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
