2010 February

A Maryland-Virginia Tech Basketball Recap in Five Easily Digestible Bullet Points

On February 28, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

Wow. I mean, holy crap. What can you say after a 104-100 double overtime win like that one? Due to some travel we couldn’t watch the entire game (and hence also the relative lateness of this post), but we saw enough. To the points:

After beating Virginia Tech for the first time in Cassell Coliseum, the Terps will be ranked tomorrow. Finally.
After outdueling ACC leading scorer Malcolm Delaney by scoring 41 freaking points, along with seven rebounds and six assists, Greivis has to be the favorite for POY. How can you deny this guy? The Hokies certainly couldn’t.
To continue a trend, the Terps couldn’t stop physical Hokie center Jeff Allen, who abused them for 25 points and 15 rebounds.
The senior-ness of this team is paying dividends now. Eric Hayes was ice water down the stretch. Has anyone ever described Eric Hayes as “steady?” No? Then let me be the first. Steady Maryland point guard Eric Hayes was very steady out there last night.
It was long and surprisingly peril-fraught, but the better team got the win today. Maryland is forcing its style of play and just beating people right now. What’s teh ceiling for this team right now? We’ll get another barometer this Wednesday when Duke comes to the CP.

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Maryland-Virginia Tech Basketball Preview

On February 27, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

Remember that Simpsons episode when Homer and Mr. Burns were buried together under an avalanche? And after several days they went crazy and tried to kill each other? Hilarious.

That’s what conference play reminds me of at this stage of the season. The teams know each other almost uncomfortably well (even if they haven’t played yet, they’ve watched just as much Sunday Night Hoops as you have…maybe even more!). Early in the season, it’s “well, they like to do this, and player X does that,” etc. Now, it’s OH MY GOD WE HAVE TO BEAT THEM YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND I WILL STICK THIS FORK IN YOUR EYE WAIT I’M LOSING CONTROL OF MY BOWELS OH MY GOD! It’s a high-tension environment, is what I’m saying.

There are two coaches in the ACC who stoke these flames like none other: Gary Williams and Seth Greenberg. And it’s Greenberg’s turn to galvanize the troops. In one of his regular letters to the campus newspaper (a pretty cool practice by the way), Greenberg labels today’s game the biggest of their season, challenging players and fans to STEP IT UP. As someone who cut his basketball teeth on Hokie home games, I can attest to how deafening Cassell Coliseum can get. When Comcast gets loud, it rumbles. When Cassell gets loud, it’s like a plane landing on your head. Those chip-on-the-shoulder Hokie fans know it, too, of course. They’ll show up in force, in full throat, and fully in their cups. So that’s exciting.

Meanwhile, Maryland is playing this one cool. Gary takes an analytical approach, calmly acknowledging that “most home courts go anywhere from seven to 15 points probably, in terms of an edge for a team,” like he’s acknowledging a particularly sticky sand trap near the 14th fairway. But he can afford the aloofness; he’s not the one fighting for his postseason life. With a 336-ranked strength of schedule and an 8-5 ACC record, this is make or break for Va. Tech. They’ve got to hold serve. And Maryland has never — ever — won a basketball game at Cassell. Can you believe that? What a crazy stat.

As far as matchups, guard (and B-more native) Malcolm Delaney is the ACC’s leading scorer and perhaps Vasquez’s top POY competition. He’s the incongruently sweet-shooting guard on a team that prides itself on defense and free throws. Down low there is junior forward (and D.C. native) Jeff Allen. He’s averaging 11 points and seven boards this season but is highly prone to foul trouble (16 games this year with four or five fouls). Dorenzo Hudson is the other piece of their “big three”…he can score, but he, too, is sloppy.

As for the Terps, they probably need an A game today. No slow starts this time. But if Maryland hangs around, Va. Tech could hang itself with its own rope. Let them be emotional. Let them get sloppy. Let them blow themselves out. Let them amass an imaginary army of snowmen. The Maryland seniors will keep their heads, especially under such relatively low pressure, and they’ll pull one out they probably have no business pulling out, at least on paper. That’s what good teams do. As noted, I spent some formative years as a Hokie fan, and on days when they’re not playing Maryland, this is a team that I root for. This is not one of those days. Kill ‘em, Terps.

Prediction: Maryland 79, Virginia Tech 72

Tagged with: Basketball • Malcolm Delaney • Virginia Tech

Vernon Davis Into Curling. Of Course He Is.

On February 26, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

I know there’s a big game tomorrow at Virginia Tech, and I know this item has been lighting up the Webs for a week now (or 300 years in Internet time), but it’s Friday afternoon, I love this story, and unless I’m VAAAAAAASTLY underestimating the general population’s interest level in the sport of curling, the shelf life on this is fixing to expire this Sunday, when they will extinguish that malfunctioning cauldron in Vancouver and the world will find itself decidedly less sequiny. And spandexy.

Vernon Davis. Maybe you remember him. He played for Maryland. They called him the Duke. Now with the 49ers. Fifth last season among NFL tight ends in receiving yards, fifth in receptions, first in touchdown catches. He’s a bad dude.

He’s also a curling fan. A big curling fan. He’s like the big celebrity curling enthusiast. He’s the Jack Nicholson of curling.

If you haven’t heard, Davis was named honorary captain of the U.S. men’s curling team. After receiving the distinction, he noted that he was looking forward “to learning more and meeting those guys and finding out what their practice is like.” One word, Vernon: grueling. That ice doesn’t sweep itself, sir. Although in the end, I suppose if a pregnant woman can do it, perhaps a finely tuned NFL athlete might just stand a chance. In fact, on behalf of curlers everywhere, thanks for assuming that curlers even practice.

Lest you think that Davis is just talking some talk here, rest assured that he’s walking the walk as well, baby. Evidence: here’s some video, by way of the D.C. Sports Bog. Just to be clear, that’s video of NFL Tight End Vernon Davis curling. You need to click that link, homeboy.

See? Terps can do anything they set their minds to. This is all good ju ju for Blacksburg tomorrow. If Vernon Davis can curl, how is Virginia Tech going to stop us? See the logic there? Now get out there and have a great weekend.

(Photo credit: The Curling News. Yes, THE Curling News.)

Tagged with: Curling • Football • Terps in the pros • Vernon Davis

women’s lacrosse preview: the bold and the beautiful

On February 26, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Ian

Don't let her pleasant demeanor fool you. Catilyn McFadden is a killer.

The Maryland women’s lacrosse team started this year in the same place they finished last year – second in the nation. Dreams of a perfect 2009 season ended with an 8-7 loss in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament to conference rival North Carolina. Despite the loss, many felt that Maryland was the best team in the country last year.

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and the Terps have started The Quest for Perfection II by cold cocking Richmond 17-7 and #18 Penn State 17-9. With #5 Duke coming to town Saturday, I figure this is as good a time as any to take a closer look at the ladies. To the facts.

Fact: Midfielder Catilyn McFadden is awesome. She has scored a point in each of her last twenty-seven games, including SIX against Penn State. She was National Midfielder of the Year and ACC Player of the Year in 2009. She is Lacrosse Magazine’s Preseason Player of the Year. Look at her. She is obviously a cold blooded killer.
Fact: The Terps are coached by Maryland Class of ‘98 alum and Ellicott City native Cathy Reese. Reese is simply a winner. Between her playing days at Maryland and coaching days at Maryland, Reese has tallied seven National Championships. That means she’s either played or coached on seven of the last sixteen National Championship teams. She was named National Coach of the year in 2006. Reese is the face of the program, and Maryland is lucky to have her.
Fact: The defense is tight. The defense is keyed by 2009 third team All-American Karissa Taylor. Under Taylor’s leadership, the defense surrendered less than 10 goals/gm in 2009. To put that into relative terms, that would be like a basketball team that gives-up less than 50 pts/gm. Defense wins championships. I’m just sayin’.
Fact: Maryland beat Duke twice in 2009. Fuck Duke.
Fact: The ladies lacrosse team has thrown down the gauntlet in challenging the field hockey team for hottest athletes on campus. SG will have more on that breaking story as it unfolds.
Fact: The midfield includes the Thunder from Down Under, Australian Sarah Mollison. Think of Sarah as the Robin to McFadden’s Batman. She was a second team All-American midfielder in 2009 with 39 assists, many of which came on McFadden goals. She’s the point guard of the Terps attack, and conventional wisdom is that teams need a solid point guard to win in the tournament. What sport are we talking about again?
Fact: Sophomore goalie Brittany Dipper is not a freshman anymore. She was great as a freshman. Look for her to be outstanding as a sophomore. The Little Dipper will go Big in 2010.

Bonus facts from UMTerps.com:

The Terps have been invited to the NCAA Tournament a total of 25 times which is more than any other team in the country. Virginia, which is second, made its 22nd appearance in the postseason in 2009.
Maryland has played the most games in the tournament (54) and has the most wins with a 39-16 record.
The Terps have won nine NCAA Championships which is four more than the second place team. Northwestern has won its first five national titles the last five seasons while Princeton and Virginia also have three to their names.
Maryland has won the most overtime games in the NCAA Tournament with a 6-0 record.
Maryland has the longest winning streak in NCAA Tournament history with 21 consecutive victories from 1995-2002 and have appeared in 16 title games, more than any other school.
Heading into the 2010 season, Maryland has more wins than any other program in the country, totaling in at 516 and also boast the top winning percentage (.806).

Bold Prediction: Once again, I’m going out on a limb and risking all my credibility in the world of lacrosse journalism by predicting that the Maryland Women’s Lacrosse team will win it all in 2010. I’m going to make it even bolder by saying they will not lose a game. Try and top that boldness. You can’t. Combined with the team itself, it’s bold and beautiful.

Tagged with: Brittany Dipper • Cathy Reese • Catilyn McFadden • fu*k Duke • Karissa Taylor • Lacrosse • Sarah Mollison

A Maryland-Clemson Basketball Recap in Ten Easily Digestible Bullet Points

On February 25, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

I was lucky enough to attend the game that locked up Maryland’s bid for the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. And what a game it was. Comcast was rocking for much of this come-from-behind 88-79 victory over recent nemesis Clemson. To the points:

YEAH, CLEMSON! WHAT! WHAT! TAKE IT! EAT IT! ENJOY YOUR VIEW FROM THE BUBBLE! YOU JUST GOT SMOKED! HOW DOES IT FEEL BABY! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
Unlike the clug-ugly first game, this one was a barnburner, and Clemson was the team that came out firing. Both squads actually shot 50 percent from three in the first half. It’s just that Maryland shot six of them, while Clemson shot 16.
As Maryland hadn’t beaten Clemson since 2007, it got pretty quiet when the Tigers took a 27-14 lead. But Maryland showed why it is such a good team — a really, seriously good team — right now: poise. Bucket. Stop. Draw a foul. Stop. Rinse, repeat. Beautiful.
With 7:52 left and the Terps down by one, they made their run. Less than two minutes later, they were up 10. During the run, Vasquez (who had two points until then) collected two steals, two dimes, and five points, including a breakaway dunk that had Comcast going berserk. I was literally jumping up and down in the aisle. I’ve been critical of Vasquez (and, I believe, with reason), but he has learned, he has grown, and he’s the best player in the ACC. As the man himself noted in a postgame interview, “my decision-making is just unbelievable right now.” Hear hear, sir.
Having said that, my game MVP is Sean Mosley. He scored nine of the team’s first 12, keeping us afloat during Clemson’s fireball start. He ended up with 20 points on 6-8 shooting, four boards, two steals. He seemed determined to shoot his way out of his slump, and he did. Welcome back, Sean.
Interesting to watch the seniors operate during stoppages. Lots of high fives, lots of back pats, lots of “come on, let’s go!”s. Vasquez gets a lot of ink for this, but Hayes does it, too.
From the Every Rose Has Its Thorn Department: I’ve stated before that the full-court trap doesn’t work like it once did. I’d like to revise that statement. It works against Maryland. And it’s not like they didn’t know it was coming. If the Terps had lost, this would have been the headline.
From the Every Rose Has Its Thorn Department, Item #2: Landon Milbourne and Dino Gregory looked a little lost out there. Physical bigs just aren’t a good matchup for them. Plenty of teeth-gnashing over this among the Maryland faithful. I feel for these guys. This must be why every cowboy sings a sad, sad song.
Speaking of Dino, I noticed something: there are a lot of moving parts, if you will, in his game. He’s always looking to create, to make a move, to, you know, dribble, and what not. I liked it better when it was defense, box out, board, hustle.
Before the game, I said David Potter was Clemson’s X Factor. And with 13 points, he sort of was. But to a greater extent, it was center Jerai Grant, who killed the Terps in Clemson but fouled out last night with zero points in only 10 minutes of action. Thanks, Jerai. When those long arms go a-flailing, everybody wins. Except you and your team.

There you have it. I think this unequivocally stamps Maryland’s dance card, but still plenty left to play for. Saturday’s game in Blacksburg has major ACC implications (don’t tell anyone, but Maryland can still win this thing…technically). Next Wednesday is Senior Night versus Duke. No explanation needed.

I’m starting to get excited. I really am.

(Photo credit: AP photo via The Baltimore Sun)

Tagged with: Basketball • Clemson • Eric Hayes • Jerai Grant • Sean Mosley • Vasquez

A Maryland-Clemson Basketball Preview from Media Personality Tony Kornheiser

On February 24, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

Tony Kornheiser back with you on ESPN radio. I am your host. Tony Kornheiser.

You know what, Nigel?

Nigel: What’s that, my liege?

Tony: I’m watching Hannah Storm on SportsCenter, and I’m having a reaction.

Nigel: Your enlightenment is cool water on a hot day, TK.

Tony: Don’t get me wrong. I like Hannah and everything. I do. But she’s just so TAWDRY! The way she wrinkles her nose just so at the men she’s interviewing. I saw her interview Marcellus Wiley once? She wrinkled her nose THIRTY-SEVEN TIMES! Can you IMAGINE?!?!?

Nigel: She’s like the Erin Andrews of sports.

Tony: I KNOW!!!!!! So she’s hosting SportsCenter this morning, and she’s doing her bit, okay. And she’s got on this Catholic school girl-type skirt, right. And it’s SHORT!

Nigel: Huh.

Tony: That thing is SHORT!

Nigel: Short?

Tony: It’s SHORT! And she’s got on this blouse, you know, and it’s TIGHT. The whole thing…well, it was pure harlotry, Andy.

Nigel: Cheaper than Old Navy slacks.

Tony: Absolutely. Hey, Nigel, we didn’t talk about this beforehand, so I apologize, but I wanted to do something a little different this morning.

Nigel: Your wish, my command, TK.

Tony: I think I’d like to skip our usual American Idol chat.

Nigel: Are you feeling okay?

Tony: I am. I just thought we might talk sports this morning.

Nigel: What?

Tony: Now, bear with me. After last night’s episode of Idol, I caught a few highlights from the Laker game. Kobe Bryant hit the buzzer beater. You want to know what I think about him? Buckle your safety belt. I think KOBE BRYANT IS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE NBA. Just deal with it. If you think he’s not, I say you’re a DOPE.

I’m just getting warmed up, though. Want to know who I think is the best player in college basketball? John Wall. Want to know why I think that? Because he’s GREAT, that’s why. Want to know my favorite kind of wisdom, Nigel? CONVENTIONAL. I watch TV, I skim the Web, I restate whatever I absorb there. Unless I see Hannah Storm wearing something tawdry. THAT’S when the wheels really start turning! She’s in her 50s now, is she not? She’s like a bearcat now.

Nigel: A cougar?

Tony: What do you mean, cougar? What is she gonna do, attack me at night in my camping tent? Whatever cougars do, Nigel, I’m not sure that applies to our discussion here. Pay attention, Nigel. PLEASE.

Nigel: All apologies, my liege.

Tony: Speaking of college basketball, let’s take a look at a game taking place tonight, shall we? It’s Maryland. Playing at home. Against…ahhhhh….(looks at computer screen)….Clemson! Coming all the way up from Georgia to play the Terps.

Nigel: The Peach State, TK.

Tony: Right you are, Nigel! So (looking at the computer) their point guard, Demontez Stitt, is back healthy again after missing the teams’ first game in Clemson. Trevor Booker is their best player, but they’ve got Jerai Grant in the post, too. Now he burned the Terps last time.

Nigel: Yes he did.

Tony: I don’t know the stats. Who am I, STAT BOY?

Nigel: 18 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks. Booker was a bit quieter, 10 points but 16 boards. Maryland, especially Dino Gregory, will need to stand up to them. And the guards can’t be afraid to go into the paint.

Tony: Clemson (looking at computer) is the best team defensively in the ACC. They’re the best! Who’s the best? CLEMSON! THAT’S IT! THAT’S THE LIST!!

Nigel: They slowed the last game to a crawl with the full-court press and stifling man to man. It worked…they held Maryland to 53. That’s 26 below their average. And with Stitt back tonight, they’ll press exhaustively again. The Terps have to break it this time or it could be the same show!

Tony: Now this Greivis Vasquez. What is he, Brazilian? I wonder if Hannah Storm likes Latin-American men.

Nigel: He shot 3-11 against Clemson last time. They’ll need more from him tonight, and with the way he’s been playing, they should get it. Plus he’ll probably take at least one turn guarding Stitt, who is their second-best player behind Booker. And if the Terps are going to fight the press with the press, which is likely, they’ll need Vasquez and his long arms.

Tony: He would look great in a sleeveless cocktail dress. He’d be just like Michelle Obama.

Nigel: An X factor for Clemson is inside-outside forward David Potter. He averaged 15 points against Virginia Tech and Florida State, but only 4 against Miami and Virginia. He’s a streaky guy, but at 6′6″ and 215, if he’s on, and Booker and Grant are on, too, they could avalanche Maryland’s bigs. X factor for the Terps: Landon Milbourne. If he can use his mid-range game to draw out the bigs, that could open it up inside and beyond the arc.

Tony: I used to like that X Files show. Hey, what ever happened to The Smoking Man?

Nigel: Make no mistake, Clemson should bring it tonight. They’re 1-4 on the road, 19-7 overall, 7-5 in the conference, and coming off a 3-0 homestand. They badly need a road win to lock in a tourney bid. Since they’re 3-0 against the Terps since 2008, they’re gonna see an opportunity here.

And in their last meeting, Maryland capitulated to Clemson’s grind. If it happens again, it could be a long night. Less pressure on the Terps than on Clemson tonight, but Maryland has plenty on the line as well, playing at home and with a three-game win streak of their own. They’ve got the ACC’s best player and second-best freshman in their corner in Vasquez and Jordan Williams. A win all but solidifies a tournament bid. I think the home crowd, which is still fired up from that Georgia Tech thriller, is gonna tip it in the Terps’ favor. They win another ugly one by six, seven points.

Tony: You know what, Nigel?

Nigel: What’s that, TK?

Tony: I think Ugg boots would work for you. Ever seen a pair of Uggs? Ask Carrie Underwood how Uggs feel. Now THAT’S a girl who’s got her act together.

We’ll be back right after this message. I’m Tony Kornheiser.

Game will be regionally broadcast by Raycom and the Terrapin Sports Radio Network, including Baltimore flagships WJZ-FM (105.7) and WJZ-AM (1300). Pregame on the network begins at 8 p.m.

Tagged with: Basketball • ESPN • Special guest bloggers • The Media • Tony Kornheiser

men’s lacrosse season preview: shell games expert take

On February 24, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Ian

A picture from this year's Red-White lacrosse scrimmage at Byrd Stadium. Red won.

I’ve been sitting here scratching my head since May of last year. I know, that’s a long time to scratch my head, and it’s really starting to burn. After an up down season, the Terps ended up with more losses than any other year in the eighty-five year history of the program, but they also pulled a miraculous first round upset in the NCAA tournament of #7 Notre Dame before falling to Syracuse in the second round. Like you, Maryland’s men’s 2009 lacrosse team left me baffled. Baffeled!

In fact, the entire sport of lacrosse is baffling to me. It looks kind of like hockey, if hockey was played on grass instead of ice, with baskets on broomsticks and a ball instead of hockey sticks and a puck, and if the scoring object, in this case a ball not a puck, was tossed around instead of sliding it to each other. You can see the analogy. I know that the object of the game is to get the ball into the opponent’s net. You got to put the proverbial bisket in the proverbial basket. Maybe that’s all you really need to know to blog a preview. That and literacy. To the facts.

Fact: The Terps have two National Championships (1973 and 1975), but they haven’t been to the finals since 1998.
Fact: Maryland started the year #7 in the vaunted Lacrosse Magazine poll. After Duke was upset by Notre Dame, the Terps leapfrogged to #6. Fuck Duke.
Fact: The season already started, and the Terps won their 17th straight home opener by defeating Bellarmine 12-7. No, Bellarmine is not a club team from Ireland. They’re a catholic school from Louisville, KY. Yes, I had to look that up. 1-0 baby, woo hoo! Next up crosstown rival Georgetown, and then Duke. Fuck Duke.
Fact: Of Maryland’s 16 “Top Players” (which is, apparently, how you look at it in lacrosse rather than just looking at the starters), only five are seniors. The seniors are in key positions – attacker Will Yeatman brings balance to the offense, defender Bryn Holmes doubles as a master face-off taker, and Brian Phillips holds down the goal. After losing 12 seniors from last year’s squad, by and large this team is young. Then again, last year’s squad didn’t live up to expectations, so maybe it’s a wash.
Fact: There are ten players on the field for each team in lacrosse: 3 defenders, 3 midfielders, 3 attackers, and a goalie.
Fact: Junior Grant Catalino leads the offense in scoring, and he started the year with four assists and two goals against Bellarmine. That’s like the lacrosse version of a double-double.
Fact: The Terps played their home games at Ludwig Field last year during the Tyser Tower renovation but they return to Byrd Stadium in 2010, which should help bolster their homefield advantage. According to head coach Dave Cottle, “It’s a big-time environment. If you look across the country, it’s one of the best, most impressive places to play lacrosse.” Fear the Tower.
Fact: Coach Cottle has 27 years of experience, and his overall record is 269-111, ranking fifth among active head coaches. Like many of the other Maryland athletic programs, success on the Lacrosse team starts with solid coaching.
Fact: This year’s men’s lacrosse team features a blog of its own, the MLax Blog, written by Patrick Fischer. Yes, THAT Patrick Fischer, I know. Where did you think I lifted that nugget about the home opening winning streak from?

Bold prediction: A young Terps squad shocks the nation and ends-up in the finals this year. I’m really risking my reputation in the lacrosse world with that prediction, but I’m willing to put it on the line for what I truly believe in. Go Terps!

Now, I may not know much about lacrosse, but I know how to read and write. I hope you learned something about the 2010 Maryland men’s lacrosse team. I’m still baffled.

Tagged with: Brian Phillips • Bryn Holmes • Dave Cottle • Grant Catalino • Lacrosse • Will Yeatman

williams to voters, “we should be ranked, and padgett should eat some cheeseburgers”

On February 23, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Ian

Jeff Barker’s Tracking the Terps had a couple of interesting quotes from Gary Williams today. Here is one man’s take on them.

Williams feels that the Terps should be ranked in the Top 25. He pointed out that not only does Gary vote in the AP poll, but he actually reads it, too. I’m with you Gary. You can’t tell me that the Terps wouldn’t beat Virginia Tech, UTEP, Northern Iowa, Baylor, and Richmond if they played them this week. I guess we’ll get a chance to find out with Tech.
Williams feels that James Padgett would be good if he wasn’t so weak. He publically challenged Padgett to put on 10-15 lbs of muscle in the offseason, which lasts about six months. That’s about two pounds of muscle per month. Not to worry, James. Balco Labs may be out of business, but Victor Conte lives on through ZMA! No, it’s not an alcoholic beverage for teenage girls, it’s a mass building supplement. You may want to call Conte in his cell to get a batch. I’m sure it’s totally legit.

Tagged with: Basketball

Maryland Women, Who Apparently Also Play Basketball, In Some Kind of Fight For Postseason Lives

On February 23, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

Now wait one second...these aren't basketball players!

Hey, just kidding with the headline there. Kidding! But you have to admit, with so much excitement surrounding the men, and the women’s team experiencing something of a temporary vacuum following the departure of the last members of their most popular and successful team ever, it is reasonable to expect that interest might flicker just a bit. Flicker like the flame of a wee, delicate candle. During a blizzard. At the bottom of the Irish Sea.

Ahhh, the Irish. They have the prescription for the daily blues. Many a maiden fair they be havin’. Many a stout pint of…well, stout. Lush, rolling hills. And the peat! Ahhhhhhh, the peat.

Huh? What? Whoa, sorry. Slipped off there. I guess I’ll save the peat discussion for my other blog, which you can find at http://ahhhhthepeat.blogspot.com. Update your bookmarks! But for now, it’s time to talk Lady Terps.

I do like to kid (even if I don’t always like to eat kids), but at 18-9, the ladies could be a lot worse off, even if their tourney hopes are balancing on the edge of a knife blade. As of now, the bracketologists have them at a ninth seed. Not bad considering their best returning player — Dee Liles — was kicked off the team and out of school for academic issues. That left an 11-woman roster with nine freshmen or sophomores, led by Lynetta Kizer, who is averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds in her second season. They were reminded of their lack of experience when they were beaten decisively be a decidedly experienced Duke team two days ago.

Still, they’re seventh in the ACC right now, and will probably make the tourney if they beat Boston College in Boston this Thursday and no. 10 Florida State in the CP this Sunday. But there’s no margin for error, as those are kind of the last two games of the season. Why can’t any Maryland team ever just be really really good and boring? I guess that would make them Duke. So never mind. But barring a win-out, the lady Terps will need a good run in the ACC tourney if they want to go dancing in March. Best of luck…the Irish will be with ye.

(UPDATE: The Lady Terps lost at Boston College. They’ll now need to make a deep run in the ACC tourney if they want to go dancing.)

Tagged with: Basketball • Lynetta Kizer • the ladies

Maryland Basketball: Peaking at the Right Time?

On February 23, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

According to this columnist on Bleacher Report (okay, it’s me), Maryland’s win over Georgia Tech has created some major momentum for the Terps. They’re not quite a lock yet, but they’re darn close.

Tagged with: Basketball • March Madness • postseason