So the Cincinnati Bearcats handled the Terps 69-57 tonight in the first real test for either team. Based on several requests (and by “several” I mean “one”), I’m providing a recap in bullet points. It’s the bloggy thing to do.
- I’m eating some crow over Lance Stephenson. Not a game MVP, and still a headcase imho, but a natural on the court. Crow isn’t bad anyway…it’s just oily. Whatever. It was free, and I’m drunk.
- My keen basketball instincts cited potential trouble when we only scored 18 points in the first half. Scoring points is one of Tim McCarver’s Keys to Victory.
- Not easy for a 6′10″ guy and a 6′8″ guy to look small, but Jordan Williams and James Padgett did tonight against The Human Volkswagens, aka Yancy Gates and Steve Toyloy.
- Lid still on the bucket for Vasquez (5-17 fg). We can’t beat good teams like that.
- Jin Soo Choi: If you get an open look, just shoot.
- James Padgett: Starting tomorrow, please take 200 free throws after every practice. Thanks so much.
- They seemed physically bigger than us at every position except point guard.
- Defense was generally good, but the press was broken regularly and we seemed hesitant to get in the way once they got a head of steam toward the basket.
- We missed a lot of bunnies.
- Cincinnati is no joke.
- Rugged play seems to give the Terps the yips.
- I bet both teams win their final game in Maui.
Vasquez looks awful. He wont make an overseas team yet alone NBA if he keeps this crap up. i dont mind missed shots but his stupid decisions make me want to run through a wall. mosley also looked like crap tonight. same old maryland. i dont mind losing but the dumb mistakes kill me kill me. by the way i fn hate losing!! esecially to a bunch of thug looking grownmen like cinn. they looked like a future police lineup.
That rugged Cincy lineup is what gave them so many fits…it’s proof that this Maryland team can be bullied, at least at this point in the season. (Although in fairness, that’s a general quality found in a lot of teams in the finesse-minded ACC.)
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