Steve Yanda traveled to Venezuela over the summer to spend some time with Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez. Check out the story from Sunday's Washington Post Magazine here.

I have struggled over this prediction because both teams have found a way to lose almost every game they have played against division I-A competition this season. This is Maryland’s best chance to win another game this season. But so what, right?

I do feel like Maryland has improved a small degree in some areas. But the game will hinge on one thing: Which team will have the ball last? That team will win because both offenses are better than the defenses they are facing. You’ve got to make the most of your offensive possessions and not settle for field goals because the other offense will capitalize on any mistakes.

This will be a fun game to watch. Too bad fans can only watch it on ESPN360.com, the unofficial television home of the Maryland Terrapins.

In the end, Maryland sees some improvement but watches Russell Wilson lead a 65-yard game-winning drive in the final 2:30.

North Carolina State 42, Maryland 38

What does everyone else think?

Here are a few links to check out this Friday:

An N.C. State blogger examines the Wolfpack's defensive struggles.

This power poll ranks Maryland last in the ACC.

Clemson controls its own destiny in the Atlantic Division race.

Maryland Athletic Director Debbie Yow was interviewed by Post columnist Mike Wise on his WJFK radio show today, and faithful transcriber Dan Steinberg jotted down the most provocative quotes. Check them out here.

Here are some links to check out this morning:

There has been a lot of turnover among coaches in the ACC the last four years, and there could be more following this season.

Around the league for a preview of this weekend's games.

Depleted N.C. State looking for a victory.

Coach Brenda Frese could have opted for a closed-door scrimmage against a Division I foe to prepare her young and inexperienced team for the upcoming season. That would have allowed the Terrapins to work on specialized situations and make mistakes in private.

But Frese chose to play two exhibition games at Comcast Center instead, against Division II Bowie State (Wednesday, 7 p.m.) and Division III Catholic (next Tuesday, 7 p.m.). Why?

"I wanted our players to have to play in front of fans and put on uniforms and be official," Frese said. "Some players are gamers, and some players, when the lights are turned on, go the opposite way. We absolutely, as a team, need to find out where every player ranges in that scope of it."

Sophomore forward Steve Goins did not play last night because of a lingering knee injury that has kept him out of practice for much of the past two weeks. Goins underwent surgery in August to clean out some loose particles in the knee, but the pain has persisted. Maryland Coach Gary Williams said after last night's win over Indiana (Pa.) that no timetable had been set on when Goins might return to action.

"The doctors make those decisions," Williams said. "I wish I could say we’ll get him back right away, but I don’t know that. It still bothers him. He says it still hurts. So that’s where it is. I wish I could give you a more definite answer than that, but that’s where it is."

Goins absence, if prolonged, could amplify a front-court depth issue for the Terrapins in light of developments regarding junior forward Dino Gregory, who sat out last night's game because of what the team described as a violation of team rules. If Gregory misses an extended period of time, Maryland will need Goins to get healthy as soon as possible.

The 6-foot-10, 245-pound sophomore played in only four games last season, and he averaged only three minutes in those contests. Still, Goins's size alone would come in handy for the Terrapins.

As for Sean Mosley, who went down two separate times during last night's game, the sophomore guard said afterward that he was fine. He got the wind knocked out of him in the first half and then was elbowed in the throat during the second half. He resumed play following both incidents and finished tied for the game high with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting.

Well, that didn't take long, did it? You all remember Dave Neal, of course. He was the undersize, sweet-shooting forward with a YMCA-style game who played a significant role in leading Maryland to its NCAA berth last season.

Neal has moved overseas in search of a continued playing career and a master's degree, but that doesn't mean he's been forgotten around these parts. Just ask Maryland Coach Gary Williams, who reminisced following Tuesday night's exhibition win over Indiana (Pa.) about some of the things Neal brought to the table.

"It takes a long time to become a good defensive team," Williams said. "We had a guy last year, Dave Neal, that was outstanding at playing team defense, you know, the way he could anticipate a pass or see where to help. I think we might have felt that a little bit tonight, but we’ll get that. We have an opportunity to be a better defensive team this year. We have better athletic ability and some things that are better. You know, I think we can do that."

Help-side defense appeared to be the main point of contention for Williams and his players after their performance against Indiana (Pa.). The Crimson Hawks got too many open looks after breakdowns in Maryland defensive assignments were exacerbated by players not coming to each other's aid.

With just more than four minutes remaining in the first half Tuesday night against Indiana (Pa.), junior guard Adrian Bowie shot an errant mid-range jumper. But as the ball clanked off the rim, freshman forward James Padgett grabbed it with the palm of his hand and flushed it back through the net.

"Yeah, he helped me out," Bowie said of Padgett's clean-up job. "I thought [the shot] was good, but he helped me out."

Padgett and fellow freshman forward Jordan Williams played their first game at the college level Tuesday night, and the performance reviews were mixed. On the one hand, Coach Gary Williams and several teammates acknowledged how hard both freshmen worked and talked about the potential the pair displayed. On the other hand, vast room for improvement also was noted.

Williams tallied seven points, six rebounds and a steal in 18 minutes. Padgett started and played 22 minutes, recording eight points, four rebounds and two blocks.

While talking to Maryland's players after last night’s exhibition win over Indiana (Pa.), it was easy to forget that the Terrapins had just won by 21 points. Senior forward Landon Milbourne talked about a teamwide lack of effectiveness. Junior guard Adrian Bowie said Maryland was outworked in several key aspects of the game.

The bright side*, for the Terrapins, is that they now have something tangible against which they can measure themselves. They can see the flaws IUP, their first opponent in eight months, exposed in their game and then specifically hone in on those areas during practice.

* Actually, there was another bright side to last night's game for Maryland, and that was that the Terrapins did not make like Syracuse and lose at home to a Division II team.

Here are a few links to check out this morning.

Colleague Steve Yanda on Dino Gregory's absence of last night's Maryland exhibition game and the academic dishonesty charge.

Maryland is hoping for a strong finish in football.