Sean Mosley

Maryland Basketball 2010-2011: The Looking Ahead Post

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

Part of me feels like it’s still too early to look ahead, with all that lugubrious Korie Luciousness still sitting like a large bag of marbles somewhere in my digestive track. But a bigger part of me is just plain sick of hearing and thinking about it. The epitaphs have been written, the fallen lamented, the heroes canonized, the cold and bitter consolations consumed, the hangovers nursed. Plus, it is my understanding that blogging is a medium of immediacy. Blogs don’t gaze at navels. They bite, they chew, they spit, they rinse, they repeat.

So let’s talk about next season then. Maryland lost three players, but will gain at least five (extra spaces courtesy of Jin Soo Choi’s departure and Jerome Burney’s foot). The Terps could actually add another one because David Pearman is on a year-to-year scholarship. But wait, there’s more. They could gain yet another scholly if Steve Goins transfers — a move that has been rumored for over a year now. With five freshmen already, if they end up adding more players, they could go after some juco transfers, which is less risky when you’ve got a younger team without a ton of existing chemistry to interfere with coughstevefranciscough.

I’m not going to get into what might happen with the other potential slots…for now, it’s just conjecture. So I’ll talk about the players we know will take the floor next year for the Terps.

Projected starters:

Point Guard: Adrian Bowie, senior
Shooting Guard: Cliff Tucker, senior
Small Forward: Sean Mosley, junior
Power Forward: Dino Gregory, senior
Center: Jordan Williams, sophomore

Projected reserves (subject to change given scholarship situation):

Point Guard: Terrell Stoglin, freshman
Shooting Guard: Pe’Shon Howard, freshman; David Pearman, senior
Small Forward: Mychal Parker, freshman; Hauker Palsson, freshman; Ersin Levent, junior
Power Forward: James Padgett, sophomore; Ashton Pankey, freshman
Center: Steve Goins, junior

A lot of people are way down on this team given its lack of experience and, how should I put this, floor leadership. But there are some good pieces here. This can be a tournament team.

Going into the season, the main source of tension for me is the glaring, obvious fact that Adrian Bowie is not a point guard. It’s not that he’s a bad point guard. It’s that he is not a point guard. I don’t see any barking cats around here, and I also don’t see any Adrian Bowie point guards. Whenever the scientific community wants to clue us in on how to genetically fuse Bowie and Tucker into one body, that would be great. Seriously, science, any time now.

Tension could come into play here because of Gary Williams’ well-known loyalty to older players. That philosophy could be sorely tested, as true point guard Terrell Stoglin will be waiting in the wings. Stoglin just finished leading his Arizona high school team to a state championship and is the second-leading scorer in the state’s history, behind some guy named Mike Bibby. He averaged 30 points and six assists his senior year. He’s not what you’d call a physical freak, his defense is suspect, and there’s clearly a big learning curve in front of him, but if he adapts, they may have to give him a shot, assuming Bowie plays PG next season like he did in limited chances this season — that is, like a lizard trying to tap dance. Gary Williams is a good coach, so it could change. Lizards can also learn to tap dance — I seen it with my own eyes. But it is difficult, is what I’m saying. It is not probable. If Stoglin gets the nod and they start using Bowie again at SG, that will cut into playing time for either Bowie or Tucker. Neither exactly has a proven team-first reputation, especially Tucker, who has openly complained about PT in the past. So if Gary did go with Stoglin, he would not only be going against his own tendencies, but potentially creating locker room strife. On the other hand, what if Bowie simply can’t run point? That, really, is the question.

Speaking of young guys, after Jordan Williams’ amazing season, it seems, as Testudo Times has pointed out, that this will be his team next season. People handed the future to Sean Mosley when he came out with guns blazing, but as he cooled off later in the season J-Will became more promising as next season’s centerpiece.

Front-court depth, however, will still be an issue. James Padgett’s offseason will be important; you may recall that Gary Williams has already challenged him to gain 15 pounds of muscle. Freshman 6′9″ PF Ashton Pankey lost most of his senior HS season with a troubling leg injury (his recovery timetable is still uncertain). So we have no idea what we’ll get from him. On the other hand, we know exactly what we’ll get from Dino Gregory. So yes. Front-court depth will be an issue.

Interestingly, our two most exciting freshmen (in my opinion anyway) will be the most buried on the depth chart. Point guard/scoring guard Pe’shon Howard is an exciting player (ridiculous passing) and could be the team’s next emotional leader. Swingman Mychal Parker (55 on Rivals) is basically the new Landon Milbourne. But with Mosley and the BowTuck Monster in front of them, it could be tough for either to get real minutes right away.

So there you have it. In my opinion, this is a team that’s going to have to make a serious commitment to defense if it wants to compete next season. They have the athleticism to lock teams up, but won’t have a lot of scoring options and will struggle if they lose focus or discipline. I’ll pencil them in for 19 wins and a season on the bubble. We shall see.

(This post is also published on Bleacher Report.)

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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

What’s Wrong With Eric Hayes and Sean Mosley?

On February 18, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

Something happened down there in Clemson. Something bad. Something dark. It wasn’t just an ordinary loss, apparently. Perhaps the game was so ugly, so tedious, and the loss so crushing, that individual human psyches were shaken loose from their very moorings.

Perhaps not.

But whatever it was, our second and third best players (or third and fourth, second and fourth, whatever) have not been the same since. Eric Hayes and Sean Mosley are both riding some serious slumps ever since the Lashing at Littlejohn.

Let’s start with Mosley, who seems to be a bit more deeply mired. In the last six games, starting with that Clemson loss, Mosley has averaged 4 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. In the first 18 games of the season, he averaged 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. His defense, while strong throughout the season, has gotten spotty of late, almost as if he needs to get his butt kicked a few times before he wakes up and realizes he is playing basketball. It wasn’t long ago that Sean Mosley was considered a burgeoning star on the team. Can he get back there? Yes. Is he there right now? No he isn’t.

As for Eric Hayes, in the past six games starting with the Clemson loss, he’s averaged 9.5 points, 4 assists, and 2.5 turnovers. In the first 18 games, he averaged 11 points, 3 assists, and 1 turnover. Last night against N.C. State, he went scoreless on 0-5 shooting, although he did get 5 assists to just one turnover. His three-point shot was a welcome addition to the Terps’ offensive arsenal early this season, but if you take out his 4-5 performance beyond the arc versus hapless North Carolina, he’s 4-17 during this slump. Not many defenses are going to respect that.

These slumps are especially noticeable given that Maryland’s bench is somewhat uneven. When I’m not waiting for Cliff Tucker and Adrian Bowie to be genetically combined into one player, I find myself wishing, more and more each day, that Dino Gregory was still alive. Players like Jordan Williams and, of course, Greivis Vasquez have stepped up, but it’s not like Hayes’ and Mosley’s contributions are effortlessly subsumed by other players on a consistent basis.

So why is this happening? After going back and watching some game film DVRs, nothing obvious emerges — at least not to a blogger with no coaching or scouting experience. But I’ve noticed a few things. Mosley seems to get the yips sometimes, especially around the basket. One too many ball fakes in the mix there as well, like he’s always worried about a shot blocker that doesn’t always exist. Hayes has always had difficulty getting his own shot, and now that the word is out that he can consistently knock down the three, I think he’s drawing more defensive attention than he did earlier in the year.

Of course, it’s always easier for someone like me to point out problems than for those actually involved to actually do something about it. But they’re both good, smart players who know they will be needed down the stretch. So here’s hoping they find a way to rid themselves of whatever followed them onto that bus back in South Carolina.

Tagged with: Basketball • Eric Hayes • Sean Mosley

A Maryland-N.C. State Basketball Recap in Ten Easily Digestible Bullet Points

On February 18, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

If you told me beforehand that Maryland would be down by 10 at halftime and Eric Hayes would not score in the game, let’s just say I probably would have told you to watch Shaun White instead. But the Terps fought off fatigue and perhaps a bit of complacency to rally and overcome bottom-dwelling N.C. State, 67-58, in Raleigh. To the points:

As many (including yours truly, yes, thanks so much) suspected, the Terps came out like a bowl of wet linguini. They took their lashes until Gary Williams tore the players a new corn chute early in the second half. Among the printable excerpts: “I have difficulty believing you are down 12 to a team that I daresay, if I may be assured of your confidences, I do not hold in inordinately high esteem.” No one looked back from there.
MVP: Take a guess. On a night when the team’s second, third, and fourth leading scorers combined for 12 points, Vasquez delivered with 26 and 6 assists. I know I’ve been critical — and concerns remain — but is there another ACC team with a player so critical to their fortunes? Could Jon Scheyer beat Vasquez one on one? I don’t think so either. I’m not one for hyperbole, but what can you say? Vasquez for ACC player of the year.
Mosley and Hayes need to deslumpify, and fast. More on them later. (UPDATE: Or how about now? Woo, magic.)
A win heals all wounds, but man, was that first half ugly. It’s like they were moving in syrup. Defensively, they seemed to be rotating a full beat behind the Pack. They tried to compensate with aggressive help, but left shooters open in the process. I’m just glad they never instituted that “we’re only gonna play one half now” rule.
Vasquez was my MVP, but for a long stretch in the first half, Jordan Williams carried this team. He finished with 19 points (7-10 shooting) and 11 boards while holding now-you-see-him-now-you-don’t Tracy Smith to 10 and 6. But even that doesn’t tell the whole story. For a full quarter, Williams was Maryland’s go-to guy.
Just when I’m ready to bury Adrian Bowie, he gets an arm out of the dirt. Still, he’s a bit shaky as a distributor. Is he really starting at point next season?
I’m not a big fan of the press, but it worked to great effect last night. I guess it helps when the opposing point guard has nearly a 1:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
I’ve alluded to this already, but this has my vote for Gary Williams’ best coaching job of the year. He just didn’t let them give up.
They better do some serious sleeping between now and Saturday. And I mean a looooooot of sleep. Georgia Tech’s not going to be easy, even at home.
As this column astutely notes, Maryland will get to 10 ACC wins if they just keep beating the beatable teams. (Hey, that’s my column for Bleacher Report! What a happy accident.) In other words, the Terps can make the tourney without a “signature win,” which is good, because they currently have zero of those unless you count FSU. Now in one word: Phew!

(Photo credit: AP photo via The Baltimore Sun)

Tagged with: Adrian Bowie • Basketball • Eric Hayes • Gary Williams • Jordan Williams • Sean Mosley • Vasquez

N.C. State-Maryland Basketball Recap in Ten Easily Digestible Bullet Points

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

What…what just happened? Wait…did I…did I actually call this game perfectly? Is that what happened? Did my predicted Maryland butt-kicking of N.C. State just come to fruition? Whatever happened, it’s sweet, baby, as the Terps smeared N.C. State Wolfpack 88-64. I only wish my score prediction hadn’t been so conservative. To the points:

What else did I predict? Can you refresh my memory? I believe I said Sean Mosely would go off. Well, he ended up with 13 points (and it would have been more if not for a somewhat off shooting night), 7 boards and 4 assists. Scott Wood, welcome to the ACC.
I believe I also predicted a big night from one Cliff Tucker. And I believe you can add another check to the “things Scott was right about” column. Eleven points and one steal in 17 crisp minutes. Bravo, sir. And Cliff, nice job, too. Okay, I’ve had my moment.
Maryland did a great job around the rim defensively. They limited the Pack’s second chances and always seemed to be drawing fouls, rather than committing them (21 State fouls to 16 for the Terps), which means they were a little quicker to the ball.
Maryland did not do a great job around the rim offensively. I saw Jordan Williams, Eric Hayes, Dino Gregory, and Mosely all miss some easy ones. It’s an odd recurring theme with no quick (or at least apparent) solution.
Speaking of Dino, though, and getting back to defense, Dino did an outstanding job on Tracy Smith. He used great footwork to stay between Smith and the basket and keep him out of the lane. Tracy still netted an 18 and 10, but he sure had to work for it.
One more point on the defense: N.C. State averages 72 points per game on 46 percent shooting. Tonight, they got 64 points on 36 percent shooting. Only eight points below average, but again, we made them work. And they didn’t seem to enjoy it. Maybe that’s why an eight-point halftime lead went to 17 by the 10-minute mark, and ended up at 22.
A nice 9-9 for Jordan Williams, but more aggression at the rim would be a positive.
In addition to his great offensive game, Mosely also led the way in shutting down Dennis Horner, the team’s second leading scorer (and 18th in the ACC). Horner got four points on 1-5 shooting, well below his average of 13.
Vasquez had 19 to lead all scorers, but for the second consecutive game, just about all of it came in the second half. Who is he now, Kobe Bryant? He is The Closer. The Vasquez Shimmy is like the Red Auerbach Cigar, only minus the ten championships and hundreds of victories and so forth.
And last but most certainly not least: CONGRATULATIONS TO GARY WILLIAMS ON HIS 1000TH GAME!!! I love you, man.

(Photo credit: UMTerps.com)

Tagged with: Basketball • Big Wins • Cliff Tucker • Dino Gregory • Gary Williams • Jordan Williams • N.C. State • Sean Mosley • Vasquez

Basketball Game Preview: N.C. State at Maryland

On January 22, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

I’ve always felt a strange kinship with N.C. State. Against the ACC’s many basketball monoliths, these two teams come off like the shrieking apes. They’re usually in the middle of the pack. They’re both known as giant killers. They always find new and exotic ways to under- and overacheive (but never just “achieve”). And they always have chips on their shoulders for having to sit at the kids’ table. But at the same time, both teams have histories laden with truly glorious moments (not to mention championships). And lest we forget, these two teams played a game in 1974 that is, even in this age where every good game is an INSTANT CLASSIC, still regarded as one of the greatest of all time.

The similarities are especially pronounced so far this season. Both teams lost some tough ones early, with the Pack losing to Florida on a buzzer-beater from the three-point line — no, the other three-point line. But lately, the two teams — Maryland now at 12-5 and N.C. State at 13-6 — have made runs, with N.C. State again notching the most notable game after Wednesday’s defeat of Duke (which I totally saw coming).

So I feel a bond with the N.C. State. Whenever we collide, it feels like a fight between two mongeese. And in the end, no matter the outcome, somewhere out there, a cobra is smiling.

And that’s why it pains me to tell you this, N.C. State: We’re gonna kick your butts tomorrow.

Whenever I’ve watched the Pack this year, I’m left with the feeling that middle school custodians are playing pick-up hoops after the kids are done with the court. I wouldn’t exactly label top players Tracy Smith and Dennis Horner natural-born athletes; both appear to know their way around a dollar menu. And Sidney Lowe’s not helping anything over there; he looks like the guy taking their order.

Sorry, Tracy. It's true.

So why are they winning? Well, they’re decent at just about everything, even if they are truly excellent in just about nothing. Just to see if I can fit another strange analogy in here, they are not unlike the Island of Misfit Toys. For example, Horner’s tall at 6′9″, but he’s more of a shooter than a banger. Smith can bang, and he can score, but for a guy that big, he can’t rebound. And for such a highly touted player, I’ve never really seen him take over a game. Point guard Javier Gonzalez is frisky but undersized. Scott Wood gets the Jin Soo Choi Award for being a shooter who doesn’t always like to shoot.

Personnel-wise, this is a good matchup for Maryland. We can use our athleticism to get around the lumbering big men and through their smaller guards, which include two sophomores. Sean Mosely and Cliff Tucker, in particular, should be able to handle whomever N.C. State puts on them. Add in the fact that N.C. State will be coasting on fumes after the Duke win, and I think we’ve got a romp on our hands. Saturday, 6 p.m., ESPN2.

Prediction: N.C. State 62, Maryland 75

Tagged with: Basketball • Cliff Tucker • Dennis Horner • N.C. State • Sean Mosley • Tracy Smith • Vasquez

Maryland Beats Longwood 106-55, Starters Pulled With Five Minutes Remaining in Warm-Up Period

On January 19, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

This one’s easy to analyze. Pretty good team from big school plays bad team from small school. Small school needs money, offers basketball team as sacrificial possum on the interstate highway of ACC basketball. End result is some Longwood Lancers splatter pattern all over the Terps windshield en route to the largest margin of victory in Comcast Center history, edging out a 50-point win over Hampton from 2003.

Sean Mosely led the Terps with 21 points and a perfect 8-8 shooting night; he was also a perfect 4-4 from the stripe, so the ball literally went in every time he put it up. But that’s not what you care about. How did the benchwarmers do? I’m delighted to report that they all got in and all got on the score board. Forward and reggae superstar David Pearman netted 3 points while Rudyesque walk-on Ersin Levent sank a free throw with about a minute left to get a 1 in his points column.

And there you have it. A speed bump at most, but at least it was of the record-setting, bench-clearing variety.

(Photo credit: UMTerps.com)

Tagged with: Basketball • Big Wins • David Pearman • Ersin Levent • Sean Mosley

A Maryland-FSU Basketball Recap in 10 Easily Digestible Bullet Points

On January 10, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Scott

Woo! Awesome team victory tonight, as the Terps upset #18 Florida State 77-68. FSU remains oh for the Comcast Center after its sixth game there. To the points:

Game MVP: one Greivis Vasquez. Twenty-two points on 8-18 shooting, including some clutch shots down the stretch to quell an FSU rally. He also played brilliant defense, including some great helping D in the post. What a motor. This is the kind of game they tend to lose…a big lead evaporates and the team loses its composure. Vasquez didn’t let that happen tonight. I’m not exactly Vasquez Superfan 21 over here, but credit where it’s due: he was numero uno out there tonight.
The bigs did a solid job on FSU’s formidable front court. Jordan Williams and Landon Milbourne seemed quicker and more nimble than Solomon Alabi et al, and were able to get Alabi in early foul trouble. They do need to box out more consistently, though.
Clunky is not even the word for FSU’s offense. Seriously, do they have to start it up with a hand crank before every game? Is it powered by hamsters? If one of the bigs couldn’t get a layup, they kicked it out for three. If that didn’t work, they simply tossed the ball to the referee. By the end of the season, they’re gonna lead the nation in not dribbling. And that exhausts my cache of FSU’s-offense-stinks-related zingers.
Fiesty crowd at Comcast tonight. Terp fans seem to understand that (a) this team needs a home-court advantage, and (b) they need it every game — not just Duke and Carolina.
FSU commits a ton of turnovers (11th in ACC), and Maryland exploited that, forcing 12 turnovers and 17 fouls. And it actually seemed like a lot more than that.
Props to Cliff Tucker, who provided the Terps with a serious booster shot in 16 minutes off the bench. He’s out of Gary’s doghouse for now. Has Adrian Bowie (no points in 11 minutes) taken his place in there, or did Gary simply view Bowie’s slash-it-up style as a bad fit against the Noles’ Redwood forest of a frontcourt? As always, only TIME…will tell.
The three starting guards (36 pts and 11 assists all together) did great jobs getting shots for themselves and others. FSU repeatedly fell for their pump fakes and step-backs, and they seemed committed to making the extra pass without getting gaudy abut it.
Speaking of passing, Maryland was excellent in moving the ball around the zone, although it occasionally crossed into hot-potato territory. They backslid into freelancing at times, but by and large they showed real patience and poise — very encouraging.
Gary shows again that he’s just better in underdog situations. (I also noticed he used the press pretty sparingly, which is good.) Dear AP voters: please do not vote for Maryland.
Tucker and Sean Mosely put the clamps on 6′9″ Chris Singleton, who wasn’t a major factor while the outcome was still in question. I’m no Singleton expert, but “passionate” isn’t a word I’d use to describe his personality on the court.

The Terps now travel to Wake for a Tuesday night game. Will be interesting to see what their focus is like after this win and on short rest. They don’t have the luxury of letting up.

(Photo credit: Alan P. Santos/DC Sports Box)

Tagged with: Adrian Bowie • Basketball • Big Wins • Chris Singleton • Cliff Tucker • Comcast Center • Eric Hayes • Gary Williams • Jordan Williams • Landon Milbourne • Sean Mosley • Solomon Alabi • Vasquez

on the precipice of conference play, maryland has that bubbly feeling

On January 6, 2010, In Maryland sports, By Ian

It's like a looking glass, but more bubbly.

It didn’t have to come to this. The warning signs were there. Maui Invitational: bad history. Nova: guaranteed loss. William and Mary: trap game. Hang a left, Maryland, HANG A LEFT! Can a Gary Williams coached team ever steer itself to safety? Can they ever find breathing room? Not in the aughts they can’t.

So here they are at 9-4, unmentioned in the rankings and barely televised so far this year. I mean, they’re not even on TV in Northern Virginia. I live 30 min from College Park and have to drive over the border to see a game. Entering Atlantic Coast Conference play in 2010, the Terps have dropped off the radar. But fear not Turtle fans. There is still hope that this team can turn it around. Damage has been done, but the season is still young. Here is a brief analysis of the schedule, and some trends to look for in Two Aught Ten.

Schedule - I’m not going to sugarcoat this, the schedule is tough. It’s really, really tough. The Testudo Times put up a post on how the national bracketology pollsters are already counting the Terps out. Luckily, the national pollsters are usually about as accurate as the Farmer’s Almanac is on whether or not we’ll get a big dose of Kentucky Windage next summer.

Let’s do the math. 20 regular season wins is usually the Big Dance requirement for victories for major conference teams, almost akin to how seven wins gets you a bowl game. Maryland has 9 wins to its credit. 20 – 9 = 11 wins to go.

The Terps have 17 games left in 2010. There are currently five ranked teams in the ACC – Duke #5, UNC #9, Georgia Tech #17, Florida State #19, and Clemson #21. Guess what? The Terps play three of those five teams twice! That’s 8 0f 17 remaining games against ranked opponents. Let’s assume that Maryland can win three of those games. They’ll steal one from Duke, and they should win the home games against Clemson and Georgia Tech. I’m assuming the Terps will lose both games against Florida State because they seem to have Maryland’s number. That would put the Terps at twelve wins with three wins against ranked teams, meaning they’d have to win the seven of the remaining eight games on the scheudle against the rest of the ACC and a late season breather against Longwood College. The result is that it’s possible for the Terps to get in, but there is NO margin for error.

There are some reasons for hope going forward.

Greivis has his groove back - Vasquez averages through the first eight games: 12.8 pts/gm, 4.1 rb/gm, 5.9 ast/gm, 4 TO/gm, 32% FG, 28% 3PT. Vasquez averages through the last five games: 24.6 pts/gm, 6.4 rb/gm, 6.6 ast/gm, 2 TO/gm, 55% FG, 41% 3PT. The most encouraging signs here are his increased shooting percentages, but the numbers are way up all around. As Greivis goes, so go the Terps. If he can continue this high level of play, then Maryland should be able to make a run at another 20-win season.

Exit Jin Soo Choi - Choi played in nine games in 2010. He averaged 5 min/gm, 0.8 pts/gm, 1.1 rb/gm, and .8 fouls/gm. That’s the equivalent of five minutes of playing four-on-five basketball every time he was on the court.

Enter Dino Gregory - One good game does not a trend make, but Dino Gregory seemed to have found his legs against UNC Greensboro in an 11 pt, 8 rb, 2 block performance. As a former big guy, I can tell you that sometimes it takes a game against an undersized team for you to get your confidence in the paint back. As Dino’s quality minutes rise, so will Maryland’s presence in the post.

The Best is Yet to Come from Sean Mosley - There is a lot of upside left for Sean Mosley in 2010. Astonishingly, Mosley is only taking eight shots per game so far this year even though he’s shooting over 60% from the field. Digest that for a second. Maryland has a two guard that is shooting 60%+ on the year, and he’s barely taking shots. Many Terps fans and pundits, including this blog, predicted that this would be the Year of Mosley. I believe it still will be.

Does Maryland face a tough task in returning to the NCAA Tournament this year? Of course. Is that news to anyone? Of course not. Rumors of their demise are greatly exaggerated. The Terps have been a bubble team from the beginning, and they will be until the end of the year. What else would you expect from a Gary Williams team in the aughts?

Tagged with: Basketball • Dino Gregory • Greivis Vasquez • Jin Soo Choi • Sean Mosley

Maryland-Villanova Basketball Recap in Ten Easily Digestible Bullet Points

On December 7, 2009, In Maryland sports, By Scott

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Maryland’s 95-86 loss to #3 Villanova last night was more disappointing than I thought it would be. While the smart money was never on a Terps W, they were really hanging with Nova, and an A-game effort could have netted the upset. But it wasn’t to be. To the points:

It’s a broken record for this team. They only play well when the pressure is off. Pressure back on, they cinch up again. Why does this team NEED to be the underdog? Where’s all this heart I keep hearing about? They will need to break a few serves in ACC play if they want to make the tourney.
The pivotal stretch came with about 14 minutes left. Hayes cut the lead to three, and we had three straight possessions to try and get it down to one or tie it. But they slopped it up all three times and couldn’t do it. Airways were checked and cleared, but it was too late.
Vasquez’s “slow start” has now morphed into blatant underperformance. He’s now shooting 32 percent on the season. Here he finished 3-9, including two misses in the aforementioned crucial stretch. He added 7 assts, but committed 7 turnovers and 5 fouls.
I’m not in Vasquez’s brain, but from the comfy armchair in my basement, it seems he ups the degree of difficulty on every play for no discernible reason. He’ll barrell into the lane, draw double coverage, leap into the air, look one way, careen off balance, then float a no-look soap bubble over to an unsuspecting (and guarded) teammate. Dude: just send a bounce pass next time.
Villanova finished with 16 made threes — one short of the school record. Maryland switched to zone and cooled them off in the second half (first half they hit 11 of 22), but the word is out: the three-point shot is available against the Terps.
It came against a lineup heavy on guards and missing its top post player, but Jordan Williams’ 19-and-12 (including 9-13 FT) effort was his best as a Terp.
Nova forward Antonio Pena did a good job shutting down Landon Milbourne.
No one did a good job shutting down Sean Mosely. That guy is getting better every game and it’s fun to watch.
Congratulations to Jin Soo Choi for coaxing in a wide-open layup — his first field goal of the season. Dino Who?
Another year, another disappointing non-conference record. Here’s hoping they take care of business against Eastern Kentucky, Winston-Salem State, Florida Atlantic, William and Mary, and UNC Greensboro. It sucks that I even have to hope that.

(Photo Credit: Tracy A. ”Bob’s Daughter?” Woodward/the Washington Post Photo)

Tagged with: Basketball • Eric Hayes • Jin Soo Choi • Jordan Williams • Landon Milbourne • Sean Mosley • Vasquez • Villanova

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