« Why The Pro Bowl Is Silly | Main | Mike Mussina Should Be In The Hall Of Fame »
ACC Basketball Preview: Maryland
By Jason
November 20, 2008 9:00 pm
Maryland 07-08 (19-15) overall, (8-8) conference play
KEY Losses:
PF- James Gist- (32 min/g), (7.9 Reb/g), (15.9 Pts/g) 77 Blks.
C- Bambale Osby- (26.7 min/g), (6.5 Reb/g), (11.5 Pts/g) 69 Blks.
KEY Addition:
Sean Mosley, Guard, 6’4
Projected Starting 5:
PG- #21, Greivis Vasquez
SG- #5, Eric Hayes
SF- #24, Cliff Tucker
PF- #1, Landon Milbourne
C- # 4, Braxton Dupree
Key Role Players: #14, Sean Mosley, #22 Adrian Bowie, #32 Jerome Bruney, and #35 Dave Neal
Bench: #25 Steve Goins, #33 Dino Gregory, #23 David Pearman, and #11 Jin Soo Kim
Coach- Gary Williams: 18 years at Maryland and 378 victories. Ranked 7th in Division 1 coaching wins list among active coaches with 585 wins.
What to expect from the Terps:
• Fast pace
• Great Rebounding
• Improve assist/turnover ratio
• Discipline Defense
• Outside shooting
Schedule Breakdown:
Key Games:
12/03/08 vs. Michigan
1/10/09 vs. Georgia Teach
1/24/09 @ Duke
2/21/09 vs. UNC
2/25/09 vs. Duke
3/07/09 @ Virginia
3/12/09- 3/15/09 ACC Tournament
I expect another inconsistent year from Maryland. Last year the Terps lost 6 games by 6 points or less. Their downfall is putting teams away late and having the killer instinct that a Maryland has had in the past. Key point guard playing will also lead this team to running through most of the teams in the ACC. Vasquez is a scorer and can score at will, but when he is asked to take care of the basketball he has a lot of trouble doing so. Vasquez’s assist to turnover ratio last year was dead last in the acc among guards. If the Terps have any chance to win this years it’s going to have to come with great guard play and limit the turnovers. Another thing I’m looking forward to seeing is the play of the big men. I believe that Braxton Dupree has the potential to play with the other Big’s in the ACC and across the nation. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on this kid. But after him is very little to be happy about. Nick Goins and Jerome Burney are not you’re typically Bigs. Goins is 6”10 but a true freshman and Burney is 6”9 with no playing time as a freshman.
Maryland is extremely young this year. Look for the Terps to win some games convincingly and to blow games late due to the inexperience of some of their starters. Tucker and Milbourne and very explosive players and come the end of the year they could be among the conference leading scorers. This year more then others the offense of Maryland should come in transition. With Vasquez, Milbourne and Tucker and Mosley pushing the ball down the court and creating off the dribble look to see more Hayes and Bowie to benefit from open looks from behind the arc. Offensive and Defensive Rebounding has always been a strength for the Terps, so look for that to continue.
Prediction: 20-11
Maryland will make the NCAA Tournament this year and I expect them to play into the sweet 16. I think that the Terps will find a lot of success in transition and from their guards. Maryland has the toughest ACC schedule this year by playing home and away games verse Duke and North Carolina. Expect Maryland to be 5 games above .500 entering the ACC Tourney.
Topics: College Basketball, Maryland |