Maryland Basketball Update

By Ben Linton

After finishing the first couple warm-up games without a blemish (although one was too close for comfort) the Maryland Basketball team headed to New York City for the 2K Sports Classic. In the first game, the Terps took on the Number 4 Pittsburgh Panthers in Madison Square Garden. It was a tough matchup for the Terps, whose young guards had to go against two experienced veterans in Brad Wanamaker and Ashton Gibbs. The Panthers also had size inside to neutralize Maryland’s Jordan Williams, as the Panthers would out-rebound the Terps 59-28. Maryland shot only 14 of 23 from the free throw line, which ended up being their demise in a nine-point loss at 79-70. Cliff Tucker led the team with 17 points, while Jordan Williams scored 14 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Maryland would then face Number 16 Illinois in the Consolation game.

In game two of the 2K classic, Illinois used some good three-point shooting (10 for 19) to top the Terps 80-76. The Maryland defense was a bit shaky in this game, allowing a bunch of open shots to some capable shooters. The Terps were led by Freshman Terrell Stoglin with 17 points, and Jordan Williams (15 pts 13 reb) and Dino Gregory (10 pts 10 reb) both recorded double-doubles. With both losses, the Terps dropped to 3-2 on the year.

We learned a lot about this year’s team in the two games in Madison Square Garden. Although the Terps didn’t win any games in the tournament, they played well enough to win each one. They could have folded when they fell into some large defecits, (42-29 vs. Pitt, 69-57 vs. Illinois) but mounted comebacks in both instances. Free throw shooting and Three-point shooting have been a problem so far this year, but with time both of these will improve. We learned that Jordan Williams will be Maryland’s go-to-guy this season; not many teams in the ACC will be able to handle him inside. If the Terps can find more production around Williams, particularly from Cliff Tucker and Sean Mosely, the Terps will be a tough team to beat night in and night out. Stable point guard play will also be a key, whether it be from Senior Adrian Bowie, or Freshman Pe’Shon Howard and Terrell Stoglin. Although the Terps left New York without any wins, they left with confidence that they will be a good team that will compete this season.

Maryland Basketball Opens With 106-75 Win Over Seattle

By Ben Linton

For the first time in four years, the Maryland Terrapins took the floor without standout guard Greivis Vasquez in the opening round of the 2k Sports Classic. The effects of Vasquez’s departure were felt early, but center Jordan Williams (17 pts, 15 reb) and guard Sean Mosely (21 pts) helped Maryland overcome 29 turnovers to beat the Seattle Redhawks 106-75 in the first game of the season.

The first half proved to be sloppy for both teams, as Maryland would turn the ball over 15 times to Seattle’s 12. There was definitely some first game jitters or rust that needed to be shaken off for some of the players, including Adrian Bowie. The senior point guard committed 7 turnovers to only 2 assists and was benched very early in the game. Freshman Terrell Stoglin and Pe’Shon Howard provided a boost off the bench, and added some excitement for the future. Stoglin finished with 15 points, 5 assists, and 4 turnovers. Howard provided the best stability at point guard, dishing out 8 assits to only 3 turnovers.

Maryland led 46-36 at half, but would run away with the game in the second half, outscoring Seattle 59-40. The Terps will face College of Charleston on Wednesday night to complete the College Park Regional of the 2k Classic. Maryland will travel to the mecca of college basketball in Madison Square Garden to face off against No.5 Pittsburgh on Nov.18 after one more home game against Maine. The Panthers barely escaped Rhode Island in its first game, but have two guards in Brad Wannamaker and Ashton Gibbs that could provide a challenge for Maryland’s young guards. We will know just how good the Terp guards are and how much they have to improve when the Terps meet the Panthers in New York.

Other teams competing in the 2k classic include No. 16 Illinois and No. 25 Texas.

 

ESPN Reaches 12-Year Deal With ACC

By Jesse Jones

The ACC will finally be getting national attention!

For years, ACC fans have only been able to watch the ACC on Raycom Sports, with ESPN games here and there.  That is, until now.

The Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN have agreed to a 12-year deal that would give the network exclusive rights to conference football and men’s basketball games.  Women’s basketball, lacrosse, and other sports will be shown as well.  The family of networks (ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPN U, ABC on certain occasions) will all broadcast the games.  The deal is believed to be worth 1.86 billion over the 12 years.

The two sides were in negotiation for the past 15 months, a span that saw the ACC win a record setting eight national championships across sports.

“This is the first time we at ESPN have basically done an all-in deal with a conference where we worked to be able to acquire all their product,” ESPN executive vice president of content John Skipper said. “I think that speaks to how much we value the product that’s in the ACC.”

During football season, ESPN would broadcast conference-controlled games on Saturdays, Thursday nights and Labor Day on one of its channels or online.  ESPN would also broadcast the ACC Championship.  ESPN will do the same during basketball season, and broadcast the women’s ACC tournament.

Big Day For Terps Basketball

By Jesse Jones

April 1st was a big day for the Maryland Terrapins men’s basketball program in two ways.

The Bob Cousy award, given to the nation’s best point guard, was awarded yesterday.  The winner?  Who else but Greivis Vasquez.  The senior guard plays with the highest level of intensity and spirit, and this year limited his poor decisions while increasing his great decisions to lead the Terps to a record of 24-9, a share of the ACC regular season title and a win in the NCAA tournament.  In his senior year, Vasquez averaged 19.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game.  Vasquez ranks second on Maryland’s all-time lists in points (2,171) and assists (772).  He is also the only player in ACC history to record at least 2,000 points, 700 assists and 600 rebounds in his career.  Vasquez also stayed in the top 10 nationally for most assists per game the whole season.  This year was great for Vasquez as he came back an extra year in order to improve his game for the pros, and do great things for Maryland.

Maryland Terrapin senior Eric Hayes participated in last night’s college basketball three-point challenge last night.  In each of the three rounds, Hayes had the highest score.  In the final round, Cornell’s Randy Wittman shot first and got a score of 15.  Hayes followed, and with the last money ball to go, had a score of 15.  With the final shot, Hayes swished it and gave him the 17-15 win.

Congrats Greivis and Eric.

Maryland Loses Heart Breaker

By Jesse Jones

With a birth to the Sweet 16 and a chance to play Northern Iowa on the line, the Michigan State Spartans and Maryland Terrapins knew what they could gain from a victory over the other.

Maryland was coming off a win against Houston, and Michigan State had just beaten New Mexico State.

The first half was controlled by the Spartans, who took a 48-39 lead into the half. They dominated the boards, and capitalized on more of their scoring chances than the Terrapins had.

For much of the second half, nothing had changed. Michigan State had taken complete control of the game. They increased their lead to as much as 16 points, but everything went downhill soon after. Senior star Kalin Lucas suffered an Achilles injury that sidelined him for the rest of the game. Greivis Vasquez, Maryland’s star player and one of the best in school history, took over the game. Vasquez (26 total points) scored 9 of the Terrapins last 11 points, who took an 83-82 lead with 6.6 seconds left. However, this proved to be more than enough time for the Spartans, who hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to win 85-83 and earn their trip to St. Louis.

Although the game was so close down the stretch, Michigan State had controlled much of the game with their key shooting. Overall, the Spartans shot 55%, and went 56% from behind the arc. They also outrebounded the Terps 35-21. What allowed Maryland to stay so close was the 18 turnovers they made Michigan State commit.

At the end of the day though, it will be Michigan State playing in St. Louis, not Maryland.

Nicholas Shot Made It To Final Four

By Jesse Jones

Remember Drew Nicholas and the 2003 Maryland Terrapins? Well, one huge moment from that season was relived today on ESPN’s SportsNation.

The show did a bracket for the best buzzer-beaters in NCAA Tournament history. The shot by Drew Nicholas against UNC Wilmington in the first round of the tournament received the 11 seed. That didn’t stop them as they made it to the Final Four, but lost with only 43% of the votes against NC States’ game-winner against Houston for the national championship. Who can argue that one?

If you don’t remember the shot, here it is:

Terps Sweep Post-season honors

By Ben Linton

An amazing season for Maryland Terrapins Basketball was rewarded recently when Greivis Vasquez was named player of the year in the ACC and Gary Williams was named Coach of the year. Freshman Jordan Williams was second in the voting for rookie of the year, which went to Derrick Favors from Georgia Tech.

Vasquez was the first Terp to snag MVP honors since Juan Dixon did in 2002, when the Terps won the National Championship. Vasquez played brilliantly down the stretch, averaging 19.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in his senior season at College Park. He exploded for a career high 41 points against Virginia Tech and Malcolm Delaney, who finished third in MVP voting. Then Vasquez scored 20 and triumphantly led Maryland to a victory against rival Duke and Jon Scheyer, who finished second in the voting. Greivis has come a long way in his years at Maryland- I remember last year against Georgia Tech when he got into it with his own fans in a game and has at times single-handedly lost games for the Terps. But I really believe that he has benefited from one more season in college and was rewarded for doing so and adored by Maryland fans, coaches and players alike.

Gary Williams won ACC Head Coach of the Year since 2002, coincidence right? I hope so. Williams led the Terps to a 23-7 record and a 13-3 conference record, sharing the ACC Title. A lot of fuss was made last year about Gary’s job security when he was criticized for his lack of recruiting skills, internal problems with AD Debbie Yow, and inability to motivate his players on the court. Although I thought that last season was Williams’ best coaching job of his career due to the level of talent he had to work with, this is still very satisfying. It feels good to silence your doubters, and Gary did just that. The most winningest coach in Maryland history will be able to decide on his own when he decides to leave College Park, because no one is knocking down the door for a replacement any time soon.

Hopefully this is just a beginning to an already remarkable season and turnaround for Maryland Basketball.

Terps Move Up In AP, ESPN Polls

By Jesse Jones

After beating the Duke Blue Devils at home on senior night, and going to Virginia and beating them on their senior night, the Maryland Terrapins have moved up in the AP poll and the ESPN/USA Today poll.

The Associated Press has ranked the Terps as the 19th best team in the nation, and ESPN and the USA Today ranked them at the same place.

The Terps have finished the regular season with a record of 23-7, and a 13-3 conference record.

Maryland has the second seed in the ACC Tournament, which will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina.  The Terps will play the winner of the Georgia Tech/UNC game Friday.

Maryland Wins Share of ACC Regular Season Title

By Ben Linton

After defeating Duke Wednesday on an emotional, monumental game on Senior Night, the Maryland Terrapins headed down south to Charlottesville to face Virginia for their Senior Game. A win would mean at least a share of the ACC Title, but the Terps hadn’t won at the John Paul Jones Arena in three seasons.

In the first half, Maryland got out to a decent lead, but still wasn’t playing as crisp and sharp as they could. That being said, the Terps still held an 11 point lead, but the largest lead was 14. This allowed UVA to hang around, even without their best player Slyven Landesburg suspended for the season.

In the second half, the Cavaliers made their run, cutting the lead to 66-65 with with 1:39 remaining. But thanks to some key three point shots by Greivis Vasquez and a great team effort at the free throw line, the Terps were able to quiet the Cavs furious comeback. The key moment came with 38 seconds remaining. Maryland Guard Sean Mosely drove into the lane and was fouled, which triggered UVA Coach Tony Bennett to toss his jacket, resulting in a technical. Vasquez hit the two tech foul shots, and Mosely hit his to give the Terps a five point lead, which they would hold on to win, by a score of 74-68.

Greivis Vasquez once again led the Terps with 23 points and 5 assists. Eric Hayes scored 11 points and Landon Milbourne added 10 to give the Terps some balanced scoring. Yet it still was Vasquez who was the hero, he had an answer for the Cavs every time they came knocking on the door. His case for ACC MVP has become a louder and louder topic across the nation and it should be interesting to see if he ends up winning the honor.

Next up, the Terps head to Greensboro for the ACC Tournament. The last time the Terps took the floor in Greensboro, they won the ACC Title back in 2004. Maryland will be the number two seed, facing the winner of the Georgia Tech/North Carolina game. Lets hope this streak can keep going strong deeo into March.

Look What they have done: Maryland Basketball Seniors

By Ben Linton

Tomorrow night in College Park will be special for many reasons. First and foremost, the #23 Maryland Terrapins (21-7, 11-3 ACC) will be taking on rival Duke (25-4, 12-2 ACC) for first place in the ACC, the first time the Terps have done so since 2002. Not only is this an important game for standings and rankings, it will also be the last home game for three Maryland seniors: Landon Milbourne, Eric Hayes, and Greivis Vasquez. This post is dedicated in tribute to these remarkable athletes and all they have accomplished and given us to cheer for these past four years.

The 2010 Maryland Senior class has been to two NCAA Tournaments, registered 86 total wins (39 in the ACC), and totaled nine wins over Top 25 ranked teams, including one against the number one team in the nation.

Landon Milbourne

Milbourne has been the unsung hero of this Maryland team for the past two seasons. Last year, Milbourne made a huge sacrifice by playing out of his comfort zone by playing the power forward position, where he was less taller and outweighed by whomever he guarded almost every single night. This sacrifice paid huge dividends for the Terps on their way to an NCAA tournament berth last year. This season, Milbourne is Maryland’s second leading scorer with 13 points per game, and is the third leading rebounder with five boards per contest. Milbourne is a freakish athlete known for his thunderous dunks and has an excellent mid range shot. His career high is 24 points against New Hampshire. He will be missed.

Eric Hayes

Hayes has been one of Maryland’s most consistent players these past years, and the best three point shooter on the team. Hayes is the perfect compliment to Greivis Vasquez, due to his calm and poised nature. He averages 10.9 PPG this season, and is an excellent free throw shooter (85.7%) and three-point shooter (45%). Hayes’ ability the drive to the basket has always been underrated, he can penetrate into the lane and create shots. He is also an excellent passer that sees the floor very well. His best game as a Terp came last season against NC State, where he scored a career high 21 points. Best of luck to Eric tomorrow as he plays his last game at home.

Greivis Vasquez

Hate him or love him, Greivis Vasquez has carried Maryland Basketball on his shoulders these past two seasons. As an energetic freshman to an erratic sophomore to a poised and confident senior, Vasquez has certainly had his ups and downs in College Park. This season has been one to remember for Vasquez, as he is in the running for ACC MVP with a 19.5 point, 4.8 rebound, and 6.4 assist average. His assist to turnover ratio is 2 to 1, the perfect stat for a point guard. What stands out most about this guy is his emotional presence. Maryland goes as Greivis goes, and it almost seems that he can pump his team up with one play, one shot, or one pass to change everything around. Vasquez is coming off of a career high game of 41 points last Saturday in a win at Virginia Tech, but hands down his best game as a Terp was last year against North Carolina. Vasquez put the Terps on his shoulders, and single-handedly beat the number three team in the nation, scoring 35 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists. To put it in perspective, Vasquez is the best player to put on a Maryland uniform since Juan Dixon. Best of luck to him as he finishes his Maryland career and progresses through the NBA.