play. This team is so experienced that our opponent will have to be extremely good (like a 'Nova) for us to get out of whack.

      The only thing I wonder about is the level of confidence that this team will have. I believe they will have a swagger out there from the jump and some guys take confidence in the direction of over-aggressiveness. We've seen Landon sky on the baseline to dunk over someone who's had position since the ball came across half court. We've seen Greivis turn into a chucker (well...he's always kind of a chucker but u know what I mean). These are the only two guys I've ever seen show over confidence out there and while I've seen them do the aforementioned BS, they've also had phenomenal games while controlling their emotions. It will be interesting to see how these two, and the rest on the team, react to expectations of big things. That said, I expect Mosely to be a beast this year. He's got "it"...I think...

      I can't wait for the season to begin. My bar tab will be substantial since I'll be in Florida again, but I'm willing to bite the bullet on that one.
    • CT
      I agree with idkwid re Milbourne - If Williams and/or Padgett develop enough to start or play significant minutes, Landon plays the 3. Otherwise, he'll have to play the 4. I expect Gary will go with Vasquez, Bowie, Mosely, Milbourne, and Dino initially, or maybe swap Hayes for Mosely since Hayes is a senior. But that will depend on Hayes' toe.
    • chiterp
      Is Saturday's public scrimmage going to be recorded by the University of Maryland media and made available for viewing through the Terps website? Does anyone know?
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Ashton Pankey's visit to UMD has been moved to November 6th due to a scheduling conflict.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Nice stuff from Gary in the Balto Sun http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/bal-sp...
    • eddienj
      Nice write-up Jeremy.

      30-0, 16-0

      I GUARANTEE IT
    • gbx79
      What's the status of Hayes' turf toe?
    • DiamondbackRuss
      He's still dealing with it. Slowly getting up to speed.
    • chiterp
      How can we not beat Indiana? Mark the tape. We are beating Indiana. Most probably, we will lose to Villanova and make it to the MAUI finals only to lose to the Zags. That's 2 out of 4 against quality non-conference opponents. We are going to win the rest of the non-conference games. Mark the tape. That's 9 wins right there so that we go 11-2.

      Will we really go 9-7 in conference (which will give us 20 wins)? Really hard to say. A lot depends on the development of J-Will and the Padge. Can J-Will bang against Favors or Aminu?

      If them boys develop quick (also, if Dino becomes a legit threat), then Landon can move to the 3 and we will be truly something special.

      Really.

      This is our best chance to do better than 9-7 in conference play and guarantee ourselves a spot in the 2010 tourney.
    • idkwid
      Still, I don't see Landom predominantly at the 3, we need four players at the 4/5 and realistically we have Williams/Padgett/Gregory. And we got the majority of our talent at 1/2/3. So, Milbourne starts at 4, moves to 3 when 2 of the other bigs aqre in there together.
      So, about 21 minutes at the 3, 12 minutes at the 4.

      Moving Milbourne between 3 and 4 also gives GW the luxury of selecting a big or small lineup depending on matchups and game flows.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Jeremy, great preview. I'm even more stoked for the season. Now, if the Terps can avoid one of those RPI killing losses like Morgan State/Ohio/AU we can avoid selection Sunday angst lol.

      GO TERPS!

      Oh wait...I just realized Harris will be visiting when the Terps play Charleston Southern. And you know how turnout has been for some of these cupcake games. Harris could be on hand to watch the Terps get blasted by Virginia Tech and see a Terps game that isn't sold out. YIKES.

      I hope the coaches can get T-Ross to show up and hang with Tobias and get in his ear about how great our class can be with him.
    • Raj
      I'm not too worried about that. After all, he was at the UNC game last year. If that didnt show him how great our crowd can be then I don't know what will.
    • Hey folks, I'm trying to build up my search rankings. Could you "digg" my homepage by clicking on the Digg icon on the right hand side? I think you need to sign up, but digg is a cool service to search for blogs anyway. thanks.
    • DiamondbackRuss
      News is breaking that Tobias Harris is gonna visit Maryland on the weekend of November 13-15.
    • terps96
      That is the weekend of the Virginia Tech game right? Hopefully they will keep him away from Byrd as 50% will be occupied by those damn Hokies.
    • Ricksterps
      http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/bal-sp...

      I was a bit shocked to read our budget is only 4.4 million. I would be curious to see how that stacks up against other ACC teams.
    • talaya7
      I'm counting on the Senior leadership more than I should, perhaps, but I think there is a good chance the Terps are undfeated headed into the ACC season. GV knows that he has a lot riding on the season and he should come to play every night. In addition to GV, however, the Terps will also need Moseley or Tucker (my money's on Tucker) to emerge as a legitimate wing-man. Villinova will be the biggest (maybe the only) out of conference challenge.

      Purnell has built Clemson into a legit "program" school. They will be a tough out, but since they won't have Oglethorpe - who always killed the Terps - I like the chances of a W.

      NCST improved a lot towards the end of last season, IMO. I think Sydney 'aka Curtis' Lowe is finally gaining traction there. They will be good.

      UNC will have the horses, but Roy is an average game coach, at best. I think GW can out-coach Roy and get a W.

      I will grudgingly admit that K is a decent game coach, but dook has no back-court. The Terps should be able to handle them, too.

      If the team develops perfectly, the hish side is 13 ACC wins and undefeated out of conference.

      If the team does not develop, injuries, or bad breaks - 9 ACC wins and 3 out of conference losses.
    • idkwid
      I think you got the key, senior leadership (and don't forget junior experience), i did some calcs a while ago, the terps are the second most experienced team in the ACC, averaging 2.5 on a 1-4 scale (FR=1, SR-4) this wasn't even loaded for expected PT.
      3 senior starters and 3 junior reserves/some possible starters, lots of PT there.

      I agree with what you say about Purnell and Clemson, it is a good program, but good at home, shaky on the road
    • Ricksterps
      Nice Write-up Jeremy.

      I would take issue with all the teams you list as "sucking". My take on the ACC this season is you won't have the great teams at the top but I think the bottom is getting better. I don't see a lot of easy games. And as much as I would like to agree with you that Duke will suck this year, I don't see that happening.

      UNC will have some horses. They are really young but they will have no shortage of talent. As for GT, I will believe it when I see it. They have top recruits every year and Hewitt can never win with them. This may be the year, but right now, I ain't buying.

      We need to win some games in Maui. Either that or we need to beat Villanova and Indiana. If we don't that will be hung around our neck all year. "The Terps are playing well now but they have no wins out of conference and that's what the committee looks for".

      Last year our range of conference wins was 7-9 to 9-7. I think this year it's 9-7 to 11-5. I don't expect to sweat out Selection Sunday.
    • NYMets9631
      Yup you are right leftyerafan. We beat Michigan St in the finals. That was a nice preseason tourney win to help that class with DJ, Ibekwe and Mike Jones.

      Great post too Jeremy, can't wait for the next part!
    • leftyerafan
      Interesting. At this point in the season I'm hoping for 24 wins. I believe IU of PA is listed as an exhibition. Didn't we win the Coaches vs Cancer in NYC in 2006? As I recall Ibekwe was unstoppable.
    • idkwid
      21-9 or 22-8
      10-6 or 11-5 ACC
      losses, Indiana, Villanova, one game in Chaminade
      Duke (2), FS, GT, VT and maybe CL
    • DiamondbackRuss
      Not so fast my friend...I don't think I'd write off the Indiana game just yet.
    • idkwid
      It is one we "should" win, but there is at least one game we should win that we won't, I think this is it, it is over there,
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