Maryland heads to Maui following 82-55 win over New Hampshire

The Maryland men's basketball team will depart for Hawaii early tomorrow morning, and they'll do so in pretty good shape. The Terrapins are 3-0 after recording a 27-point win Friday night over New Hampshire. That Maryland's margin of victory against...

By Steve Yanda | November 20, 2009; 11:05 PM ET | Comments (0)

Goins out once again

Sophomore forward Steve Goins will not be present at tonight's game against New Hampshire at Comcast Center due to a violation of the Maryland athletic department's class attendance policy, according to a press release just issued by a team official....

By Steve Yanda | November 20, 2009; 07:32 PM ET | Comments (0)

Maryland announces three signees for 2010 recruiting class

Maryland team officials just handed out a press release announcing the signing of three members of its 2010 recruiting class. Point guard Terrell Stoglin, small forward Mychal Parker and power forward Ashton Pankey have signed their letters of intent to...

By Steve Yanda | November 20, 2009; 07:00 PM ET | Comments (5)

Patience is key for Maryland on offense

One of the interesting things to watch tonight when Maryland takes on New Hampshire at Comcast Center is how smoothly the team starts out on offense. In both of their first two games, the Terrapins got off to sluggish offensive...

By Steve Yanda | November 20, 2009; 10:46 AM ET | Comments (2)

Recruiting update

Okay, I'll admit that was a bit of a tease. The only update is to say that Coach Gary Williams held off Thursday on commenting on Maryland's four-man 2010 recruiting class. The early signing period ended Wednesday. "I'd really not...

By Steve Yanda | November 20, 2009; 08:25 AM ET | Comments (4)

Choi could return against New Hampshire

Sophomore forward Jin Soo Choi could return to Maryland's lineup Friday night when the Terrapins host New Hampshire at Comcast Center, Coach Gary Williams said Thursday. Choi missed Tuesday's win over Fairfield with a sprained right ankle he suffered four...

By Steve Yanda | November 19, 2009; 04:29 PM ET | Comments (1)

Gregory expected to return Dec. 12

Junior forward Dino Gregory is expected to return to the Maryland lineup Dec. 12, according to Coach Gary Wiliiams, who spoke with reporters in a typical day-before-game media availability Thursday. Gregory has missed the first two regular season games, as...

By Steve Yanda | November 19, 2009; 04:14 PM ET | Comments (3)

Morning links

Here are some links to check out this morning: Florida's governor wants Bobby Bowden back as FSU's coach next season. Noted handler Terrelle Woody and South Florida in hot water over possible NCAA violations. More on the comments from Bowden's...

By Eric Prisbell | November 19, 2009; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (4)

Scouting New Hampshire

The biggest adjustment New Hampshire Coach Bill Herrion believes his players will have to make Friday night when the Wildcats take on No. 25 Maryland at Comcast Center is the playing venue. New Hampshire, an America East squad that finished...

By Steve Yanda | November 19, 2009; 09:02 AM ET | Comments (0)

Cooley's equation for a blowout

By the time Tuesday night’s 29-point Maryland win was complete, Fairfield Coach Ed Cooley had figured out all the components of the equation that doomed his squad. “Twenty-five turnovers, that’s the game,” said Cooley, who formerly served as an assistant...

By Steve Yanda | November 18, 2009; 01:02 PM ET | Comments (6)

Hayes's persistent patience pays off

Senior guard Eric Hayes insists that he, too, was capable of losing his cool, that he was not impervious to outward emotion, as others have made him out to be. No, he’s never drawn a technical foul, at least not...

By Steve Yanda | November 18, 2009; 10:58 AM ET | Comments (1)

Morning links

Here are some links to check out this morning: Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden wants to come back next season. Coach Josh Pastner's Memphis team nearly stuns No. 1 Kansas....

By Eric Prisbell | November 18, 2009; 09:05 AM ET | Comments (0)

Vasquez still searching for his shot

There was a brief moment during Maryland's win last night over Fairfield when it appeared that maybe, just maybe, senior guard Greivis Vasquez had found his mojo. With just more than 14 minutes remaining in the second half, Vasquez sank...

By Steve Yanda | November 18, 2009; 09:04 AM ET | Comments (20)

Maryland pulls away for 71-42 win over Fairfield

If only the final scores of Maryland's first two games were more indicative of how the entire contests played out, the Terrapins might not seem as sullen afterward. The players weren't mad or depressed or anything like that Tuesday night...

By Steve Yanda | November 17, 2009; 11:27 PM ET | Comments (0)

Street clothes report

We're about 50 minutes from tip-off here at Comcast Center. The Maryland players (10 of them, at least) are going through warm-ups out on the court and students are steadily filing into the stands. Among those Terrapins not warming up...

By Steve Yanda | November 17, 2009; 07:10 PM ET | Comments (1)

Pankey signs with Maryland

Maryland added a fourth member to its 2010 recruiting class on Monday when Ashton Pankey, a 6-foot-8, 212 pound forward out of St. Anthony's High in New Jersey, signed his letter of intent to play for the Terrapins next season....

By Steve Yanda | November 17, 2009; 04:42 PM ET | Comments (8)

Coat drive at Comcast Center tonight

If you own an extra coat or hat or scarf that you don't plan on using and is in fairly good condition, take it with you when you head to the Maryland men's basketball game tonight at Comcast Center and...

By Steve Yanda | November 17, 2009; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (2)

Morning links

Here are some links to check out this morning: A notebook on Florida State's football team. Freshman John Wall saves Kentucky's basketball team in his debut. UCLA loses to Cal State Fullerton....

By Eric Prisbell | November 17, 2009; 09:34 AM ET | Comments (1)

Terrapins to try out four-guard look

Maryland will be down a big man or three tonight when it hosts Fairfield at Comcast Center, which means a couple of things. First, it means more pressure will be placed on freshmen forwards James Padgett and Jordan Williams, as...

By Steve Yanda | November 17, 2009; 08:34 AM ET | Comments (1)

Small lineups in store for Terps against Fairfield

Look for Maryland to operate with "some interesting" power forwards, as Coach Gary Williams put it, against Fairfield at Comcast Center on Tuesday night. With three frontcourt members likely to miss tomorrow night's game, the Terrapins likely will spend some...

By Steve Yanda | November 16, 2009; 03:35 PM ET | Comments (5)

Maryland No. 25 in AP poll

The new Associated Press top 25 poll is out and Maryland checks in at No. 25. The Terrapins still are the team with the most votes not ranked in the coaches' poll. Click here for a complete list of rankings...

By Steve Yanda | November 16, 2009; 02:41 PM ET | Comments (6)

Scouting Fairfield

The Fairfield Stags are defensive-minded and slow on offense out of necessity these days. With several key players out due to or recovering from injury, fourth-year Coach Ed Cooley cannot employ the frenetic pace he prefers. Fairfield, a member of...

By Steve Yanda | November 16, 2009; 01:13 PM ET | Comments (3)

Terrapins searching for 'more fight'

At halftime Friday night, Maryland players learned they were being out-rebounded, 23-20, by a Charleston Southern team not known for its glass-cleaning acumen. Coach Gary Williams informed his players of that particular stat in his typically blunt fashion, and the...

By Steve Yanda | November 16, 2009; 11:06 AM ET | Comments (4)

Vasquez fakes out everyone

Just less than two minutes into the second half Friday night against Charleston Southern, Maryland senior guard Greivis Vasquez stole the ball and raced downcourt in a 2-on-1 with sophomore guard Sean Mosley. As he neared the basket, Vasquez faked...

By Steve Yanda | November 16, 2009; 08:59 AM ET | Comments (2)

Maryland beats Charleston Southern, 89-51

The final score wasn't much of a shocker. Maryland pulled away in the second half over an inferior Charleston Southern squad. Talent prevailed, as it almost always does in match-ups like these at the beginning of the season. But there...

By Steve Yanda | November 13, 2009; 11:39 PM ET | Comments (3)

Gregory out again

Junior forward Dino Gregory is not present at Comcast Center and will not suit up tonight for Maryland in its regular season opener against Charleston Southern. Though no press release was issued, a team official confirmed Gregory will not play...

By Steve Yanda | November 13, 2009; 07:56 PM ET | Comments (5)

Rebounding, rebounding, rebounding

The area in which the Maryland men's basketball players and Coach Gary Williams have said the team most needs to improve based on their showing in last week's exhibition game, as well as last Saturday's scrimmage against Temple (which was...

By Steve Yanda | November 13, 2009; 10:56 AM ET | Comments (10)

Williams: No update on Gregory

Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams just spoke with the media in advance of tomorrow night's regular season opener against Charleston Southern. When asked to provide an update on the status of junior forward Dino Gregory entering Friday night's game,...

By Steve Yanda | November 12, 2009; 03:28 PM ET | Comments (5)

Scouting Charleston Southern

The moment we've all been waiting for nearly has arrived. Friday night, the Maryland men's basketball team will host Charleston Southern in its regular season opener at Comcast Center. The Buccaneers reside in the Big South Conference and went 9-20...

By Steve Yanda | November 12, 2009; 10:02 AM ET | Comments (3)

Veteran's Day salute: Rick Mosley

Rick Mosley took his time marching up the steps of the Lexington Market in Baltimore one late September afternoon. He wore a boot on his left foot -- a precursor to the surgery he would undergo the following day --...

By Steve Yanda | November 11, 2009; 11:34 AM ET | Comments (4)

Vasquez featured in Washington Post Magazine

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....

By Matt Bonesteel | November 6, 2009; 12:48 PM ET | Comments (1)

Men's basketball injury update

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...

By Steve Yanda | November 4, 2009; 12:15 PM ET | Comments (1)

Terps already missing Dave Neal

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...

By Steve Yanda | November 4, 2009; 11:15 AM ET | Comments (5)

First look at Padgett, J. Williams

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...

By Steve Yanda | November 4, 2009; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (8)

Men's basketball team turns to the tape

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...

By Steve Yanda | November 4, 2009; 08:38 AM ET | Comments (1)

Morning links

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....

By Eric Prisbell | November 4, 2009; 07:59 AM ET | Comments (0)

Maryland defeats Indiana (Pa.), 75-54

It wasn't always pretty, but the Terrapins prevailed over Division II Indiana (Pa.), 75-54, on Tuesday night at Comcast Center. Coach Gary Williams and players said afterward they were disappointed in several aspects of the performance, citing team defense and...

By Steve Yanda | November 3, 2009; 10:32 PM ET | Comments (3)

Padgett to start in place of Gregory

Freshman forward James Padgett will start tonight's exhibition game against Indiana (Pa.) in place of the suspended Dino Gregory. Padgett has performed very well in the team's two open scrimmages. We'll see how he fares tonight against his first collegiate...

By Steve Yanda | November 3, 2009; 08:00 PM ET | Comments (2)

Gregory to sit out exhibition game

Updated at 8:37 p.m. Junior forward Dino Gregory will sit out tonight's exhibition game against Indiana (Pa.) due to a violation of team rules, according to a news release issued by the school. The nature of the rules violation was...

By Steve Yanda | November 3, 2009; 07:32 PM ET | Comments (0)

Goins out for tonight's exhibition

Sophomore forward Steve Goins just walked out onto the court at Comcast Center in street clothes. It appears he will miss tonight's game, likely due to the lingering knee injury that has kept him out of practice recently. Goins had...

By Steve Yanda | November 3, 2009; 07:00 PM ET | Comments (0)

Three things to watch for against IUP

Among the things Maryland senior guard Eric Hayes said the team will monitor tonight during their exhibition game against Indiana (Pa.) are how hard the players compete, who is in game shape, how well the team executes its offense, who...

By Steve Yanda | November 3, 2009; 03:01 PM ET | Comments (1)

What preseason rankings really mean

Abridged version: nothing. Unabridged version: absolutely nothing. And still, as they always do, the preseason top 25 polls will be discussed a fair amount over the next couple of weeks until games get underway and people actually have something tangible...

By Steve Yanda | November 3, 2009; 11:07 AM ET | Comments (8)

Scouting Indiana (Pa.)

Indiana (Pa.), Maryland's foe tonight in an exhibition game at Comcast Center, returns three starters from a squad that went 22-8 last season and finished third in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The Crimson Hawks advanced to the second round...

By Steve Yanda | November 3, 2009; 08:44 AM ET | Comments (3)

Terps ready to guard someone else

Maryland senior guard Greivis Vasquez looked down at the red sports watch on his left wrist in mock anticipation this afternoon at Comcast Center. "I think everybody’s really excited to start playing," Vasquez said. "The young guys can’t even wait;...

By Steve Yanda | November 2, 2009; 03:24 PM ET | Comments (6)

Freshmen forwards making good impression

Given Maryland's dearth of traditionally-sized post players last season, the performances of freshmen forwards James Padgett and Jordan Williams are going to be closely monitored this season, likely to the point of overkill. But at least in the early going,...

By Steve Yanda | November 2, 2009; 09:03 AM ET | Comments (4)

Hightlights from men's basketball scrimmage

Following last week's scrimmage, Maryland Coach Gary Williams pointed out that the Terrapins' defensive pressure was not as suffocating as it needed to be, but also that pressure is usually one of the final components to fall into place because...

By Steve Yanda | October 31, 2009; 03:21 PM ET | Comments (2)

Men's basketball scrimmage tomorrow

For those of you in need of something to do before trick-or-treating, the Maryland men's basketball team will host an intrasquad scrimmage that is open to the public tomorrow at Comcast Center at 1 p.m. Maryland sits just outside of...

By Steve Yanda | October 30, 2009; 09:08 AM ET | Comments (0)

Terps just miss out in first coaches' poll

Maryland is the first team listed in the "others receiving votes" category in the first men's basketball coaches' poll of the season. Kansas is the No. 1 team as voted by the coaches. Locally, Georgetown is No. 21. What do...

By Matt Bonesteel | October 29, 2009; 09:21 AM ET | Comments (24)

Maryland picked 5th in preseason ACC men's basketball poll

Maryland was picked by members of the media to finish fifth in the ACC, according to the results of a poll taken Sunday during the conference's men's basketball media day in Greensboro, N.C. Senior guard Greivis Vasquez was selected to...

By Steve Yanda | October 25, 2009; 05:02 PM ET | Comments (4)

Men's Basketball Scrimmage: 3 Up, 3 Down

The Maryland men's basketball team hosted a scrimmage open to the public a few hours ago at Comcast Center, providing outside observers with their first opportunity to glance at this year's squad. The Terrapins were divided into two teams and...

By Steve Yanda | October 24, 2009; 04:24 PM ET | Comments (2)

Maryland hoops trio 'make it ugly' during offseason

For four days in late July, three members of the Maryland men’s basketball team traveled to Long Island, N.Y., intent on becoming ugly. Or, at least, their goal was to “make it ugly,” which was the theme of the workout...

By Steve Yanda | October 22, 2009; 02:13 PM ET | Comments (10)

NCAA targets third-party individuals in basketball recruiting

I just wrote a story about an NCAA proposal designed to address many of the issues we have detailed over the past few years. Here is the gist: The NCAA Division I Board of Directors will consider a new set...

By Eric Prisbell | October 21, 2009; 04:09 PM ET | Comments (4)

Mosley intent on becoming bigger piece of Terps' puzzle

On media day last week, Maryland Coach Gary Williams touched on most of the key contributors returning to the Terrapins this season. He talked about Greivis Vasquez improving his long-range accuracy and Landon Milbourne being more comfortable at the power...

By Steve Yanda | October 21, 2009; 08:37 AM ET | Comments (11)

Madness Over; Time For Practice

Following a very streamlined version of Maryland Madness, Gary Williams walked into the media room here at Comcast Center and posed the inquiry of the night to a group of reporters with their digital recorders extended in his direction. "What...

By Steve Yanda | October 16, 2009; 10:30 PM ET | Comments (1)

Live From Maryland Madness

Just a little while ago, senior guard Eric Hayes met with reporters and discussed his thoughts on the final Maryland Madness of his career. The men's and women's basketball teams will be introduced shortly, right after Gymkana finishes up another...

By Steve Yanda | October 16, 2009; 08:39 PM ET | Comments (0)

More on Hayes and Goins

Senior guard Eric Hayes and sophomore forward Steve Goins are expected to take the court tomorrow when the team begins its first official practice of the season despite injuries that limited each player since the beginning of the semester. Hayes...

By Steve Yanda | October 16, 2009; 10:04 AM ET | Comments (14)

Gary Williams on 'Washington Post Live'

Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams stopped by Comcast SportsNet's "Washington Post Live" on Thursday. Check out the video....

By Matt Bonesteel | October 16, 2009; 08:07 AM ET | Comments (0)

Quick Injury Update

Maryland Coach Gary Williams said senior guard Eric Hayes and sophomore forward Steve Goins will try to practice on Saturday. Hayes has been dealing with a turf toe injury for the past two months, while Goins is recovering from offseason...

By Steve Yanda | October 15, 2009; 09:24 PM ET | Comments (4)

Men's Basketball Media Day Quotes

Over the next week or so, we'll start to discuss some of the critical issues facing the Maryland men's basketball team as it prepares to open the season next month. In the meantime, here are a few thoughts from Gary...

By Steve Yanda | October 15, 2009; 09:15 PM ET | Comments (6)

Men's Basketball Season Gets Underway

Finally, the time has come for the Maryland men's basketball season to get underway. It's been a long wait since last March. Too long, if you ask me. But nonetheless, the wait is over. On Thursday afternoon, the Terrapins will...

By Steve Yanda | October 14, 2009; 11:12 PM ET | Comments (22)

Williams Has Surgery on His Back

Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams underwent a successful surgical procedure Tuesday to repair a disk problem in his back. Williams is expected to rest for a week and then return in time to kick off the season at the...

By Matt Bonesteel | October 8, 2009; 09:47 AM ET | Comments (3)

'Mr. Maryland' Passes Away

Jack Heise, a 1947 Maryland graduate and longtime supporter of the Maryland athletics department, passed away in his sleep on Monday night. Heise formerly served as the president of the M Club, the Terrapin Club, the Maryland Alumni Association and...

By Steve Yanda | October 6, 2009; 11:03 AM ET | Comments (8)

Charges Dropped Against J. Williams

UPDATED (8:55 p.m) Both misdemeanor charges against Maryland freshman forward Jordan Williams were dropped Monday afternoon. The case against Williams, 18, and four other teenagers involved in an incident nearly two months ago in Williams's hometown of Torrington, Conn., is...

By Steve Yanda | October 5, 2009; 05:43 PM ET | Comments (13)

J. Williams Hearing Postponed

The arraignment hearing of Maryland freshman forward Jordan Williams, which originally was scheduled to take place today, was postponed until Monday, Oct. 26. Williams is charged with assault in the third degree and breach of peace – both of which...

By Steve Yanda | October 5, 2009; 04:01 PM ET | Comments (0)

Burney Will Not Play for Terrapins This Season

UPDATED 1:09 P.M. WITH MARYLAND CONFIRMING Maryland fourth-year junior forward Jerome Burney has not participated in team workouts this fall and will not play for the Terrapins this season because of lingering issues with two right foot injuries the player...

By Steve Yanda | October 2, 2009; 11:47 AM ET | Comments (19)

Jordan Williams's Attorney: 'This Wasn't A Street Brawl'

The attorney for Maryland freshman forward Jordan Williams said in a telephone interview Tuesday evening that his client intended to act only as a peacemaker during an Aug. 8 incident from which Williams was charged with misdemeanor assault and breach...

By Steve Yanda | September 29, 2009; 08:18 PM ET | Comments (2)

Jordan Williams Charged With Assault (Updated)

Maryland freshman forward Jordan Williams has been charged with assault in Torrington, Ct., his hometown, according to an official from the city's police department. Williams was one of five teenagers arrested for an alleged assault on Aug. 8. Williams, 18,...

By Steve Yanda | September 28, 2009; 02:10 PM ET | Comments (27)

Williams Contract Extended Through 2013

Maryland men's basketball Coach Gary Williams, who will enter his 21st season with the Terrapins, earned a one-year extension on his existing contract, the school's athletic department announced in a release this afternoon. The extension pushes the length of Williams's...

By Steve Yanda | September 21, 2009; 03:42 PM ET | Comments (17)

Smith Scores Again; Terps Draw Even

With 12:18 remaining in the game, Maryland held the ball on the James Madison eight yard-line. Quarterback Chris Turner took the snap and ran to his right, appearing to set up an option run. But when he tossed the ball,...

By Steve Yanda | September 12, 2009; 08:31 PM ET | Comments (0)

Change to Men's Basketball Schedule

The ACC announced today that Maryland's home game against Miami will now take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26. It originally had been scheduled for 9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 28. The game will still be broadcast on...

By Steve Yanda | September 11, 2009; 02:30 PM ET | Comments (5)

Vasquez, Venezuela Out At FIBA Americas

Despite solid play from Maryland senior guard Greivis Vasquez, the Venezuelan national team was eliminated from the FIBA Americas Championship in Puerto Rico over the weekend. Vasquez averaged 9.8 points, 5.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game in four contests....

By Steve Yanda | August 31, 2009; 08:30 AM ET | Comments (0)

Vasquez Competing at FIBA Americas Championship

Today is the third day of pool play at the FIBA Americas Championship in Puerto Rico, and so far the results have been mixed for Maryland senior guard Greivis Vasquez, who is competing for his native Venezuela. In two games,...

By Steve Yanda | August 28, 2009; 09:48 AM ET | Comments (8)

About the Team Web Site Story

Hello, everyone. This is Eric Prisbell. I wanted to share some brief thoughts about the story I wrote with Steve Yanda on Web site proprietors getting involved in the recruitment of college basketball prospects. This was a story I had...

By Eric Prisbell | August 26, 2009; 01:01 PM ET | Comments (8)

Maryland Basketball Releases 2009-10 Schedule

Maryland has released its men's basketball schedule for the upcoming season. The Terrapins will play at least 12 teams that advanced to postseason play last season. Here's how it looks: Tue, Nov. 3 vs. Indiana (Pa.) (exhibition) 8 p.m. Fri,...

By Steve Yanda | August 25, 2009; 03:24 PM ET | Comments (38)

About the Joe Davis Recruiting Story

Hello, everyone. This is Eric Prisbell. I had not chimed in yet on the Joe Davis recruiting story, but because I was asked about it Thursday on a West Coast radio station in Portland, Ore., and on a local radio...

By Eric Prisbell | August 21, 2009; 09:36 AM ET | Comments (17)

Mychal Parker Commits to Maryland

Maryland landed an oral commitment from 6-foot-6 swingman Mychal Parker last night, according to multiple sources familiar with Parker's recruitment. Parker, a native of Washington, N.C., is rated as the No. 55 overall prospect by Scout.com. Rivals.com ranks him at...

By Steve Yanda | August 20, 2009; 08:52 AM ET | Comments (69)

Vasquez Named to Wooden Award Watch List

Maryland senior guard Greivis Vasquez has been named to the 2009-10 Wooden Award watch list. One of 50 candidates to be selected as a preseason candidate for men's college basketball's top individual award, Vasquez enters his final season at College...

By Steve Yanda | August 19, 2009; 06:47 PM ET | Comments (2)

Neal Hits the Books and the Court in N. Ireland

Former Maryland forward Dave Neal took two months off of basketball at the conclusion of the 2009-09 season. The Terrapins had finished 21-14 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, far greater accomplishments than many observers believed...

By Steve Yanda | August 17, 2009; 01:07 PM ET | Comments (4)

Now in Australia, Gilchrist Learning to Be a Leader

Former Maryland point guard John Gilchrist spent his Sunday afternoon at a grocery store on the southern coast of Australia, roughly 10,500 miles from his home town of Norfolk. The trip took longer than expected, but he didn't mind. Gilchrist...

By Steve Yanda | August 17, 2009; 08:29 AM ET | Comments (10)

Field Set for Maui Invitational

The good folks who run the Maui Invitational just sent over the bracket for this year's tournament. Maryland will take on host Chaminade in the first round on Nov. 23 at 9:30 p.m. Eastern time. The game will be televised...

By Steve Yanda | August 4, 2009; 02:20 PM ET | Comments (8)

After Name Change, Choi to Compete for Korea

On Friday, Maryland sophomore forward Jin Soo Kim returned home to South Korea to join the Korean national team as it prepares to take part in the upcoming FIBA Asia championships. Except he didn't leave the United States as Jin...

By Steve Yanda | July 13, 2009; 08:29 AM ET | Comments (34)

Catching Up With Greivis Vasquez

While attending the LeBron James Skills Academy yesterday in Akron, Ohio, I caught up with Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez, who was one of 20 college players selected to attend the camp. Vasquez said he's mostly been resting up his legs...

By Steve Yanda | July 8, 2009; 08:32 AM ET | Comments (20)

And The Lance Stephenson Sweepstakes Winner Is ...

... Cincinnati? That's right, the talented guard out of Brooklyn who Maryland at one point highly coveted signed a financial aid agreement on Tuesday with Cincinnati, according to a statement released by the Bearcats. Several news outlets reported Stephenson's signing...

By Steve Yanda | July 1, 2009; 05:56 PM ET | Comments (30)

Greivis Vasquez's Return: What It All Means

Judging by the comments made on the blog yesterday afternoon, as well as e-mails I received last night, there seems to be a mixed reaction to the announcement that Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez will return for his senior season. Some...

By Steve Yanda | June 16, 2009; 08:34 AM ET | Comments (58)

Greivis Vasquez to Return to Maryland

Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez withdrew his name from the NBA draft and will return to Maryland for his senior season, Maryland Coach Gary Williams confirmed in a phone interview. "He talked to about 14 or 15 (NBA) teams and really...

By Steve Yanda | June 15, 2009; 03:04 PM ET | Comments (24)

Vetter on Vasquez: 'Absolutely Nothing Has Changed'

On Friday, SI.com reported that Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez would be staying in the NBA draft (second-to-last item) and, therefore, not returning to College Park for his senior season. However, Stu Vetter, Vasquez's coach at Montrose Christian and someone Vasquez...

By Steve Yanda | June 8, 2009; 12:09 PM ET | Comments (5)

More Excerpts From Gary Williams's Speech

Last night in Ballroom B of the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay hotel in Cambridge, Md., 200 members of the Maryland Economic Development Association munched on steak and crab cakes during the awards banquet that capped off the organization's three-day annual...

By Steve Yanda | June 2, 2009; 09:32 AM ET | Comments (12)

Williams Believes Vasquez Will Return For Senior Season

After speaking for 20 minutes at the Maryland Economic Development Association’s awards banquet Monday night at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Cambridge, Md., Maryland men’s basketball coach Gary Williams asked the dinner party of 200 if there were any questions....

By Steve Yanda | June 1, 2009; 09:47 PM ET | Comments (8)

Vasquez Works Out For Wizards

Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez was one of four players to work out for the Washington Wizards today at Verizon Center. Vasquez said it was his third pre-draft workout (Cleveland and San Antonio were the others) and that he had several...

By Steve Yanda | May 21, 2009; 02:40 PM ET | Comments (11)

Henry Chooses Kansas; Stephenson Still Deciding

On the surface, Xavier Henry's decision to play basketball at Kansas would appear to be encouraging news for Maryland fans holding out hope that the Terrapins still can land Lance Stephenson, another top prospect in the Class of 2009. The...

By Steve Yanda | April 23, 2009; 04:57 PM ET | Comments (9)

Vasquez to Enter NBA Draft

Minutes ago, Comcast SportsNet reiterated what Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez told me on March 11: that he plans to declare for the NBA draft but not immediately hire an agent so he still has the option to return to school...

By Eric Prisbell | April 22, 2009; 06:48 PM ET | Comments (16)

'Nova's Anderson Has Fond Terps Memories

Villanova’s 1985 championship game victory over Georgetown may be one of the watershed moments in the history of the tournament, but it doesn’t resonate too strongly with the current Wildcats, none of whom had be born when Rollie Massimino’s team...

By Matthew Rennie | April 2, 2009; 04:15 PM ET | Comments (32)

Stephenson Elects to 'Wait It Out'

On Tuesday afternoon at BankUnited Center in Miami, prep phenom Lance Stephenson appeared with his father and mother to make a statement regarding the announcement he was supposed to make on his college choice. "I know everyone is here for...

By Steve Yanda | March 31, 2009; 01:00 PM ET | Comments (40)

Stephenson Postpones Commitment Announcement

Shortly after 1 a.m. this morning, the PR folks with the McDonald's All-American game sent out the following message: Following tonight’s POWERADE Jam Fest, the McDonald’s All American Games staff learned that Lance Stephenson will not make his college decision...

By Steve Yanda | March 31, 2009; 06:09 AM ET | Comments (13)

More on Tony Bennett to U-Va.

I just talked with Brad Soderberg about Virginia’s new coach, Tony Bennett. Brad and Tony have been close for more than 25 years and usually talk once a week. When I went up to Pullman, Wash., a couple years ago...

By Eric Prisbell | March 30, 2009; 08:22 PM ET | Comments (9)

Postseason Evaluations: Gary Williams

This week, Terrapins Insider has taken a look at each of the Maryland players and how they performed this season. With those evaluations complete, we'll now take a look at the man responsible for leading this squad through an up-and-down...

By Steve Yanda | March 27, 2009; 01:00 PM ET | Comments (39)

Postseason Evaluations: Dupree, Burney, Kim, Goins, Pearman

This week, Terrapins Insider is taking a look back at the Maryland season that concluded last weekend. Each day will feature posts on the performances of specific players and Coach Gary Williams. Sophomore center Braxton Dupree: There was a lot...

By Steve Yanda | March 27, 2009; 12:55 PM ET | Comments (6)

Postseason Evaluations: Dino Gregory

This week, Terrapins Insider is taking a look back at the Maryland season that concluded last weekend. Each day will feature posts on the performances of specific players and Coach Gary Williams. Sophomore forward Dino Gregory’s season can be summed...

By Steve Yanda | March 27, 2009; 12:04 PM ET | Comments (4)

Postseason Evaluations: Cliff Tucker

This week, Terrapins Insider is taking a look back at the Maryland season that concluded last weekend. Each day will feature posts on the performances of specific players and Coach Gary Williams. The “DNP” was the worst. Sophomore swingman Cliff...

By Steve Yanda | March 27, 2009; 07:01 AM ET | Comments (8)

Postseason Evaluations: Eric Hayes

This week, Terrapins Insider is taking a look back at the Maryland season that concluded last weekend. Each day will feature posts on the performances of specific players and Coach Gary Williams. The decision to move Sean Mosley into the...

By Steve Yanda | March 26, 2009; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (9)

Postseason Evaluations: Sean Mosley

This week, Terrapins Insider is taking a look back at the Maryland season that concluded last weekend. Each day will feature posts on the performances of specific players and Coach Gary Williams. The decision to insert freshman guard Sean Mosley...

By Steve Yanda | March 26, 2009; 07:10 AM ET | Comments (15)

Postseason Evaluations: Landon Milbourne

This week, Terrapins Insider is taking a look back at the Maryland season that concluded last weekend. Each day will feature posts on the performances of specific players and Coach Gary Williams. Landon Milbourne is sort of a brooding fellow....

By Steve Yanda | March 25, 2009; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (32)

Postseason Evaluations: Dave Neal

This week, Terrapins Insider is taking a look back at the Maryland season that concluded last weekend. Each day will feature posts on the performances of specific players and Coach Gary Williams. The area around his eyes was red and...

By Steve Yanda | March 25, 2009; 07:16 AM ET | Comments (25)

Maryland Spring Practice Underway

I have to catch a plane to Phoenix (and then a very long cab ride to Glendale) in a bit, but I stopped in the Gossett Team House for Ralph Friedgen’s press conference to open spring practice. As expected, Friedgen...

By Eric Prisbell | March 24, 2009; 03:19 PM ET | Comments (3)

Postseason Evaluations: Adrian Bowie

This week, Terrapins Insider is taking a look back at the Maryland season that concluded last weekend. Each day will feature posts on the performances of specific players and Coach Gary Williams For much of the final three games of...

By Steve Yanda | March 24, 2009; 12:09 PM ET | Comments (35)

Postseason Evaluations: Greivis Vasquez

This week, Terrapins Insider is taking a look back at the Maryland season that concluded last weekend. Each day will feature posts on the performances of specific players and Coach Gary Williams Greivis Vasquez scored 10 or more points in...

By Steve Yanda | March 24, 2009; 07:12 AM ET | Comments (32)

Do Terps Fans Now Cheer For Memphis?

First, a quick note on the blog schedule for the coming week. I'll be traveling throughout the Midwest, making my way slowly but surely to Memphis for the South Region semifinals and final. But while I'm pulled over at various...

By Steve Yanda | March 23, 2009; 12:12 PM ET | Comments (23)

Solid Showing For Maryland-Bound Padgett

Lance Stephenson may have tallied 24 points while leading Abraham Lincoln High School to its fourth straight PSAL title (the first time that's ever been done, by the way) over the weekend, but the Railsplitters received a significant boost from...

By Steve Yanda | March 23, 2009; 10:11 AM ET | Comments (2)

Lance Stephenson Chatter

While you all continue to ponder the season that just concluded for Maryland, take a few minutes to look ahead to the possibilities next season might bring. One possibility that remains on the table is that prep phenom Lance Stephenson...

By Steve Yanda | March 23, 2009; 07:29 AM ET | Comments (12)

Poll: Initial Grade For Terps' Season

Over the next week, we'll take a more thorough look back at the Maryland season that concluded yesterday afternoon with a loss to Memphis in the second round of the NCAA tournament. But for now, I'd like to get a...

By Steve Yanda | March 22, 2009; 08:20 AM ET | Comments (23)

Terps Season Ends With 89-70 Loss To Memphis

Silence permeated the Maryland locker room in the minutes that followed a thorough defeat. Some players stared at the ground. Others stared straight ahead. Most spoke in hushed tones. "We're at a loss for words," Adrian Bowie said. Memphis firmly...

By Steve Yanda | March 21, 2009; 07:16 PM ET | Comments (7)

Henderson-Niles: 'We Shut Him Up Real Fast'

Just got out of the Memphis locker room, where I talked with Pierre Henderson-Niles and others: “We just beat them by 20 something points, so we shut him up real fast,” Henderson-Niles said. “Whatever he said, we just came out...

By Eric Prisbell | March 21, 2009; 06:04 PM ET | Comments (36)

Memphis Not Playing like a .500 ACC Team

Memphis played its best in the first half. The Tigers looked like a Final Four-caliber team in the first half. There was not much Maryland could do when the Tigers are lights out from three-point range. poll by twiigs.com...

By Eric Prisbell | March 21, 2009; 04:19 PM ET | Comments (11)

Three Questions On Maryland-Memphis

A few hours from now, Maryland will take on Memphis for the right to advance to the West Region semifinals next week in Glendale, Ariz. For Memphis, taking this step would merely be meeting the standard the Tigers set in...

By Steve Yanda | March 21, 2009; 11:17 AM ET | Comments (16)

Scouting Memphis

Memphis appeared sloppy and uninterested during much of Thursday's NCAA tournament first round win over Cal State Northridge. But don't let the scare the Tigers suffered through fool you. This team is extremely athletic and has size in abundance. The...

By Steve Yanda | March 21, 2009; 08:13 AM ET | Comments (7)

Poll: Vasquez, Memphis Players and Trash Talk

Back at the hotel after a long day. This is Eric. We had some interesting comments Friday by Memphis players and Greivis Vasquez. I’ve heard a lot of thoughts on the matter from fans and writers. Not sure how I...

By Eric Prisbell | March 21, 2009; 01:54 AM ET | Comments (17)

Vasquez: 'They Don't Have Tough Games'

Columnist Mike Wise just sent this to me. Greivis Vasquez made some comments about Memphis and Conference USA. I've got to get back to writing a story about something else, but here is what Wise sent me: "You got to...

By Eric Prisbell | March 20, 2009; 05:13 PM ET | Comments (43)

Gregory's Big Putback Fueled Terps

With just less than five minutes remaining yesterday against California, Dino Gregory snagged a rebound off Eric Hayes's missed shot in midair and slammed it back for a dunk that shook the stanchion, brought the crowd to its feet and...

By Steve Yanda | March 20, 2009; 01:04 PM ET | Comments (11)

Slowing Down 'That Little Guy'

California guard Jerome Randle might be 5-foot-10, his officially listed height on the Golden Bears' roster. Might be. But Randle made clear to everyone in attendance at the Sprint Center yesterday afternoon that he can do some damage on a...

By Steve Yanda | March 20, 2009; 10:08 AM ET | Comments (4)

Aggression Is Key For Bowie

The first five games of March did not treat Adrian Bowie particularly well. The sophomore guard scored no more than six points in any of those games, and he struggled to become involved in other aspects of the game as...

By Steve Yanda | March 20, 2009; 07:05 AM ET | Comments (0)

Terps Advance With 84-71 Win Over Cal

There was a rumor floating around this week that California was a top-notch three-point shooting squad that could pile on points in a hurry. And the Golden Bears very well may be that squad -- they just didn't show it...

By Steve Yanda | March 19, 2009; 07:26 PM ET | Comments (52)

Poll: Will Maryland Beat Memphis?

So it is Maryland-Memphis on Saturday. A fascinating matchup. I’m already fired up for it. I talked with the Memphis players for a while after the game. Roburt Sallie’s three-point barrage was the difference. Ten three-pointers helped the Tigers survive...

By Eric Prisbell | March 19, 2009; 06:11 PM ET | Comments (6)

Memphis Struggling

Where would Memphis be without Roburt Sallie? The sophomore reserve guard, whose career high was 13 points entering today, scoreed 17 points in the first half to keep the No. 2 seeded Tigers ahead of Cal State-Northridge, which has shown...

By Eric Prisbell | March 19, 2009; 01:30 PM ET | Comments (6)

Three Questions on Terps-Bears

In less than two hours, the Terrapins will tip off against California in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Both squads see similarities between the two, which should make for an interesting matchup. Here are the three questions I...

By Steve Yanda | March 19, 2009; 01:06 PM ET | Comments (4)

To Zone or Not to Zone?

With the exception of last Saturday's game against Duke, the Terrapins' 3-2 zone defense has treated them quite well this season. So well, in fact, that Coach Gary Williams has said he's used it more this season than in any...

By Steve Yanda | March 19, 2009; 10:29 AM ET | Comments (12)

Bowie to Try to Contain Randle

California guard Jerome Randle stands 5 feet 10, or roughly four inches shorter than Maryland guard Adrian Bowie. So when the two square off tomorrow, Bowie will hold an advantage he rarely has experienced this season. He'll actually be taller...

By Steve Yanda | March 19, 2009; 07:24 AM ET | Comments (7)

Most Intriguing Games

Good afternoon, everyone. I had an early flight today to Kansas City. And I have been interviewing players, mostly Memphis players, the past few hours. I wanted to rank the games tomorrow in order of most intriguing. Tell me if...

By Eric Prisbell | March 18, 2009; 04:13 PM ET | Comments (2)

Neal Open To Working As White House Counsel

Dave Neal used to spend 30-45 minutes filling out his NCAA tournament bracket. After all, the stakes were high back when he was a kid competing in his family's own tournament pool. Somewhere around $10-15 was on the line. It...

By Steve Yanda | March 18, 2009; 03:47 PM ET | Comments (4)

Williams Compares Cal to a Familiar Foe

Knowing a team and playing against said team, Gary Williams says, are two entirely different things. So while the Terrapins certainly will watch a lot of tape on California and be cognizant of its tendencies come tip-off on Thursday, Williams...

By Steve Yanda | March 18, 2009; 01:34 PM ET | Comments (4)

Williams's Growing Comfort With the Zone

Following Saturday's loss to Duke in the ACC tournament semifinals, Maryland Coach Gary Williams talked about the 3-2 zone defense that, for one of the few times all season, had not been too effective. He said he's used more zone...

By Steve Yanda | March 18, 2009; 10:22 AM ET | Comments (0)

All Parties Benefited From Terps' Lineup Switch

Few would argue that the Terrapins were better off a month and a half ago than they are now, and one of the catalysts for Maryland's late-season improvement was a lineup switch that could have caused division among the ranks....

By Steve Yanda | March 18, 2009; 07:17 AM ET | Comments (8)

Prisbell Talks Terps, Leitao

By Matthew Rennie | March 17, 2009; 06:49 PM ET | Comments (14)

Are the Terrapins Feeling Less Pressure?

After the regular season the Terrapins endured, they are well accustomed to dealing with pressure. The team played must-win game after must-win game for what seemed like the entire last month of ACC play. Then Maryland lost the regular season...

By Steve Yanda | March 17, 2009; 03:41 PM ET | Comments (21)

Using TV Breaks to the Terrapins' Advantage

It's no secret that Gary Williams likes to utilize high-pressure defense. Full-court. Half-court. Three-quarter court. Whatever works best at the time. Because of that, Williams said earlier today he would prefer to run a nine-man rotation. Down the stretch, though,...

By Steve Yanda | March 17, 2009; 01:06 PM ET | Comments (8)

'Patient And Disciplined' Bears Like to Run

California appears to be a risk-averse squad on defense. The Golden Bears ranked ninth in the Pacific-10 in steals per game (4.9) and ninth in blocks per game (2.0). They love to run in transition, but they are less aggressive...

By Steve Yanda | March 17, 2009; 10:18 AM ET | Comments (3)

Scouting California

The Golden Bears (22-10) don't enter the NCAA tournament with a whole lot of momentum. California has lost four out of its last six games, including a first-round defeat in the Pacific-10 tournament. First-year coach Mike Montgomery said during a...

By Steve Yanda | March 17, 2009; 07:15 AM ET | Comments (0)

The Final Picks

Good morning, everyone. This is Eric. I believe Steve leaves for Kansas City tonight. I depart for K.C. tomorrow morning. Some loyal readers have requested my Sweet 16 picks. And after examining the matchups for a considerable amount of time...

By Eric Prisbell | March 17, 2009; 06:15 AM ET | Comments (1)

Leitao Out at Virginia

Men's basketball coach Dave Leitao is out at Virginia. A school official told Cavaliers beat writer Zach Berman that Leitao has "resigned." But according to multiple reports this afternoon, the school fired Leitao today. CBSSports.com reports that Oklahoma Coach Jeff...

By Eric Prisbell | March 16, 2009; 03:48 PM ET | Comments (30)

Montgomery Sees Similarities With Terps

Cal Coach Mike Montgomery just spent a few minutes on a conference call with a group of reporters and he shared a few thoughts on the upcoming matchup against the Terps. Montgomery said Cal and Maryland share a few similarities,...

By Steve Yanda | March 16, 2009; 03:39 PM ET | Comments (6)

Terps Looking For Change Of Fortunes In KC

Dave Neal said last night he figured the Terps would end up in Miami, though he didn't mind so much when it turned out Maryland would be traveling to Kansas City. He said he was excited to be going anywhere...

By Steve Yanda | March 16, 2009; 01:39 PM ET | Comments (19)

Greivis and the Media

Just wanted to post this link to the Bog, which has something interesting on Vasquez:...

By Eric Prisbell | March 16, 2009; 01:00 PM ET | Comments (8)

Terps Quickly Turn Attention Toward Cal

Greivis Vasquez took a quick glance at the time showing on the jumbotron above the Comcast Center court before answering a critical question. How long do you celebrate an NCAA tournament bid? "That's a good question," Vasquez said at 7:06...

By Steve Yanda | March 16, 2009; 10:37 AM ET | Comments (15)

Great Coaches Gather in Kansas City

It's Eric again. One of the reasons I am so excited about this Kansas City sub-regional is because of all the great coaches that will be there. Gary Williams vs. Mike Montgomery in a first-round game? That’s pretty good. John...

By Eric Prisbell | March 16, 2009; 09:05 AM ET | Comments (18)

My Report Card

Good morning, everyone. This is Eric. Now the fun begins. I will be in Kansas City this week along with Maryland beat writer Steve Yanda and columnist Mike Wise. There are a lot of great stories at this Kansas City...

By Eric Prisbell | March 16, 2009; 08:07 AM ET | Comments (19)

Arizona's Selection Left Terps Puzzled, Worried

In reality, the Terps didn't have to wait all that long to hear their name called during the NCAA tournament selection show last night. The West Region -- the one in which Maryland was placed -- was revealed second, so...

By Steve Yanda | March 16, 2009; 07:13 AM ET | Comments (4)

NCAA Berth Caps Long Season For Terps

Maryland Coach Gary Williams kept moving toward the door of the John Paul Jones Arena press room as he shook Virginia Athletic Director Craig Littlepage’s hand and congratulated him on the Cavaliers’ win. Littlepage pulled Williams in and offered him...

By Steve Yanda | March 15, 2009; 08:39 PM ET | Comments (68)

Terps Return to NCAA Tournament

At 6:19 p.m. EST, Greg Gumbel announced Maryland had gained the 10 seed in the West region and will play seventh-seeded California on Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. Should the Terps advance to the second round, they would face either...

By Steve Yanda | March 15, 2009; 06:34 PM ET | Comments (134)

The Final Bracket. I'm Tired.

Here you go, Barno -- my final bracket. I have emerged from the dark room, crumpled sheets of paper in hand, and have made my decision. In the middle of the night a few nights ago, I scribbled two words...

By Eric Prisbell | March 15, 2009; 03:51 PM ET | Comments (9)

Bad News for Bubble Teams

Wow. One of the craziest games I have seen this week. Let's just send the entire SEC to the CBI. What a conference. Mississippi State earns the automatic berth by winning the SEC tournament. So the committee will now take...

By Eric Prisbell | March 15, 2009; 03:22 PM ET | Comments (3)

Final Bracket. I Think.

Okay, everyone. I shifted Maryland to the U-Conn. region to balance the bracket correctly. I have Terps-West Virginia (Gary meets Billy Hahn and Huggins) in a 6-11 game. I made one other switch, although it tore my heart out. i...

By Eric Prisbell | March 15, 2009; 01:09 PM ET | Comments (4)

For Terps, What Seed, What Site?

This entry is specifically meant for Barno, a loyal reader and fan of ours. I posted this last night on Press Break but wanted to post it here, as we try to figure out where Maryland is likely headed: Maryland...

By Eric Prisbell | March 15, 2009; 12:36 PM ET | Comments (7)

Almost Final Bracket

I have updated this bracket since 1 a.m. last night. This is my almost final bracket. I may make changes up until 3 p.m. My last two teams in are San Diego State and Penn State. Still torn over those...

By Eric Prisbell | March 15, 2009; 11:41 AM ET | Comments (3)

Selection Sunday Has Arrived

In a few hours, the NCAA tournament selection committee will announce the field of 65. While many observers feel the Terps did enough this week in Atlanta to gain entry into the Big Dance, I've received numerous emails from fans...

By Steve Yanda | March 15, 2009; 11:27 AM ET | Comments (1)

Watch Comcast SportsNet Tonight

Hello, everyone. This is Eric. If you want to get more bracket analysis after the field is unveiled tonight, please check out SportsNite at 10 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet. David Aldridge, Towson Coach Pat Kennedy and Comcast SportsNet’s Brent Harris...

By Eric Prisbell | March 15, 2009; 09:57 AM ET | Comments (2)

Terps Kept Calling Hayes's Number

With five and a half minutes remaining yesterday afternoon, the Terps trailed by 13 and the game appeared to be unraveling rather quickly. Duke had just capped a 12-2 run. Maryland kept making costly mistakes. And then the Terps ran...

By Steve Yanda | March 15, 2009; 08:06 AM ET | Comments (2)

Terps Fall to Duke In ACC Semis, 67-61

The Terps weren't about to make excuses for today's loss, but several players did acknowledge the mental and physical strain of playing three games in three days took a bit of a toll on them against Duke. Gary Williams cited...

By Steve Yanda | March 14, 2009; 07:56 PM ET | Comments (2)

Final: Duke 67, Maryland 61

Maryland stuck around until the very end, resilent as the Terps have been all season long. But Maryland could not do enough to catch up with Duke and eventually fell, 67-61. The Terps now will head home after an extended...

By Steve Yanda | March 14, 2009; 06:10 PM ET | Comments (25)

Terps' Gamble Pays Off

Once again last night, the Terps heavily employed a 3-2 zone defense, and once again, it was quite effective. Maryland's top defensive priority was containing Wake Forest's gigantic frontline, and it planned to do so by using all three of...

By Steve Yanda | March 14, 2009; 02:05 PM ET | Comments (9)

Nolan Smith and Maryland

This is Zach Berman, providing a glimpse from Duke’s locker room on Friday as they awaited Saturday’s game against Maryland. The business-like Blue Devils made sure to offer kind words about the Terrapins. They were aware that Maryland has been...

By Zach Berman | March 14, 2009; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (5)

Milbourne Earns Some Respect, Sort Of

There was no question Gary Williams was proud of his team, and specifically Dave Neal and Landon Milbourne, as he sat down at the dais for his postgame press conference last night. Milbourne's name might still remain relatively unknown in...

By Steve Yanda | March 14, 2009; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (18)

Saturday's ACC Tournament Viewing Guide

This is Zach Berman, providing a quick glimpse of what to watch while you count down toward Sunday’s unveiling of the NCAA tournament bracket… No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Florida State, 1:30 – Neither the Tar Heels nor...

By Zach Berman | March 14, 2009; 07:21 AM ET | Comments (10)

Terps Outwork Wake For 75-64 Victory

From the opening tip, it was very clear Maryland had something to play for tonight and Wake Forest did not. The Terps outhustled the Demon Deacons to loose balls. They outworked the Demon Deacons in pursuit of rebounds. And, frankly,...

By Steve Yanda | March 13, 2009; 11:24 PM ET | Comments (12)

Maryland Almost a Lock for NCAAs

Hello, everyone. This is Eric. Just left Maryland’s locker room. Gary Williams told the players not to talk about the NCAA tournament. But you could tell they feel confident about their position. And they should. They deserve it. A masterful...

By Eric Prisbell | March 13, 2009; 10:15 PM ET | Comments (16)

Maryland Takes Five-Point Lead Into Halftime

Both of today's early games came down to the final minute (North Carolina-Virginia Tech and Florida State-Georgia Tech), and this Maryland-Wake Forest game might make it a third. Maryland leads, 36-31, at halftime. With Virginia Tech likely on the outside...

By Zach Berman | March 13, 2009; 07:25 PM ET | Comments (9)

Wake to Give Terps Another Zone to Break

Last night, Maryland proved it could handle a 2-3 zone defense, especially with several hot hands from three-point range. Tonight against Wake Forest, the Terrapins are likely to see a different type of zone defense, one that might prove a...

By Steve Yanda | March 13, 2009; 01:25 PM ET | Comments (0)

UNC's Lawson In Uniform...and in Walking Boot

An update from courtside at the Georgia Dome... North Carolina guard Ty Lawson is standing during his team's warm-up in uniform, but his right foot has a walking boot and not a sneaker. That means the ACC player of the...

By Zach Berman | March 13, 2009; 11:43 AM ET | Comments (0)

Breaking Away In The Closing Minutes

Maryland and N.C. State each made its own extended runs in the first half of last night's game. The Wolfpack built a 13-point lead. The Terrapins brought the score back to a tie by the intermission. But the second half...

By Steve Yanda | March 13, 2009; 10:18 AM ET | Comments (5)

Friday's ACC Tournament Viewing Guide

Here is what to watch in Friday's ACC tournament as you await another six-overtime game... No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 8 Virginia Tech, noon: The Hokies still need a win to feel secure about the NCAA tournament, and beating...

By Zach Berman | March 13, 2009; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (2)

Big Shots Loosen Team's Collar

As he prepared to speak to his team during the media timeout with 3:38 remaining in the first half, Gary Williams yanked on his collar to loosen his tie just a tad, a literal conclusion to the figurative act his...

By Steve Yanda | March 13, 2009; 07:10 AM ET | Comments (6)

Terps Advance In ACC Tourney With 74-69 Win Over Wolfpack

N.C. State hit seven of its first 10 shots and led by 13 points with nine minutes left in the first half. Then Eric Hayes sank a three-pointer from the wing (it became a bit of a trend) and sparked...

By Steve Yanda | March 12, 2009; 11:04 PM ET | Comments (5)

Vasquez: My Focus is Maryland

Hey, everyone. This is Eric. I talked with Greivis Vasquez a little bit after Maryland’s win against North Carolina State. He asked me to make clear one more time, as I did in today’s short story, that Vasquez has his...

By Eric Prisbell | March 12, 2009; 09:46 PM ET | Comments (27)

Clemson's Slide Concerns Oglesby, Hurts Hokies

On Feb. 17, Clemson beat Maryland by 29 points. Since that game, the Tigers have lost four of six games, including Thursday’s 86-81 loss to 12th-seeded Georgia Tech. “It's been kind of a journey since we played Maryland,” guard Terrence...

By Zach Berman | March 12, 2009; 06:05 PM ET | Comments (7)

Georgia Tech Tallies Upset Over Clemson

Georgia Tech Coach Paul Hewitt sat down at the dais with the confidence of a man whose team was fresh off an outstanding season and headed toward a sure-fire NCAA berth. Sure, in reality the twelfth-seeded Yellow Jackets entered Thursday...

By Steve Yanda | March 12, 2009; 04:48 PM ET | Comments (0)

Miami's Loss Hard to Grasp

Miami forward Jimmy Graham sat at his locker stall holding a personal pan pizza with both hands. He stared at the closed box for a few moments before noticing the small group of reporters who had assembled around him. The...

By Steve Yanda | March 12, 2009; 02:34 PM ET | Comments (0)

A Bird's-Eye View

Earl Bowles steadied himself as he stepped over the first row of seats in Section U33, way up above the court at the Georgia Dome. His black orthopedic shoes wobbled slightly as he stepped from the orange folding seat onto...

By Steve Yanda | March 12, 2009; 01:53 PM ET | Comments (0)

The Fells Effect

There are some observers who believe the health of N.C. State guard Courtney Fells will play a large role in determining who wins tonight's matchup between the Wolfpack and the Terrapins. Fells missed his team's regular season finale because of...

By Steve Yanda | March 12, 2009; 01:22 PM ET | Comments (0)

Empty Seats, New Tattoos at the ACC Tournament

Some early notes from Zach Berman in Atlanta: >> The game begins in 30 minutes, and the cavernous dome is empty. That’s not entirely surprising for the Virginia Tech-Miami game, but both teams spoke yesterday about shooting and playing in...

By Jon DeNunzio | March 12, 2009; 12:10 PM ET | Comments (3)

Terps To Look For Same Openings In Wolfpack 'D'

Maryland had few problems driving into the lane on March 1 when the Terps took on N.C. State in Raleigh. Greivis Vasquez made several daring jaunts to the hole before finding an open teammate on the perimeter once the defense...

By Steve Yanda | March 12, 2009; 10:45 AM ET | Comments (1)

ACC Tournament Central: Right Here

Terps Insider readers: Just wanted to post a quick note letting you know that we (well, Steve Yanda and Zach Berman) will be posting here live from the ACC tournament in Atlanta starting with today's first game at noon. Didn't...

By Jon DeNunzio | March 12, 2009; 10:09 AM ET | Comments (0)

As Expected, Wolfpack To Run More Zone

N.C. State Coach Sidney Lowe stood outside his team's locker room at the Georgia Dome yesterday following the Wolfpack's afternoon workout and smiled wide. He tried first to avoid the question entirely. Then he tried to be politically correct. Finally,...

By Steve Yanda | March 12, 2009; 07:07 AM ET | Comments (2)

Keeping N.C. State Off The Glass

It's not as though N.C. State flat-out owned Maryland on the boards when the two teams met in Raleigh on March 1. Sure, it might have appeared that way at times, but the final rebounding tally (32-24 in favor of...

By Steve Yanda | March 11, 2009; 04:40 PM ET | Comments (0)

Vasquez Plans to Test NBA Draft Waters

Greetings from Atlanta. This is Eric. Just finished with Maryland's open locker room session. Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez said he plans to declare for the NBA draft after the season and compete in pre-draft camps before he decides whether he...

By Eric Prisbell | March 11, 2009; 02:22 PM ET | Comments (17)

Neal To Keep Tabs On Mid-Major Tourneys

The Terps will have some time to kill during the day tomorrow. Their first round game doesn't start until 7 p.m., which leaves a little extra time to do any assortment of things. For Dave Neal, there's a good chance...

By Steve Yanda | March 11, 2009; 01:21 PM ET | Comments (2)

Terps' Wish List: Good Looks And Free Throws

Maryland knocked off N.C. State on March 1 by shooting 48.2 percent (27 for 56) from the field. The Terps were less efficient Saturday when they shot 40.9 percent (27 for 66) from the field in a crushing defeat at...

By Steve Yanda | March 11, 2009; 11:18 AM ET | Comments (0)

New Format Refreshes Terps

After a while, the conference slate can become a bit of a grind for any team. Especially near the end, the repetition and seemingly constant turnaround has a tendency to create a somewhat stale atmosphere. Maryland, for example, played three...

By Steve Yanda | March 11, 2009; 09:12 AM ET | Comments (3)

Trip Down Memory Lane

The last time Gary Williams led a Maryland squad into the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, he left with a national championship trophy in tow. In 2002, the Final Four was held at the Georgia Dome, where Williams and a squad...

By Steve Yanda | March 11, 2009; 07:04 AM ET | Comments (1)

Everyone Together Now: 'One Game At A Time'

Dave Neal looked absolutely exhausted at the conclusion of his 15-minute session with the media earlier this afternoon at Comcast Center. And for good reason. Neal began by talking about how important the N.C. State game was for this Maryland...

By Steve Yanda | March 10, 2009; 02:45 PM ET | Comments (11)

Vasquez Earns All-ACC Honors Again

Yesterday afternoon, the ACC announced the All-ACC selections, as picked my an assortment of regional media members, and Maryland junior guard Greivis Vasquez was picked to the second team for the second year in a row. Vasquez was Maryland's only...

By Steve Yanda | March 10, 2009; 07:01 AM ET | Comments (8)

N.C. State Has Vengeance On Its Mind

What likely was an inconsequential side note to most Maryland followers at the end of the Terps' March 1 win at N.C. State apparently remained stuck in the craw of Wolfpack fans. Greivis Vasquez took an ill-advised three-pointer at the...

By Steve Yanda | March 9, 2009; 01:24 PM ET | Comments (5)

How Far Will Terps Advance In Atlanta?

Yesterday's poll question centered more on the Terps' NCAA tournament chances, but now that the ACC tournament bracket is set, I'd like to know more specifically how you all think Maryland will do this week in Atlanta. The Terps earned...

By Steve Yanda | March 9, 2009; 10:21 AM ET | Comments (13)

Defensive Switch Fools Terps

After Virginia's Mamadi Diane drilled a three-pointer to put the Cavs up by three with 38.5 seconds to go Saturday evening, mass confusion ensued on Maryland's part. This much is clear. The main reason was that Virginia opted to go...

By Steve Yanda | March 9, 2009; 07:13 AM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Draw No. 7 Seed, N.C. State

Earlier today Florida State knocked off Virginia Tech, which ensured that Maryland will hold the No. 7 seed in this week's ACC tournament. That means the Terps will square off against No. 10 seed N.C. State at 7 p.m. on...

By Steve Yanda | March 8, 2009; 05:17 PM ET | Comments (14)

The Power Of Senior Night

Dave Neal knows full well the kind of emotional impact senior night can have on a player performing in front of his home crowd for the final time. On Tuesday, Neal tallied 19 points and hit crucial three after crucial...

By Steve Yanda | March 8, 2009; 02:37 PM ET | Comments (1)

Neal: Zone Offense 'Could Use A Little Work'

Late in the first half of yesterday's loss at Virginia, the Cavaliers switched from man-to-man to zone defense. The adjustment ended up being a crucial turning point in the game. To that point, Maryland hadn't necessarily been lighting up the...

By Steve Yanda | March 8, 2009; 11:18 AM ET | Comments (3)

How Do You Like The Terps Chances?

Maryland capped off its regular season yesterday with a 68-63 loss at Virginia that may have done considerable damage to the Terps NCAA tournament hopes. Players said after the game that they feel they likely have to win two games...

By Steve Yanda | March 8, 2009; 08:15 AM ET | Comments (5)

Terps Close Regular Season With 68-63 Loss At Virginia

The body language said it all. Whether it was Gary Williams with his lips pursed and his eyes down or Greivis Vasquez with his shoulders slumped and his gaze distant, it was clear the Terps knew they let one get...

By Steve Yanda | March 7, 2009; 07:28 PM ET | Comments (14)

Burney's Road To Recovery Could Be Long

On Thursday, the team announced that sophomore forward Jerome Burney would miss the remainder of the season due to a broken sesamoid bone in his right foot. When I heard the news, several questions immediately came to mind: What on...

By Steve Yanda | March 7, 2009; 11:03 AM ET | Comments (2)

For Milbourne, It's All In The Start

It's been a rough couple of weeks on the court for junior forward Landon Milbourne. He has scored six or fewer points and grabbed four or fewer rebounds in three of the last four games. He also has fouled out...

By Steve Yanda | March 7, 2009; 08:11 AM ET | Comments (1)

GW's Thoughts On Virginia

Near the end of Gary Williams's chat with the media a little while ago he was asked if he'd noticed the Cavaliers doing anything differently since the last time the Terps played them. "They're playing a lot of players, a...

By Steve Yanda | March 6, 2009; 12:50 PM ET | Comments (2)

Shutting Down Sylven

Before Maryland's first meeting with Virginia back in January, I spoke with Cavaliers Coach Dave Leitao and asked him what had contributed to freshman guard Sylven Landesberg's early success at the collegiate level. Leitao said two things set Landesberg apart...

By Steve Yanda | March 6, 2009; 10:25 AM ET | Comments (0)

Catching Up With The Cavaliers

Virginia has undergone several lineup changes since it lost to Maryland on Jan. 20. In fact, only one starter remains, and he's been struggling of late. The Cavaliers are 9-17 and have won just twice in 11 games since falling...

By Steve Yanda | March 6, 2009; 07:26 AM ET | Comments (5)

Important: The $49 Bus Ticket to Storrs

Hello, everyone. This is Eric Prisbell. Sorry, I’ve been so busy over the past two days I never posted about the healthy dialogue I had with a veteran Gary guy at halftime of the Wake Forest game. I know this...

By Eric Prisbell | March 5, 2009; 12:51 PM ET | Comments (22)

Burney Done For The Season

Sophomore forward Jerome Burney will miss the remainder of the season due to a broken sesamoid bone in his right foot, a team spokesman said in an email release. Burney returned to action Feb. 17 at Clemson after missing most...

By Steve Yanda | March 5, 2009; 12:46 PM ET | Comments (1)

Misdirection Only A First Half Charm For Terps

Part of the reason for Maryland's success early in Tuesday night's game against Wake Forest was the misdirection it used to draw and and subsequently fool several Demon Deacon defenders. For all of its superior size and athleticism, Wake Forest...

By Steve Yanda | March 5, 2009; 10:41 AM ET | Comments (5)

Up And Down Night For Vasquez

Tuesday night's game started out well for junior guard Greivis Vasquez. Assuming primary ball-handling duties, Vasquez conducted the offense efficiently, setting up teammates with those flashy no-look passes and setting up himself with creative drives to the basket. He finished...

By Steve Yanda | March 5, 2009; 07:23 AM ET | Comments (5)

Teague Gets Bucket And Charge

The final score of last night's contest seperated Maryland from Wake Forest, the No. 10 team in the nation, by two points. The Terps were one basket from sending the game into overtime or even winning it outright. And since...

By Steve Yanda | March 4, 2009; 03:28 PM ET | Comments (13)

Familiar Occurence Hurts Terps

For an instant, it appeared Maryland would get off to a promising start to the second half last night. Landon Milbourne made up for a Dave Neal turnover by blocking the shot attempt of Wake Forest guard L.D. Williams. The...

By Steve Yanda | March 4, 2009; 01:08 PM ET | Comments (8)

Terps Start Slow After Halftime

The Terps thought they had rid themselves of this nasty habit. They figured by this point in the season they simply had grown out of it. But just as they had done during several other games this year, the Terps...

By Steve Yanda | March 4, 2009; 10:09 AM ET | Comments (4)

Wake's 1-3-1 Zone Defense Causes Terps Headaches

Wake Forest defenders proved susceptible in the first half to wandering away from their assigned men in attempts to provide help on whichever Terp had the ball. Maryland players noticed as much and simply passed to their suddenly open teammates....

By Steve Yanda | March 4, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (5)

Terps Fall To Wake Forest, 65-63

Maryland controlled the game for much of the first half by hounding Wake Forest into a rash of turnovers and just plain out-hustling the Demon Deacons to loose balls and open space. But in the second half, the Terps wore...

By Steve Yanda | March 4, 2009; 12:35 AM ET | Comments (14)

Burney In A Boot ... Again

If you were wondering why sophomore forward Jerome Burney did not play a single minute Sunday night at N.C. State after solid performances in the previous two outings, it was because his right foot is bothering him once again. Burney...

By Steve Yanda | March 3, 2009; 08:14 PM ET | Comments (8)

Three Questions

Big game for the Terps tonight. A win could go a long way toward locking up an NCAA tournament bid. A loss puts Maryland behind the eight ball once again. Here are three questions I think will be key to...

By Steve Yanda | March 3, 2009; 03:52 PM ET | Comments (15)

Clips From Tobacco Road

Junior guard Greivis Vasquez drew the ire of many fans in attendance Sunday night when he sank a three-pointer at the buzzer -- with the Terps already up by eight points. But he apologized afterward for taking the shot and...

By Steve Yanda | March 3, 2009; 10:41 AM ET | Comments (32)

Scouting Wake Forest

There's no question the Demon Deacons possess one of the biggest frontcourts in the ACC. With three starters standing 6-foot-9 or taller, Wake Forest has the ability to control a game on most nights from the inside out. The Demon...

By Steve Yanda | March 3, 2009; 07:36 AM ET | Comments (5)

Under Armour Statement

Hello, everyone. This is Eric. Under Armour has issued a statement. I may have more a little later today after I make a few calls. Busy day. “Under Armour has been servicing collegiate athletics since our inception in 1996 and...

By Eric Prisbell | March 2, 2009; 02:35 PM ET | Comments (15)

Emotion Evident In Terps Win

With little more than five minutes remaining last night and the Terps up by two, Greivis Vasquez set a screen for Dave Neal on the wing, and the senior forward drilled a three pointer. The basket elicited a huge fist...

By Steve Yanda | March 2, 2009; 01:25 PM ET | Comments (6)

Under Armour Story

Hello, this is Eric Prisbell again. I have received some questions from readers and wanted to post this response, which I have been sending to several readers this morning: Thank you for the e-mail. I respect your opinion and appreciate...

By Eric Prisbell | March 2, 2009; 12:10 PM ET | Comments (26)

Lowe on GV: 'He's Clever'

After last night's game, N.C. State Coach Sidney Lowe said he was experiencing a sensation he had not felt in a while. His team had shown improvement in recent weeks. The Wolfpack had a adapted to a style of player...

By Steve Yanda | March 2, 2009; 10:37 AM ET | Comments (6)

N.C. State's Ball-handling Struggles Aid Terps

One unforeseen variable last night was the Wolfpack’s propensity to turn the ball over. In recent weeks, N.C. State’s coaching staff praised the development of the team’s ball-handling ability. But last night, the Wolfpack’s decision-making was poor and its capacity...

By Steve Yanda | March 2, 2009; 07:18 AM ET | Comments (2)

Terps Prevail Over N.C. State, 71-60

The Terps were well aware of how important tonight's game was in terms of holding onto their NCAA tournament hopes, and it appeared from the outset that the chips were stacked against them. N.C. State recently had switched to a...

By Steve Yanda | March 1, 2009; 11:02 PM ET | Comments (13)

UMD Athletic Department's Statement Regarding Recruiting Story

A short while ago, the Maryland athletic department posted the below statement on its website. Regarding a potential secondary violation involving Byron Mouton's contact with recruit Lance Stephenson at a Jan. 31 home game against Miami, such an infraction likely...

By Steve Yanda | March 1, 2009; 07:09 PM ET | Comments (54)

The Under Armour-Lance Stephenson Story (Update)

(Update: A Maryland official told me the school will be making a statement at some point in the next few hours. I will post it here.) Hello, this is Eric Prisbell. I wanted to share a few thoughts on today’s...

By Eric Prisbell | March 1, 2009; 03:00 PM ET | Comments (17)

Which Terp Will It Be Tonight?

In a couple of hours, Maryland will take on N.C. State in what appears to be pretty close to a must-win for the Terps. In recent games -- all of which were equally crucial as Maryland has attempted to reposition...

By Steve Yanda | March 1, 2009; 12:01 PM ET | Comments (8)

Clips From Raleigh

Yesterday, we looked at N.C. State's switch to a taller lineup and how that could pose matchup problems against many of the teams it faces, namely one from College Park. But as the Raleigh News & Observer reports, the Wolfpack's...

By Steve Yanda | March 1, 2009; 08:24 AM ET | Comments (3)

Mosley Expected To Start

Freshman guard Sean Mosley went down midway through the second half Wednesday night against Duke with an apparent ankle injury. He left the game but later returned to action, with a noticeable limp. Earlier today, Gary Williams said Mosley practiced...

By Steve Yanda | February 28, 2009; 01:30 PM ET | Comments (3)

Scouting N.C. State

N.C. State (15-11, 5-8 ACC) has undergone a few changes in recent weeks that have altered its look, style and production. Third-year Coach Sidney Lowe opted for a more up-tempo attack, but did so by making his lineup taller and...

By Steve Yanda | February 28, 2009; 08:09 AM ET | Comments (6)

What Do The Terps Need?

I was posed an interesting question yesterday during a segment on Washington Post Live: Do the Terps have to win out the remainder of their three regular season games in order to gain an NCAA tournament berth? I said that...

By Steve Yanda | February 27, 2009; 07:12 AM ET | Comments (25)

Milbourne Demonstrates Continued Development

Thirty-nine seconds into last night's game, junior forward Landon Milbourne sensed a physical advantage he has not often possessed this season and pounced at the opportunity. He caught the ball in the post, backed down Duke guard Jon Scheyer --...

By Steve Yanda | February 26, 2009; 10:31 AM ET | Comments (6)

Duke's Late Threes Doom Terps

With 5:22 remaining in last night's game, Duke swingman Gerald Henderson connected on his only made three-pointer of the night to break a 60-60 tie. Greivis Vasquez subbed in; Sean Mosley subbed out, and the Terps went back on offense....

By Steve Yanda | February 26, 2009; 07:33 AM ET | Comments (21)

Terps Fall to Duke, 78-67

Maryland certainly put up much more of a fight against the Blue Devils this time around, but Duke pulled away late thanks to some timely three-point shooting and solid play from Gerald Henderson. The Terps were not distraught or downtrodden...

By Steve Yanda | February 26, 2009; 12:54 AM ET | Comments (11)

Terps In Search Of Better Mental Approach

Prior to Saturday's game against North Carolina, senior forward Dave Neal relayed something Gary Williams had told the Terps during practice that week: "We are one of the luckiest teams in the country," Neal said. The reason, presumably, was that...

By Steve Yanda | February 25, 2009; 02:50 PM ET | Comments (8)

Terps Looking To Improve Offensive Showing

Gary Williams did not spend a whole lot of time showing his players film from their 41-point beating earlier this season at Duke. "If we're any good, we remember what happened without looking at the video," he said. "As far...

By Steve Yanda | February 25, 2009; 11:01 AM ET | Comments (2)

No Love For Duke In College Park

According to senior forward Dave Neal, who may or may not have been kidding, there is some sort of requirement that all incoming Maryland freshmen develop a seething hatred of all things Duke. During a lighter portion of yesterday's media...

By Steve Yanda | February 25, 2009; 07:44 AM ET | Comments (47)

Catching Up With The Blue Devils

Duke freshman guard Elliot Williams (6-foot-4, 180 lbs.) played all of three minutes in the Blue Devils' 78-75 overtime win over Miami on Feb. 7. In Duke's next two games -- losses to North Carolina and at Boston College --...

By Steve Yanda | February 24, 2009; 07:21 AM ET | Comments (15)

Vasquez Named ACC Player of the Week

From the ACC: GREENSBORO, N.C. – Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez has been named ACC player of the week and Duke’s Elliott Williams is the ACC rookie of the week. In earning Player of the Week honors for the second time this...

By Matthew Rennie | February 23, 2009; 05:46 PM ET | Comments (9)

Vasquez Grows Into Triple-Double

With two minutes to go in regulation against the No. 3 team in the nation and trailing by seven on his team’s home court, Greivis Vasquez slung a one-handed pass in transition intended for Sean Mosley. The ball sailed into...

By Steve Yanda | February 23, 2009; 07:13 AM ET | Comments (17)

Halftime Decision Propels Terps

Before each postgame press conference, Gary Williams stares intently at the stat sheet left for him at the podium. He eyes pour over quantifiable results that can help form the evaluations he soon will be asked to provide. After yesterday's...

By Steve Yanda | February 22, 2009; 03:29 PM ET | Comments (28)

Dealing With 'An NBA Frontline'

Together, Tyler Hansbrough (6-foot-9, 250 lbs.) and Deon Thompson (6-foot-8, 245 lbs.) form a pretty formidable frontcourt tandem for North Carolina -- one that typically draws some extra attention from opposing defenses. But according to Gary Williams, Maryland's plan yesterday...

By Steve Yanda | February 22, 2009; 01:12 PM ET | Comments (11)

Solid Showing For Tucker

When sophomore guard Cliff Tucker subbed into the game with 13:41 remaining in the second half, the Terps were down by 14 and momentum appeared to be at North Carolina's back. But over the next seven minutes, Tucker scored 14...

By Steve Yanda | February 22, 2009; 10:31 AM ET | Comments (8)

Juggling Necessary In Terps Win

The first 90 seconds of yesterday's game foreshadowed a tightly-called affair, one that would include many whistles and, therefore, frequent substitutions. With 18:26 left in the first half, Sean Mosley had been called for a foul and Dave Neal had...

By Steve Yanda | February 22, 2009; 08:06 AM ET | Comments (4)

Terps Knock Off No. 3 UNC, 88-85, in OT

Another big home win for the Terps. One week after bringing their conference record back to .500 and revitalizing their NCAA tournament hopes with a win over Virginia Tech, the Terps do the same against North Carolina. This one, obviously,...

By Steve Yanda | February 21, 2009; 08:21 PM ET | Comments (32)

Terps Look To Make Defensive Adjustments Against Heels

After Tuesday night's loss to Clemson -- one in which forward Trevor Booker and the Tigers' frontcourt had their way with the Terps when it came to scoring in the paint -- Landon Milbourne said he couldn't immediately put a...

By Steve Yanda | February 21, 2009; 12:04 PM ET | Comments (14)

Lethal Lawson

Later this afternoon, Maryland will take on No. 3 North Carolina in the first of a pair of home games that likely will determine the Terps' postseason plans. Win one (or both) of the next two games, and Maryland's hopes...

By Steve Yanda | February 21, 2009; 09:07 AM ET | Comments (2)

A Quick Update

Sorry for the late post, folks. Had to churn out an advance for tomorrow's print edition right after this afternoon's media availability. In any event, here are a few comments from Gary Williams, Dave Neal and Landon Milbourne, who each...

By Steve Yanda | February 20, 2009; 05:16 PM ET | Comments (3)

Poll: Stephenson or Malone?

Hello, everyone. A former Maryland player told me that a variety of AAU folks are interested in getting in touch with Steve Yanda and me. Steve and I have received a few hundred e-mails and messages over the past week...

By Eric Prisbell | February 20, 2009; 11:34 AM ET | Comments (16)

Links To Chapel Hill

As was mentioned in today's earlier post, North Carolina freshman forward Tyler Zeller (7-foot-0, 220 lbs.) is healthy and playing again for the Tar Heels after missing an extended period of time with a broken left wrist. He played eight...

By Steve Yanda | February 20, 2009; 10:56 AM ET | Comments (0)

Catching Up With North Carolina

Here's what the Tar Heels have accomplished in the two and a half weeks since their last meeting with Maryland: They've won four games, two of which were on the road. They've gotten over the fact Marcus Ginyard, Will Graves...

By Steve Yanda | February 20, 2009; 07:35 AM ET | Comments (12)

One Big Man Returns, Another Remains Absent

Sophomore forward Jerome Burney returned to action Tuesday night against Clemson after missing the previous 16 games while recovering from a stress fracture in his foot. Burney played eight minutes, tallying two points, three rebounds, two assists and a block....

By Steve Yanda | February 19, 2009; 01:11 PM ET | Comments (16)

Milbourne's Postgame Comments

The cold stare and distant look on junior forward Landon Milbourne's face after a loss always makes it seem as though he takes it harder than some of his teammates. I'm not saying that's actually the case; it just appears...

By Steve Yanda | February 19, 2009; 10:40 AM ET | Comments (14)

Terps Break Press, Own Momentum

Clemson is known as having one of the stingier defenses in the ACC and its press is vaunted as well. But last night Maryland had little trouble breaking it down and moving the ball past midcourt. The problems began for...

By Steve Yanda | February 19, 2009; 07:22 AM ET | Comments (6)

Gary Williams Meets With Curtis Malone

Well, this is an interesting twist. Curtis Malone, the co-founder of the talent-rich summer-league program D.C. Assault, told me he met with Gary Williams for an hour last week in an attempt to repair their relationship. The unlikely meeting also...

By Eric Prisbell | February 18, 2009; 05:23 PM ET | Comments (35)

Solid First Half For Neal

Clemson’s frontcourt was no bigger or taller than any other that Maryland had faced this season. But unlike previous opponents, the Tigers were intent on feeding the ball into the post from the game’s outset and leaving the Terrapins to...

By Steve Yanda | February 18, 2009; 03:57 PM ET | Comments (5)

Ignition Point Hurts Terps

There were several points last night when it seemed Maryland was poised to attack, to finally close the narrow gap Clemson had created early on and assume at least a small measure of control over the game. It was astonishing,...

By Steve Yanda | February 18, 2009; 01:24 PM ET | Comments (1)

Dealing With 'The Gretzky'

Clemson Coach Oliver Purnell admitted he was worried about the precarious position in which his team entered last night's game. The Tigers had just come off a disappointing overtime loss at Virginia, while their opponent, Maryland, had won three of...

By Steve Yanda | February 18, 2009; 10:31 AM ET | Comments (21)

Making The Terps 'Scramble'

Maryland entered halftime last night in good shape, trailing by just six points despite shooting 38.3 percent from the field and making 1 of 6 three-point attempts. As has often been the case this season -- especially early in the...

By Steve Yanda | February 18, 2009; 07:04 AM ET | Comments (11)

Terps Fall At Clemson, 93-64

This game got away from Maryland in a hurry. Though the Terps weren't playing particularly well on offense in the first half, they were able to keep within striking distance of Clemson by matching the Tigers' intensity on defense. Eventually,...

By Steve Yanda | February 17, 2009; 11:08 PM ET | Comments (10)

Williams & Neal: A Tag Team Effort

Following Saturday night's win over Virginia Tech, Gary Williams cited the leadership of Dave Neal -- the squad's lone senior -- as one reason why the Terps were able to prevail. Williams specifically pointed to Neal's efforts late in the...

By Steve Yanda | February 17, 2009; 02:02 PM ET | Comments (8)

The Gary Williams Interview

Hello, everyone. This is Eric Prisbell. I am about to post a large portion of my Feb. 5 interview with Gary Williams. I carefully edited the actual interview transcript for a few reasons. A decent amount was off the record...

By Eric Prisbell | February 17, 2009; 09:43 AM ET | Comments (85)

College Park's Joe Lunardi

Dave Neal doesn't claim to be a bracketology expert, but he's the closest to it that Maryland's got, so yesterday he was asked what he thought it will take for the Terps to garner an NCAA tournament bid. "I personally...

By Steve Yanda | February 17, 2009; 07:38 AM ET | Comments (8)

Hokies' Allen Suspended After Gesture At Comcast

Just heard from fellow Post reporter Zach Berman, who covers the Virginia Tech men's basketball team, that forward Jeff Allen has been suspended for Wednesday's game at Virginia for making an inappropriate gesture to the crowd after fouling out of...

By Steve Yanda | February 16, 2009; 06:16 PM ET | Comments (7)

GW: 'Accused Of Mellowing'

Just got through with Gary Williams's segment on the weekly ACC coaches' teleconference, and as usual, the content did not produce much hard news. Williams was asked at one point, though, about his thoughts on which coaches he's noticed do...

By Steve Yanda | February 16, 2009; 11:41 AM ET | Comments (1)

Mouton on Lance Stephenson

Good morning, everyone. This is Eric. There has been considerable buzz about the recruitment of Lincoln High’s Lance Stephenson, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2009, according to Hoop Scoop. If Stephenson plays for Maryland next season –...

By Eric Prisbell | February 16, 2009; 07:45 AM ET | Comments (40)

Scouting Clemson

The Terps' schedule the rest of the way appears daunting to say the least, but Maryland certainly appears to be catching its next opponent, Clemson (20-4, 6-4 ACC), at just the right time. Having won three of its last four...

By Steve Yanda | February 16, 2009; 07:13 AM ET | Comments (7)

Hair-raising Issues

As a symbol of team unity, each member of the Maryland men's basketball team was supposed to get the same haircut -- a mohawk -- before yesterday's game against Virginia Tech. Junior forward Landon Milbourne went first, though his was...

By Steve Yanda | February 15, 2009; 04:59 PM ET | Comments (0)

Quick Hands And Sudden Shifts Lead Defensive Charge

Ninety-three seconds into yesterday's contest, A.D. Vassallo already was backed into a corner. Dribbling the ball just past mid-court, Vassallo could not retreat lest he draw a back-court violation. He could not dribble to his left, where Sean Mosley was...

By Steve Yanda | February 15, 2009; 02:12 PM ET | Comments (8)

Shutting Down Tech's 'Big Three'

The defensive challenge facing the Terps entering yesterday's contest against Virginia Tech was both apparent and daunting -- they had to try to find a way to limit the effectiveness of the Hokies' top-scoring trio (A.D. Vassallo, Malcolm Delaney and...

By Steve Yanda | February 15, 2009; 11:07 AM ET | Comments (8)

Terps Close Convincingly Despite Vasquez's Foul Trouble

With 8:32 remaining in yesterday's win over Virginia Tech, Greivis Vasquez committed his fourth foul of the afternoon and was subbed out of the game. After Hokies swingman A.D. Vassallo converted two free throws, Maryland's lead was trimmed to seven...

By Steve Yanda | February 15, 2009; 08:20 AM ET | Comments (4)

Terps Hold Off Virginia Tech For 83-73 Win

In front of what may have been the most enthusiastic Comcast Center crowd all season, Maryland put on its most complete performance in quite some time. The Terps remained focussed on defense and efficient on offense throughout today's win over...

By Steve Yanda | February 14, 2009; 07:42 PM ET | Comments (11)

Missed Shots, Part III

A short while ago, part three of the Maryland recruiting series was posted online. This segment looks at the pressure Gary Williams is under to turn his team's fortunes around quickly, evident in his pursuit of recruits such as Lance...

By Steve Yanda | February 13, 2009; 03:44 PM ET | Comments (16)

Missed Shots, Part II

Good afternoon. This is Eric. I wanted to thank everyone for the kind words, thoughts and perspective on the three-part Maryland recruiting series. Write anytime. The large majority of the many emails Steve Yanda and I received were positive. The...

By Eric Prisbell | February 12, 2009; 02:55 PM ET | Comments (60)

Missed Shots

Over the past two weeks, Eric Prisbell and I, with help from several other Post reporters, looked into the Maryland men's basketball program's recruiting patterns since its most recent defining moment -- the 2002 national championship. We spoke to more...

By Steve Yanda | February 11, 2009; 03:45 PM ET | Comments (87)

Terps Big Men Hold Down The Fort

There were many points during Sunday night's game against Georgia Tech when Maryland's size disadvantage was made apparent. For instance, with less than two minutes remaining in the first half, freshman guard Sean Mosley was surrounded underneath the Terps' basket...

By Steve Yanda | February 10, 2009; 12:42 PM ET | Comments (3)

Shivering In the Alexander Coliseum

For most of last night's game, sophomore guard Adrian Bowie sat in between Braxton Dupree and assistant coach Keith Booth on the Terps' bench. And though he was wrapped in his warm-up garments most of the time, he still was...

By Steve Yanda | February 9, 2009; 07:50 AM ET | Comments (5)

Terps Defeat Jackets In First Road Win, 57-56

It wasn't pretty by any means, but that has somewhat become Maryland's calling card, no? The Terrapins overcame the absence of sophomore guard Adrian Bowie, who was out with the flu, to defeat Georgia Tech and earn their first true...

By Steve Yanda | February 8, 2009; 11:04 PM ET | Comments (15)

Terps Plagued By Continuing Communication Issues

Junior guard Greivis Vasquez acknowledged yesterday that constant defensive communication is not nearly as crucial in nonconference play as it is when facing ACC opponents. Sure, having everybody on the same page against teams like Michigan State or Georgetown is...

By Steve Yanda | February 8, 2009; 12:44 PM ET | Comments (3)

GaTech Struggling To Find Offensive Groove

Maryland is not the only team that has struggled to find its collective shooting stoke on a consistent basis this season. Georgia Tech enters tonight's match-up ranked 11th in the ACC in shooting percentage (40.2 percent) since the start of...

By Steve Yanda | February 8, 2009; 08:28 AM ET | Comments (2)

Catching Up With Georgia Tech

After falling to Maryland, 68-61, on Jan. 10, Georgia Tech lost its next four games before pulling off a shocking upset over Wake Forest on Jan. 31. The win was the Yellow Jackets' first in ACC play this season. Georgia...

By Steve Yanda | February 7, 2009; 03:00 PM ET | Comments (0)

Midseason Evals: Misc.

The last segment in this five-part series will have an award-type feel to it. Not a whole lot of intro necessary ... poll by twiigs.com poll by twiigs.com poll by twiigs.com poll by twiigs.com poll by twiigs.com poll by twiigs.com...

By Steve Yanda | February 6, 2009; 01:02 PM ET | Comments (5)

Midseason Evals: The Coaching

Based on the personnel he assembled for himself this season, Gary Williams knew this year would be a challenge. He had little size, depth or experience in the post. He had never used three point guards in a starting lineup...

By Steve Yanda | February 6, 2009; 08:55 AM ET | Comments (1)

Midseason Evals: The Backcourt

On a team with size and inexperience issues in the frontcourt, it was clear from the beginning that Maryland's guards would be heavily relied upon this season. They would need to create perimeter pressure on defense to limit an opposing...

By Steve Yanda | February 5, 2009; 02:25 PM ET | Comments (5)

Midseason Evals: The Frontcourt

Most Terps observers understood heading into the season that the team's frontcourt had the most potential to end up a crucial weakness. Experience and size were lacking. Traditional post presence had been downsized since the departures of Bambale Osby and...

By Steve Yanda | February 5, 2009; 11:08 AM ET | Comments (6)

Midseason Evaluations

The Terps have reached the midway point of ACC play, and right now they stand 3-5, good for ninth place. Since we've got a few extra days before Maryland travels to play at Georgia Tech on Sunday, I thought it'd...

By Steve Yanda | February 5, 2009; 07:56 AM ET | Comments (4)

When No Defensive Scheme Will Do

There are some nights when no matter what a team does defensively, it simply won't matter. The opposing offense is too efficient, too deft, too strong, too quick, too accurate, too overwhelming. There also are some nights when a team's...

By Steve Yanda | February 4, 2009; 07:06 AM ET | Comments (3)

Terps Fall To Hot-Shooting North Carolina, 108-91

That's right, the Terps scored 91 points and lost. Five Maryland players scored in double figures -- which was one more than North Carolina -- and lost. The Terps shot 48.0 percent from the field -- 55.6 percent in the...

By Steve Yanda | February 3, 2009; 11:08 PM ET | Comments (1)

Feeling The Squeeze

As we discussed in a post on Sunday, Gary Williams (just like most other coaches, he'll tell you) prefers an eight-man rotation. And Saturday night against Miami, Maryland fans got a look at what that rotation appears to consist of...

By Steve Yanda | February 3, 2009; 01:45 PM ET | Comments (6)

Mosley The Energizer Bunny

With just more than 18 minutes remaining in Saturday night's win over Miami, Maryland freshman guard Sean Mosley fed forward Dino Gregory for a fast break dunk. On the Terps' next possession, Mosley attempted a similar pass to guard Adrian...

By Steve Yanda | February 3, 2009; 10:20 AM ET | Comments (8)

Adjusting To The Opposition

Yesterday during the ACC coaches' teleconference, Miami Coach Frank Haith talked about the difficulties that can arise when playing a team with a smaller lineup, such as Maryland. The Terrapins befuddled the Canes for much of the second half Saturday...

By Steve Yanda | February 3, 2009; 07:04 AM ET | Comments (1)

Comments From Yow And Williams

Earlier today, Maryland Athletic Director Debbie Yow made a joint appearance with Gary Williams. Below are the comments Yow and Williams gave pertaining to Williams's job status and the speculation that has existed in the past week. Debbie Yow: "Hey...

By Steve Yanda | February 2, 2009; 05:54 PM ET | Comments (7)

Yow: Williams in No Danger

There was rampant speculation in the hours leading up to today's Maryland basketball news conference, but much of the speculation appears to be off-base. Eric and Steve will have much more this afternoon, but for now, Eric reports that Athletic...

By Matthew Rennie | February 2, 2009; 02:18 PM ET | Comments (24)

GW In Search Of Some Credit

Just got done listening to Gary Williams's segment on the weekly ACC coaches teleconference, and as usual, not a whole lot of hard news came out of it. Williams did say, however, that he thinks Maryland deserves some credit for...

By Steve Yanda | February 2, 2009; 11:51 AM ET | Comments (1)

Terps 'Can't Shoot Turnovers'

When asked for a few weak points in the North Carolina attack, one coach from an ACC team that has played the Tar Heels this season had bad news for Terps fans. "I don't have a lot of weaknesses to...

By Steve Yanda | February 2, 2009; 10:24 AM ET | Comments (1)

Scouting North Carolina

Since falling at Wake Forest by three on Jan. 11, North Carolina has won five straight and will enter tomorrow night's matchup against the Terps with a 19-2 overall record, 5-2 in ACC play. The Tar Heels, widely regarded as...

By Steve Yanda | February 2, 2009; 07:03 AM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Judicious With The Press

Miami guard Lance Hurdle had a bad night against the Terps. A really bad night, in fact. I don't follow the Canes closely enough to proclaim it was his worst performance of the season, but I can't imagine he'd still...

By Steve Yanda | February 1, 2009; 04:21 PM ET | Comments (0)

Condensing The Bench

Only three Terps -- junior guard Eric Hayes, sophomore forward Dino Gregory and freshman forward Jin Soo Kim -- came off the bench last night against Miami. They combined for 17 points, five rebounds, one steal and two turnovers. A...

By Steve Yanda | February 1, 2009; 02:18 PM ET | Comments (0)

Goal Out Of Vasquez's Hands

For a long, long time now, junior guard Greivis Vasquez has proclaimed his desire to compile a triple-double during a game in his collegiate career. His fascination with the achievement is beyond fervent. He's come close several times in the...

By Steve Yanda | February 1, 2009; 12:26 PM ET | Comments (2)

Benefits Of The Zone 'D'

For most of the second half against Miami last night, Maryland operated in zone defensive schemes. For the first 15 minutes after the intermission, the Terps utilized a 3-2 scheme that has proven quite effective during the rare times it...

By Steve Yanda | February 1, 2009; 10:14 AM ET | Comments (7)

The Lineup Switch

The big news at the start of the game last night was that freshman guard Sean Mosley would be starting in place of junior Eric Hayes. It's been no secret Hayes has struggled mightily of late, and Gary Williams frequently...

By Steve Yanda | February 1, 2009; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (2)

Terps Exhale In 73-68 Win Over Miami

The air seemed significantly lighter in Maryland's locker room after the game tonight, and with good reason. The past week had been downright brutal to the confidence and morale of this team. Simply put, the Terps needed this win, and...

By Steve Yanda | January 31, 2009; 11:17 PM ET | Comments (5)

Mosley Enters Starting Lineup

There's been a change to Maryland's starting lineup for tonight's game. Freshman guard Sean Mosley will start in place of junior guard Eric Hayes. Hayes has struggled of late, and Gary Williams often has praised Mosley's physicality on both ends...

By Steve Yanda | January 31, 2009; 08:00 PM ET | Comments (2)

Lance Stephenson At Comcast Center

Highly-sought high school senior Lance Stephenson (6-foot-5, 200 lbs.) will be in attendance tonight at Comcast Center when Maryland takes on Miami. Stephenson attends Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. and plays on the same team as Class of...

By Steve Yanda | January 31, 2009; 06:39 PM ET | Comments (0)

GW: Patience Is Key To Offense

Maryland wasn't shooting the ball all that great entering ACC play, but the Terps' accuracy has suffered even further since the beginning of the conference season. Maryland ranks dead last in the ACC in field goal percentage in conference games,...

By Steve Yanda | January 31, 2009; 05:09 PM ET | Comments (0)

Miami Looking To Get Back On Track, Too

As we discussed yesterday, Maryland will not be the lone team in tonight's matchup searching for some much-needed momentum. After dropping three of its last four games, Miami has forced itself into somewhat of a must-win situation. The Hurricanes, mind...

By Steve Yanda | January 31, 2009; 02:05 PM ET | Comments (0)

For Hayes, Words Are Not Enough

Junior guard Eric Hayes scored 10 points and dished out 11 assists (with no turnovers) in a Jan. 20 win over Virginia. Since then, however, things have not gone as smoothly, for Hayes or the Terps. In the past two...

By Steve Yanda | January 31, 2009; 11:08 AM ET | Comments (1)

Williams's Thoughts On Miami, Round Two

Gary Williams, like most coaches, is an avid film-watcher. And we're not talking Gone With The Wind or Casablanca-type films. We're talking game films. He watches film before games (typically two or three times per game day) and after games,...

By Steve Yanda | January 31, 2009; 08:11 AM ET | Comments (0)

GW's Press Conference

Gary Williams opened his chat with local reporters this afternoon by making a few announcements. For a change, good news spread throughout the bowels of Comcast Center when Williams confirmed that freshman forward Jin Soo Kim had been given a...

By Steve Yanda | January 30, 2009; 03:41 PM ET | Comments (3)

Jin Soo Kim Reinstated

Steve is in the car and will have more on this later, but he asked me to share that freshman forward Jin Soo Kim has been granted a waiver by the NCAA and his eligbility has been restored, effective immediately....

By Matthew Rennie | January 30, 2009; 01:24 PM ET | Comments (1)

Spotlight On Asbury

Miami's Brian Asbury (6-foot-7, 221 lbs.) didn't exactly light up the Terps when the two teams played in Coral Gables a few weeks back, but the senior forward certainly is proving his worth to the Hurricanes this season. He seemingly...

By Steve Yanda | January 30, 2009; 10:33 AM ET | Comments (0)

Catching Up With Miami

We've already scouted these Hurricanes once before*, so in the interest of avoiding repetition, let's stick to looking at how Miami has fared since the last time we took notice. After defeating Maryland, 62-60, on Jan. 14, the Hurricanes dropped...

By Steve Yanda | January 30, 2009; 07:16 AM ET | Comments (2)

Halftime Inspiration

Ok, here's the situation: You're the head coach of the Maryland men's basketball team. Your team is up by, say, 11 points. You're coming off a horrific defeat on the road to a program that used to consider you one...

By Steve Yanda | January 29, 2009; 10:23 AM ET | Comments (5)

Defensive Relapse

Remember back when Maryland's defense used to be, you know, effective? Back when, if nothing else, you could expect Maryland to play solid -- even borderline stifling -- defense? That was during a time when hopes for this season remained...

By Steve Yanda | January 29, 2009; 07:19 AM ET | Comments (3)

Kim Ineligibility Details

Maryland is conducting an internal review of the decision to declare freshman forward Jin Soo Kim academically ineligible, according to a source familiar with the situation. The source, who wished to remain anonymous because the appeal process is ongoing, said...

By Steve Yanda | January 28, 2009; 07:32 PM ET | Comments (16)

More Attention For Milbourne

How unfair, most Maryland observers thought during the season's early stages, that a talent such as Landon Milbourne had to be relegated to a position for which he seemed ill suited. At 6-foot-7, 207 lbs., Milbourne does not appear built...

By Steve Yanda | January 28, 2009; 03:42 PM ET | Comments (4)

An Up And Down Night For Vasquez

Unlike the "quiet" performances junior guard Greivis Vasquez said he had been turning in previously, his showing Tuesday night looked like a more familiar version of the bombastic shooter Maryland followers have become accustomed to seeing. He scored 18 points,...

By Steve Yanda | January 28, 2009; 01:10 PM ET | Comments (7)

The Gary Williams Transcript

Hey, Eric here. I have gotten a few requests for the transcript of the Gary Williams locker room interview, so here it is. Jeff Barker and I talked to Gary in the locker room. Mike Wise joined midway through. Q:...

By Eric Prisbell | January 28, 2009; 10:33 AM ET | Comments (39)

Crucial Misses

One shot -- make that, one missed shot -- does not lose a game. But there's one Maryland miss that is sticking with me more than all the others (and by game's end there were plenty from which to choose)....

By Steve Yanda | January 28, 2009; 10:03 AM ET | Comments (3)

Who's To Blame?

It would seem some of you hold strong opinions on this subject, so let's try something scientific. I want to know who you all think is most to blame for the Terps struggles this season. And I stress this season....

By Steve Yanda | January 28, 2009; 07:06 AM ET | Comments (26)

Terps Come From Ahead In 76-67 Loss To BC

What, exactly, happened tonight? That was the question of choice in the Terps postgame locker room. The problems that led to Maryland blowing a 16-point lead and dropping its fourth of the last five contests were apparent. Shooting, defense, desire...

By Steve Yanda | January 27, 2009; 11:02 PM ET | Comments (1)

Jin Soo Kim Academically Ineligible

Freshman forward Jin Soo Kim has been declared academically ineligible indefinitely, according to a source familiar with the situation. The source also said Maryland is appealing the decision to the NCAA. Kim will be able to practice with the team...

By Steve Yanda | January 27, 2009; 06:31 PM ET | Comments (9)

Size Or Production?

Freshman forward Steve Goins played three minutes Saturday against Duke. He registered one point, one block, one turnover, one personal foul and two rebounds. Asked yesterday whether Goins might see some more playing time in the near future, Gary Williams...

By Steve Yanda | January 27, 2009; 10:28 AM ET | Comments (8)

A Review Of The First Five Minutes

Gary Williams said yesterday that he made sure to review the game film of the first five minutes of Saturday's loss at Duke. Before reading his comments, here's a quick overview of that particular segment of the game: Duke center...

By Steve Yanda | January 27, 2009; 07:17 AM ET | Comments (7)

Williams Talks About Losing Assistants, Recruits

During today's chat with local reporters, Gary Williams was asked whether he thought losing talented assistant coaches who were skilled recruiters, such as Billy Hahn, Dave Dickerson and Jimmy Patsos, has hurt his program in regards to recruiting in recent...

By Steve Yanda | January 26, 2009; 05:13 PM ET | Comments (26)

No Apologies From GW

On our college basketball chat earlier today, Eric and I were asked if Gary Williams would apologize for his team's performance on Saturday against Duke. We didn't have an answer then, but we do now ... "We're 2-3 right now,...

By Steve Yanda | January 26, 2009; 03:28 PM ET | Comments (0)

Preparing As Though They'd Won

Earlier today during his segment of the ACC coaches teleconference, Gary Williams was asked how he elected to deal with Saturday's 41-point loss at Duke in regards to his players: focus on the errors made against the Blue Devils or...

By Steve Yanda | January 26, 2009; 01:29 PM ET | Comments (0)

Rice The Assassin

Boston College may not rely as much on senior guard Tyrese Rice for point production as it did last season, but that doesn't mean Rice is any less of a threat to opposing defenses. One ACC assistant coach whose team...

By Steve Yanda | January 26, 2009; 10:06 AM ET | Comments (0)

Scouting Boston College

Boston College made national headlines when the Eagles knocked off then-No. 1 North Carolina earlier this month, but since then the path has not been very smooth. The Eagles dropped their next four games before requiring overtime to defeat Georgia...

By Steve Yanda | January 26, 2009; 07:11 AM ET | Comments (0)

Thoughts On Kay Yow

Both Maryland's Gary Williams and Duke's Mike Krzyzewksi offered their thoughts on yesterday's passing of longtime N.C. State women's basketball coach Kay Yow, who died at age 66 after battling breast cancer for more than two decades. Kay's sister, Debbie,...

By Steve Yanda | January 25, 2009; 04:05 PM ET | Comments (0)

An Odd Ending To A Strange Game

It's safe to say not too many people saw yesterday's Maryland debacle coming. Sure, there were those who thought the Terps would lose. There also likely were those who thought the Terps would lose by a wide margin. But a...

By Steve Yanda | January 25, 2009; 02:19 PM ET | Comments (1)

Vasquez's Struggles Continue

Junior guard Greivis Vasquez sat out much of the second half during yesterday's loss, leaving all his friends in the Duke student section to mockingly chant: "Where is Greivis?" Maryland fans might be wondering the same thing. The Vasquez they...

By Steve Yanda | January 25, 2009; 12:22 PM ET | Comments (2)

Flatter Than The Soda At Bullock's Bar B Cue

Before catching our flight home after yesterday's game, Patrick Stevens of the Washington Times joined Eric Prisbell and I for a quick meal at Bullock's Bar B Cue in Durham. To say we made the wrong dining choice would be...

By Steve Yanda | January 25, 2009; 10:13 AM ET | Comments (5)

Terps Discombobulated On Offense

On Friday, Gary Williams described Duke's defense as suffocating. On Saturday, he and his team discovered that "suffocating" does not do justice to the constant brand of in-your-face defense employed by the Blue Devils. Duke has yet to allow an...

By Steve Yanda | January 25, 2009; 08:01 AM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Suffer Historic Defeat To Duke, 85-44

I'm just going to let Gary Williams sum up the colossal beatdown his team took from the Blue Devils this afternoon at Cameron Indoor Stadium. "I hope the rest of your night is better than my last two hours," he...

By Steve Yanda | January 24, 2009; 04:15 PM ET | Comments (39)

Burney Suits Up

Sophomore forward Jerome Burney, who has been out with a stress fracture in his foot since early December, is currently on the court at Cameron Indoor Stadium warming up with the rest of the Terps. Burney is in uniform and...

By Steve Yanda | January 24, 2009; 10:44 AM ET | Comments (11)

Sadness Along Tobacco Road

Kay Yow, longtime North Carolina State women's basketball coach and sister of Maryland Athletic Director Debbie Yow, passed away this morning at age 66. Yow, a member of the Hall of Fame, died after a nearly two decade battle with...

By Steve Yanda | January 24, 2009; 09:28 AM ET | Comments (2)

Threads From N.C.

I'm about to board a flight to Raleigh, but while I wait I wanted to pass along some of the headlines surrounding today's Maryland-Duke game. The Raleigh News & Observer took a quick look at Greivis Vasquez's love affair with...

By Steve Yanda | January 24, 2009; 06:09 AM ET | Comments (0)

Bowie's 'Second Gear'

Sophomore guard Adrian Bowie's improvement this season -- and even more so in recent weeks -- has been no secret. Bowie attributes his development to hard work put in during the offseason, and while that certainly has a lot to...

By Steve Yanda | January 23, 2009; 03:37 PM ET | Comments (0)

GW's Thoughts On Duke

Most college basketball followers are familiar with the talents of Duke forward Kyle Singler, but during today's chat with reporters, Gary Williams said the Blue Devils have another player who deserves more national attention. "They also have a player, (Gerald)...

By Steve Yanda | January 23, 2009; 12:03 PM ET | Comments (0)

A Good Matchup For The Terps?

Several sources said this week that, odd as it may seem, Maryland might match up pretty well with Duke on Saturday. Those sources also made it clear that the Blue Devils, at least on paper, are the superior team, but...

By Steve Yanda | January 23, 2009; 10:27 AM ET | Comments (0)

Scouting Duke

Duke and Maryland are similar in many ways. The Blue Devils essentially operate with a four-guard lineup, they aim to create intense ball pressure and they are a perimeter-oriented team. The difference, so far, has been that Duke runs much...

By Steve Yanda | January 23, 2009; 07:13 AM ET | Comments (3)

Catching Up With Old Foes

Maryland's win over Virginia on Tuesday night ensured its NCAA tournament hopes remain alive, which means taking a quick glance at how some of the Terps' previous opponents are doing still serves a purpose. After all, a team is only...

By Steve Yanda | January 22, 2009; 04:09 PM ET | Comments (4)

Who Deserves A Larger Role?

Earlier today, we discussed Dino Gregory's potential for providing the Terps with a more significant post presence, as well as for easing the rebounding load off the shoulders of Landon Milbourne. But Gregory is just one of the Terps' reserves....

By Steve Yanda | January 22, 2009; 01:51 PM ET | Comments (4)

Collapse Vs. Victory

I'm sure you all remember what happened when the Terps played at Miami a little over a week ago, so a quick recap should suffice: Maryland builds 17-point lead in the second half, Maryland slows the pace and attempts to...

By Steve Yanda | January 22, 2009; 10:39 AM ET | Comments (0)

Lightening Milbourne's Load

After Maryland's win over Virginia on Tuesday night, Gary Williams made a point of saying how his team needed to provide some rebounding support for junior forward Landon Milbourne down low. Milbourne tallied a team-high five rebounds and did much...

By Steve Yanda | January 22, 2009; 07:24 AM ET | Comments (0)

Rough Night For Neal

Since the start of ACC play, senior forward Dave Neal frequenly has commented on his sore hips, ribs and sternum after games. That's simply the price an undersized post player pays when battling for rebounds, putbacks and positioning against taller...

By Steve Yanda | January 21, 2009; 03:25 PM ET | Comments (0)

Terps Benefit From Defensive Switch

Originally, sophomore guard Adrian Bowie said, he was slated to guard Virginia freshman Sylven Landesberg during last night's contest. Bowie said he was told during Sunday's workout that he would be responsible for shutting down Landesberg, who entered the game...

By Steve Yanda | January 21, 2009; 01:28 PM ET | Comments (0)

Those Familiar Rims

It would appear that extra 25-minute shooting session the Terps participated in on Martin Luther King Jr. Day really paid off. After a two-game road trip in which the team struggling mightily to find its collective stroke, Maryland returned to...

By Steve Yanda | January 21, 2009; 10:34 AM ET | Comments (3)

Finally, Some Free Throws

Maryland attempted 24 free throws last night. To put that number in perspective, it was four times as many free throws as the team shot in the entire Miami game (six) and the first half of the Florida State game...

By Steve Yanda | January 21, 2009; 07:19 AM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Rebound for 84-78 win over Virginia

And exhale. Once again, Maryland built an impressive lead over an ACC opponent and then nearly watched it slip away. The difference tonight was the word "nearly," and these days, that's called "growth" in College Park. The Terps did the...

By Steve Yanda | January 20, 2009; 11:18 PM ET | Comments (8)

More Zone 'D' Talk

A couple of interesting points about the 3-2 zone defense the Terps implemented during the second half Saturday againt Florida State: The team has practiced operating it on a regular basis since, by Gary Williams's estimation, the third day of...

By Steve Yanda | January 20, 2009; 05:07 PM ET | Comments (3)

Extra Practice On MLK Day

With winter session classes cancelled in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Maryland players had some free time Monday morning -- too much free time in Gary Williams's estimation. Rather than have the Terps just lay around all morning,...

By Steve Yanda | January 20, 2009; 03:11 PM ET | Comments (0)

Bowie's Defensive Challenge

Among the players ranked in the top 10 in the ACC in free throw percentage, five have attempted more than 100 shots from the charity stripe this season*. One of those five is Virginia freshman guard Sylven Landesberg, who will...

By Steve Yanda | January 20, 2009; 01:14 PM ET | Comments (0)

GW Urges Players To Watch History

In a few hours, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the next president of the United States, and when he is, Gary Williams hopes all of his players take in that historic moment. Not live, of course. The Terps...

By Steve Yanda | January 20, 2009; 07:18 AM ET | Comments (1)

And Then The Lightbulb Went Off

For any of you still trying to figure out how exactly Maryland departed Florida on Saturday night without a single win to show for two tightly-contested road games, the answer is simple. The Terps didn't shoot the ball well against...

By Steve Yanda | January 19, 2009; 05:02 PM ET | Comments (2)

Terps' Magic Number

Their coach might not want much, if any, part in this discussion, but Maryland's players, at least, understand the overtones of tomorrow night's game against Virginia. At 1-2 in conference play, the Terps can ill afford a home loss to...

By Steve Yanda | January 19, 2009; 03:35 PM ET | Comments (4)

Milbourne's Second Effort

Landon Milbourne draws you in with a soft voice that undermines his perpetually cold stare. He sits in a visiting locker room, leans forward with his forearms pressed against his thighs and looks off into another time and place, perhaps...

By Steve Yanda | January 19, 2009; 01:03 PM ET | Comments (1)

Playing The Hand You're Dealt

Gary Williams just got done with his weekly segment on the ACC coaches' teleconference, and he spent some time talking about how it's been playing with a smaller lineup this season. "The smaller lineup is good in terms of, you...

By Steve Yanda | January 19, 2009; 11:44 AM ET | Comments (0)

Travel Arrangements

Virginia Coach Dave Leitao said Sunday that his team would depart from Charlottesville early Monday morning, head north and hope for the best. As it will be for most travelers making their way toward the District today and tomorrow, Virginia's...

By Steve Yanda | January 19, 2009; 10:23 AM ET | Comments (1)

Scouting Virginia

Four of Virginia's starters are underclassmen, which creates an interesting predicament for Cavaliers Coach Dave Leitao. He's sees the promise in his young squad, sees flashes of their potential shine through. But he also has to live through the present,...

By Steve Yanda | January 19, 2009; 07:08 AM ET | Comments (1)

Where To Go From Here?

So the Terps are now 1-2 in ACC play, and even though three of their next four games are at home, the path ahead appears anything but smooth. Maryland hosts Virginia on Tuesday, which has turned into a must-win* for...

By Steve Yanda | January 18, 2009; 04:05 PM ET | Comments (1)

Mosley's Discovery

After turning in a pretty sub-par performance Wednesday night against Miami, freshman guard Sean Mosley did his best to make up for it yesterday against Florida State. His line against Miami: 19 minutes, zero points (0 for 3 shooting), two...

By Steve Yanda | January 18, 2009; 01:32 PM ET | Comments (2)

Dealing With 'An Eraser'

Florida State freshman center Solomon Alabi is an absolute giant. At 7-foot-1, 240 lbs., he absolutely towered over Landon Milbourne, Dave Neal, Dino Gregory and any other Terp who tried his luck at guarding the big man. And yet, Alabi...

By Steve Yanda | January 18, 2009; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (1)

Free Throw Frustrations

One of the consistent bright spots for the Terps this season has been their dramatic improvement at the free throw line. They soared to the top of the ACC in free throw shooting percentage, and Gary Williams often joked (well,...

By Steve Yanda | January 18, 2009; 07:46 AM ET | Comments (3)

Terps Fall To Noles In OT, 76-73

Another tough loss for Maryland today at the Tucker Center. This time, it was the Terps causing their opponent to fumble a double-digit lead in the second half, rather than the other way around. In the end, the efforts of...

By Steve Yanda | January 17, 2009; 04:56 PM ET | Comments (12)

Teams On Intersecting Paths?

I'm here at the Civic Center, where there the seats are multi-colored and the upper decks are dimly lit. It's somewhat of a cavernous place. Not all that aesthetically pleasing. Anyways, here's a story that ran in the Orlando Sentinel...

By Steve Yanda | January 17, 2009; 10:41 AM ET | Comments (4)

For Tucker, 'It's Time'

Sophomore guard Cliff Tucker's state line Wednesday night against Miami: six minutes, three points, one rebound, one steal. Tucker's season stats to date: 11.4 minutes, 4.6 points and 1.5 rebounds per game to go along with 11 steals. Remember back...

By Steve Yanda | January 17, 2009; 10:12 AM ET | Comments (2)

Explaining Terps' Inconsistencies

Those of you who have followed the Terps closely this season know how inconsistent they tend to be. Take Wednesday night's game at Miami, for example. Maryland played about as well in that first half as they have in any...

By Steve Yanda | January 17, 2009; 07:53 AM ET | Comments (1)

Don't Expect High-Scoring Affair When Terps, Noles Meet

Saturday's match-up between Maryland and Florida State likely won't feature a whole lot of points for several reasons. First of all, both squads play defense pretty darn well*. Secondly, neither squad plays offense with any particular efficiency. * For the...

By Steve Yanda | January 16, 2009; 01:21 PM ET | Comments (1)

Seminoles Big Men Like To Run, Too

Back before Maryland played Georgia Tech, we discovered (with the help of coaches who previously had played the Yellow Jackets) that Tech's big men were able and willing to run the floor. Well, it appears as though the same can...

By Steve Yanda | January 16, 2009; 10:29 AM ET | Comments (0)

Scouting Florida State

Florida State Coach Leonard Hamilton calls his team a unit in transition. He also realizes how unique it is for a coach to be able to say such a thing more than halfway through the regular season. But the tag...

By Steve Yanda | January 16, 2009; 06:58 AM ET | Comments (0)

The Bowie and Vasquez Show

Sure, Greivis Vasquez missed two three-pointers in the final seconds of last night's game. And yes, Adrian Bowie had to be subbed in and out judiciously as the clock wound down because he was playing with four fouls. But after...

By Steve Yanda | January 15, 2009; 04:04 PM ET | Comments (3)

Key To Hot First Half

The impression Miami forward Dwayne Collins left in Dave Neal's chest erased any lingering doubt 53 seconds into last night's contest -- the Terps were not going to remain competitive by matching the Hurricanes' physicality. Collins caught the ball in...

By Steve Yanda | January 15, 2009; 01:19 PM ET | Comments (0)

How To Describe The Miami Loss

One got the sense, peering aroung Maryland's locker room after last night's defeat that few players saw this particular conclusion coming, especially with the way the team had controlled the first half. But after a 17-point lead dissolved into a...

By Steve Yanda | January 15, 2009; 10:26 AM ET | Comments (11)

Dreadful 10 Minutes Dooms Terps

Things were going well for Maryland last night. Surprisingly well, actually. The Terps had sprinted out to a double-digit lead and were holding it. But that, as it turned out, was the problem. The Terps were more concerned with maintaining...

By Steve Yanda | January 15, 2009; 07:15 AM ET | Comments (24)

Terps Falter Late In 62-60 Loss To Miami

There was no second-half run to bail out Maryland this time. In fact, what seemed to hurt the Terps the most was that there was no need for a late flurry of points. Maryland established control in the first half...

By Steve Yanda | January 15, 2009; 12:30 AM ET | Comments (3)

Long Wait For First Road Test

As was mentioned in this morning's print edition story, Maryland will become the final Division 1 team in the country to play a true road game when the Terps take on Miami in a few hours. Every other ACC team...

By Steve Yanda | January 14, 2009; 04:03 PM ET | Comments (9)

So Much For GW's Scouting Report

Last season, Miami had a 6-foot-9, 242-lb. senior center named Anthony King on the roster. King was quite a load to handle in the post, but the theory was that if he ventured away from the basket, it was safe...

By Steve Yanda | January 14, 2009; 01:34 PM ET | Comments (0)

Aggression Equals Production For Hayes

Yeah, yeah, junior guard Eric Hayes scored a season-high 17 points and hit several crucial three-pointers down the stretch Saturday against Georgia Tech, but what encouraged Gary Williams the most about Hayes's performance was the assertiveness he displayed, specifically in...

By Steve Yanda | January 14, 2009; 10:23 AM ET | Comments (12)

Morning News On The Canes

Miami will be without backup point guard Eddie Rios, who was suspended indefinitely late Monday afternoon for violating team protocol and lack of communication with coaches. Rios also missed the Dec. 6 game against Ohio State for an undisclosed violation...

By Steve Yanda | January 14, 2009; 07:18 AM ET | Comments (2)

Terps Wanna Get Away

No, Maryland isn't flying Southwest to Miami (the team is en route to BWI at the moment, where it will board a charter jet), but the Terps sure have embraced the airline's old motto. Remember those commercials? Something embarrassing would...

By Steve Yanda | January 13, 2009; 02:59 PM ET | Comments (8)

Gag Order For Vasquez

Some of you may recall the flavorful exchange between junior guard Greivis Vasquez and members of the Maryland student section during Saturday's game against Georgia Tech. Well, at Gary Williams's media availability a little while ago, he said Vasquez won't...

By Steve Yanda | January 13, 2009; 12:10 PM ET | Comments (43)

'It's All About Jack McClinton'

Ohio State assistant coach Archie Miller doesn't expect Maryland to have much trouble putting up points against Miami on Wednesday night. The question, Miller said, would be whether the Terps can keep the Hurricanes and top-threat Jack McClinton from lighting...

By Steve Yanda | January 13, 2009; 10:36 AM ET | Comments (1)

Scouting Miami

Traditionally, Frank Haith's teams tend to be fast-paced, guard-oriented units dependent upon the deftness of its long-range shooters. This season, however, the Hurricanes' personnel has mandated a different approach, one that focuses more on an inside-out game that takes advantage...

By Steve Yanda | January 13, 2009; 07:09 AM ET | Comments (4)

Mosley's Subtle Gift

Freshman guard Sean Mosley had another solid showing Saturday night against Georgia Tech. After appearing to have hit a figurative wall during December, Mosley has played well of late and continues to draw praise from Gary Williams for his adaptability...

By Steve Yanda | January 12, 2009; 03:00 PM ET | Comments (11)

Williams's Cliche Might Be Wise Approach

In what was the final question of Gary Williams's postgame press conference Saturday night, he was asked if he felt good about his team's prospects for the rest of the season. "I feel good today, right now," Williams said. "I...

By Steve Yanda | January 12, 2009; 01:18 PM ET | Comments (8)

No Inaugural Balls For GW

The Terps have a pair of road ACC games coming up this week, but during today's ACC coaches teleconference, Gary Williams was asked about his team's next home game, which happens to fall on the night of the presidential inauguration....

By Steve Yanda | January 12, 2009; 11:41 AM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Buy Time For Offense

The true indictment could not be found on the final stat sheet, the one that revealed Maryland shot 31.5 percent from the field and 19.2 percent from three-point range Saturday against Georgia Tech. Those numbers were horrid, sure. They led...

By Steve Yanda | January 12, 2009; 07:13 AM ET | Comments (3)

Burney Injury Update

Sophomore forward Jerome Burney won't be wearing a protective boot on his right foot much longer. In fact, he said after the game yesterday that he would already be out of it if UPS delivered on the weekends. Burney has...

By Steve Yanda | January 11, 2009; 05:06 PM ET | Comments (0)

Confusion Reigned On Late Mosley Foul

With less than a minute remaining yesterday at Comcast Center, Adrian Bowie made consecutive free throws to provide the Terps a two-point lead. Following the second make, Sean Mosley subbed in for Eric Hayes for defensive purposes. With 33.9 seconds...

By Steve Yanda | January 11, 2009; 02:10 PM ET | Comments (10)

Terps Altered Game Plan Down Low

Typically, Georgia Tech's starting lineup includes 6-foot-8, 240-lb. junior forward Zachery Peacock, who is averaging 10.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game for the Yellow Jackets. Yesterday, though, Peacock came down with a stomach virus and missed the game. As...

By Steve Yanda | January 11, 2009; 11:27 AM ET | Comments (2)

Williams Eases Off The Throttle In Final Minutes

In his postgame press conference yesterday afternoon, Gary Williams revealed his strategy in regards to implementing a full-court press for all but the game's final minutes. Early in the game, Georgia Tech was able to break Maryland's press at times...

By Steve Yanda | January 11, 2009; 08:35 AM ET | Comments (0)

Terps Claim Comeback Win Over GaTech, 68-61

What an interesting game. Maryland forces 18 first-half turnovers with an all-out, full-court defensive effort, yet trails by five at the half because it shot 25.0 percent from the field. Then, the team found its stride in the second half...

By Steve Yanda | January 10, 2009; 04:43 PM ET | Comments (3)

Vasquez to Fans: 'Support Us or Get Out'

This is an entry I'm posting on our new blog, Press Break, but I'll post it here, too. Here is the link to Press Break, where we have a wide assortment of notes, analysis, tidbits, bracketology and many more things....

By Eric Prisbell | January 10, 2009; 03:45 PM ET | Comments (17)

Home Court Advantage?

It's pretty desolate here at Comcast Center. Lots of empty red seats in the stands. Then again, we are still more than an hour away from tip-off, so you've got plenty of time to get here if you're just finishing...

By Steve Yanda | January 10, 2009; 10:53 AM ET | Comments (1)

GaTech Also Likes To Press

Maryland isn't the only ACC squad who's ability to operate effective pressure defense will go a long way towards determining its success this conference season. Georgia Tech likes to hassle its opponents as well, and it would seem freshman guard...

By Steve Yanda | January 10, 2009; 08:29 AM ET | Comments (0)

Williams Not Concerned With Slow Starts

The Terps have made somewhat of a habit out of doddling along in the first half before asserting control after halftime with sizable runs. Maryland needed second-half runs of 10-0 and 21-2 to pull away from American and Elon, respectively....

By Steve Yanda | January 9, 2009; 03:41 PM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Onward And Upward

When asked today at his sitdown with a group of reporters whether the team had gotten over the sting of Wednesday night's one-point loss to Morgan State, Gary Williams claimed it had and that the focus has shifted fully to...

By Steve Yanda | January 9, 2009; 01:15 PM ET | Comments (2)

GaTech's Big Men Quick On Their Feet

Georgia Tech is an interior-oriented squad that prides itself on its big men's ability to run the floor well in transtion offense opportunities. The Yellow Jackets start a trio of big men who can rebound and run the floor well,...

By Steve Yanda | January 9, 2009; 10:38 AM ET | Comments (0)

Scouting Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech does not play the prettiest brand of basketball. It's wins come via force of will more than simply out-classing an opponent (sound familiar?). Take, for instance, this quote from Yellow Jackets sophomore forward Gani Lawal following Georgia Tech's...

By Steve Yanda | January 9, 2009; 07:45 AM ET | Comments (0)

The Plan For ACC Season

In a little more than 24 hours, the Terps will host Georgia Tech at Comcast Center in Maryland's conference opener. How the Terps fare in ACC play will determine whether the go dancing or not come March, and just as...

By Steve Yanda | January 9, 2009; 06:45 AM ET | Comments (1)

Not Enough Charity From The Stripe

Once again last night, Maryland continued to display its improved free-throw shooting ability. The Terps shot 12-for-15 (80.0 percent) from the charity stripe. The only problem Gary Williams saw with that statistic was the number of attempts. It was, by...

By Steve Yanda | January 8, 2009; 04:19 PM ET | Comments (0)

Six Solid Minutes

One of Gary Williams's frequent talking points revolves around his team sustaining a high level of play for 40 minutes. Or at least, very close to 40 minutes. Last night against Morgan State, the Terps fell well short of that...

By Steve Yanda | January 8, 2009; 02:31 PM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Struggle With Match-up Problems

Morgan State Coach Todd Bozeman made what turned out to be a savvy adjustment to his team's staring lineup last night. Rather than going with 6-foot-5 senior forward Marquise Kately*, Bozeman inserted 6-foot-10 sophomore Rodney Stokes into the Bears' starting...

By Steve Yanda | January 8, 2009; 12:13 PM ET | Comments (3)

Evaluating Vasquez

With the game coming down to the wire last night, it was no surprise to see junior guard Greivis Vasquez handling the ball. He is the Terps' self-proclaimed go-to guy, and honestly, I'm not sure his teammates would want it...

By Steve Yanda | January 8, 2009; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (17)

Terps' Loss Alters Team's Outlook?

Curious to see how you all interpreted last night's one-point loss to Morgan State. Maryland played an uninspired brand of basketball, but was the performance simply an abberation or a sign of things to come? poll by twiigs.com...

By Steve Yanda | January 8, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (9)

Terps Fall To Morgan State, 66-65

Yep. You read that correctly. Maryland, the team at was 11-2 and headed into ACC play with a full head of steam, faltered against Morgan State, a team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Terps started off poorly, then picked...

By Steve Yanda | January 7, 2009; 11:30 PM ET | Comments (2)

Terps Blocking Collectively

Without the imposing presences of James Gist and Bambale Osby to protect the post on defense, one category in which the Terps were not expected to produce high numbers this season was blocked shots. And while the team's total number...

By Steve Yanda | January 7, 2009; 01:45 PM ET | Comments (1)

Bears Pose Rebounding Challenge

Gary Williams didn't hide how he felt about Morgan State's ability on the boards, especially at the offensive end. He called the Bears "ridiculous" in that regard, meaning to compliment a team that has out-worked its opponents on the offensive...

By Steve Yanda | January 7, 2009; 10:47 AM ET | Comments (1)

Neal's 'YMCA' Skills

On Monday, Gary Williams said during the ACC coaches teleconference that senior forward Dave Neal utilizes "a lot of, like, YMCA moves." But don't think that was Williams making a subtle jab at his starting big man. Yesterday, Williams clarified...

By Steve Yanda | January 7, 2009; 07:13 AM ET | Comments (3)

One Boot On; One Boot Off

Freshman forward Steve Goins is not expected to play tomorrow night against Morgan State while he works himself back into shape after missing nearly two weeks due to pain in his lower left leg. But the fact that Goins is...

By Steve Yanda | January 6, 2009; 03:30 PM ET | Comments (0)

Pick The Terps' Soundtrack

Earlier today, Gary Williams told me two of his favorite bands to listen to on gamedays are Linkin Park and The Killers. Those choices seem to fit his personality well, which got me thinking: What bands or songs would make...

By Steve Yanda | January 6, 2009; 01:16 PM ET | Comments (8)

Scouting Morgan State

Gary Williams said yesterday it will be imperative that his team not get too excited for the start of ACC play on Saturday, what with a nonconference game against Morgan State to play Wednesday night and all. The Bears (5-8)...

By Steve Yanda | January 6, 2009; 10:53 AM ET | Comments (0)

Terps Count On Their Defense

The saving grace of this Maryland team might be that it has the ability to play solid defense, emphasis being placed on "might" and "ability." The half-court offense, as has been frequently discussed, is not fully functional as of now....

By Steve Yanda | January 6, 2009; 07:07 AM ET | Comments (4)

Terps Get A Few More Votes ...

... but here's guessing Gary Williams isn't happy with the total. Maryland received 25 points in the Associated Press top 25 poll released about an hour ago. So for those of you who believe the Terps are close but not...

By Steve Yanda | January 5, 2009; 04:19 PM ET | Comments (9)

Hot Spots And Stress Fractures

As most Maryland basketball followers are well aware, the Terps have been without the services of sophomore forward Jerome Burney and freshman forward Steve Goins in recent weeks, both due to lower leg injuries. Burney suffered a stress fracture in...

By Steve Yanda | January 5, 2009; 01:10 PM ET | Comments (1)

Williams On ACC Teleconference

Some quick highlights from Gary Williams's segment on today's ACC coaches teleconference: Williams said one key challenge for his team in its final nonconference game Wednesday night against Morgan State (5-8) will be not looking ahead to Saturday's ACC opener....

By Steve Yanda | January 5, 2009; 12:04 PM ET | Comments (1)

Sense Of Relief For Mosley

With just less than five minutes to go in the first half Saturday, the Terps had possession and trailed by eight to a hyper-athletic Charlotte squad that was shooting out of its mind from three-point range. As Maryland passed the...

By Steve Yanda | January 5, 2009; 10:29 AM ET | Comments (0)

Williams Pines For Respect

The final question of Saturday's postgame press conference was centered on the breakout performance of freshman guard Sean Mosley (more on him in a post later today), and Gary Williams initially obliged by praising Mosley's toughness, his work ethic and...

By Steve Yanda | January 5, 2009; 07:12 AM ET | Comments (8)

Three-point Ambitions

Charlotte sure wasn't shy out of the gates yesterday. The 49ers lofted up 14 shots from beyond the arc in the first half against the Terps. And they connected on seven of them. Their audacity was not surprising -- Charlotte...

By Steve Yanda | January 4, 2009; 04:16 PM ET | Comments (3)

Half-court Evaluation

Thirteen seconds into yesterday's game against Charlotte, junior guard Greivis Vasquez fired a three-point attempt that ended up being an air ball. Needless to say, that was not the start the Terps had in mind. On Friday, Gary Williams spoke...

By Steve Yanda | January 4, 2009; 12:03 PM ET | Comments (2)

Dewhurst Update

For any of you who saw the nasty spill Charlotte guard Charles Dewhurst took during the second half yesterday and were curious as to the end result, the sophomore dislocated his right knee and likely will miss the remainder of...

By Steve Yanda | January 4, 2009; 10:51 AM ET | Comments (0)

Solid Bench Play

Maryland's bench production has been called into question after recent games, yet the team's reserves very well may have been what kept the Terps within striking distance during a first half yesterday in which they were ineffective on offense and...

By Steve Yanda | January 4, 2009; 08:20 AM ET | Comments (0)

Terps Prevail Over Charlotte, 85-75

Two teams that struggled to shoot the ball entered Comcast Center on Saturday afternoon and proceeded to catch each other off guard. Charlotte, which shot a robust 32.5 percent from three-point range entering the contest, hit 47.8 percent from beyond...

By Steve Yanda | January 3, 2009; 07:42 PM ET | Comments (3)

Tidying Up The Half-court Offense

Gary Williams said yesterday that Charlotte certainly will have his team's attention, which is probably true for a number of reasons: 1) Every coach of every major program in the country lauds each of their nonconference opponents, regardless of whether...

By Steve Yanda | January 3, 2009; 12:11 PM ET | Comments (0)

Thoughts From Charlotte's Coach

Last night, I spoke briefly over the phone with Charlotte Coach Bobby Lutz about his team and its match-up Saturday against Maryland in College Park. While Lutz was realistic in his evaluation of his team's chances for victory against the...

By Steve Yanda | January 3, 2009; 08:09 AM ET | Comments (0)

Scouting Charlotte

Much like last year's squad, Charlotte does not shoot the ball very well, yet it remains competitive in most games by way of a balanced attack and a stingy defense. The 49ers, led by 11th-year Coach Bobby Lutz, have won...

By Steve Yanda | January 2, 2009; 03:17 PM ET | Comments (9)

Gary Williams: Not A Fan Of Boots

Not too much hard news came out of today's presser with Gary Williams. He did note that he made no New Year's resolutions, in part because a basketball coach's year goes from September to September. He also said forwards Steve...

By Steve Yanda | January 2, 2009; 01:43 PM ET | Comments (2)

Maryland-Charlotte Rewind

On Saturday, Maryland will take on Charlotte at Comcast Center, and an extensive scouting report on the 49ers will be posted later today. For now, let's take a look back to last year's meeting between these two programs, a 76-72...

By Steve Yanda | January 2, 2009; 10:35 AM ET | Comments (2)

To Shoot, Or To Defend The Shot?

Which is more important -- having a high field goal percentage or holding an opponent to a low field goal percentage? Ideally, a team would like to be able to do both, but only the country's elite programs are so...

By Steve Yanda | January 2, 2009; 07:21 AM ET | Comments (7)

Staying Afloat On The Boards

With two non-conference games remaining on its schedule, Maryland ranks 11th in rebounding margin in the ACC. The Terps hold a +2.4, which is good in the sense that they are at least, on average, out-rebounding their opponents. However, that...

By Steve Yanda | January 1, 2009; 02:12 PM ET | Comments (5)

Terps Have Handle On Situation

Many questions remained unaswered about this year's Maryland squad, but at least one area in which the Terps appear to be sound is ball control. While Maryland ranks ninth in the ACC in assists (14.8 per game) and seventh in...

By Steve Yanda | January 1, 2009; 11:10 AM ET | Comments (1)

Tidbits On Vasquez

The Sporting News recently ran a brief profile-type piece on junior guard Greivis Vasquez. Nothing earth-shattering, but still informative in a soft news sense. This was published last week and I meant to post it then, but it got lost...

By Steve Yanda | January 1, 2009; 08:33 AM ET | Comments (1)

Shhh! Terps Are Making Their Free Throws

Gary Williams probably wishes I wouldn't publish this particular blog post. (Okay, to be honest, Gary Williams probably wishes I wouldn't publish a lot of my blog posts, but that's a separate issue.) You see, the Terps are shooting fairly...

By Steve Yanda | December 31, 2008; 04:02 PM ET | Comments (6)

A Needed Respite

Landon Milbourne was not off to the best start last night. In the first five minutes, Milbourne scored a bucket and tallied a steal. But he also gave up a turnover and got beat repeatedly on defense. Milbourne got caught...

By Steve Yanda | December 31, 2008; 01:21 PM ET | Comments (1)

Passing Situations

At least one thing appeared certain last night -- the Terps were dedicating a great deal of effort, especially in the first half, to improving their half-court execution on offense. That's not to say they always were successful, but there...

By Steve Yanda | December 31, 2008; 11:41 AM ET | Comments (3)

What To Make Of These Games?

Maryland has won four out of its last five games by at least 21 points, and it won the other game by 16. Still, something seems off-kilter. The mood in the postgame locker room was somewhat muted. It feels odd...

By Steve Yanda | December 31, 2008; 07:14 AM ET | Comments (5)

Terps Win Big Again, 76-50

It's not without caution that I type this given the fact Maryland just beat another opponent by a wide margin, but does any other team make winning by 26 points look as ugly as these Terps? For most of the...

By Steve Yanda | December 30, 2008; 11:20 PM ET | Comments (1)

'It's Business Time'

Let's be honest, Elon has no business hanging with, much less beating, Maryland. The Terps know it. The Phoenix know it. Any rationale college basketball observer knows it. And yet, the possibility for an upset still exists. This is why...

By Steve Yanda | December 30, 2008; 01:19 PM ET | Comments (1)

The Problem With A 20-Point Win

You couldn't really tell by Gary Williams's body language or the look on his face that the Terps had won Saturday night by a considerable margin. Should Maryland defeat Elon tonight by a similar margin but in the same, frequently-sloppy...

By Steve Yanda | December 30, 2008; 10:36 AM ET | Comments (2)

A Well-Rounded Performance

Lost in the shuffle of Saturday night's 21-point win over Bryant was a solid showing by sophomore guard Adrian Bowie. No, Bowie didn't shoot the ball particularly well (2 for 8 from the field; 0 for 4 from three-point range),...

By Steve Yanda | December 30, 2008; 07:03 AM ET | Comments (1)

Injury Updates

Freshman forward Steve Goins, who missed Saturday's game against Bryant while awaiting the results of a second MRI exam on his lower left leg, returned to practice today. Coach Gary Williams seemed surprised to see Goins participating in a shoot...

By Steve Yanda | December 29, 2008; 04:20 PM ET | Comments (1)

The Clock Is Winding Down

In just a few days, 2008 will end and 2009 will begin, which means ACC season is just around the corner. For those of you tired of watching Maryland beat up on inferior opponents and eager to see your team...

By Steve Yanda | December 29, 2008; 03:59 PM ET | Comments (0)

Scouting Elon

The Humanitarian Bowl should be over or at least in its final stages by the time tip-off roles around tomorrow night, so after you're done being transfixed by a blue football field, come join me at Comcast Center to watch...

By Steve Yanda | December 29, 2008; 01:31 PM ET | Comments (0)

Terps' Press: Not Surprising; Still Effective

Bryant Coach Tim O'Shea knew full well what his team was getting itself into when it marched into Comcast Center on Saturday afternoon. He played for Gary Williams at Boston College for two seasons and was a graduate assistant under...

By Steve Yanda | December 29, 2008; 10:38 AM ET | Comments (0)

Fundamentals, Anyone?

Remember when you were a little kid and your dad or a coach or whoever taught you to play baseball was instructing you on the basics of catching a pop fly? How they would stress that you watch the ball...

By Steve Yanda | December 29, 2008; 07:09 AM ET | Comments (1)

Lethargic Fury

For the most part during yesterday's game, the Maryland student section (the portion of it that was filled, at least) was as boisterous as usual. But there was one slightly comical moment near the end of the first half that...

By Steve Yanda | December 28, 2008; 02:17 PM ET | Comments (3)

Injuries And Depth

The Terps learned Friday that for the second time this month they had lost a post player to a foot injury. Freshman forward Steve Goins missed Saturday's game with what he described as pain on the outside of his left...

By Steve Yanda | December 28, 2008; 11:02 AM ET | Comments (3)

Still Trying To Get The Message

For Maryland fans -- not to mention for the team itself -- there were more than a few distressing developments that came out of yesterday's Terps win. The focus was suspect at times. The rebounding was suspect at times. Heck,...

By Steve Yanda | December 28, 2008; 07:47 AM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Win By 21 ... But It Wasn't Pretty

The good news for Maryland basketball fans is that their team got another win Saturday at Comcast Center. The Terps are now 9-2 and remain in good position to enter ACC play having won all the games they should have...

By Steve Yanda | December 27, 2008; 05:33 PM ET | Comments (4)

Another Big Man Down

Freshman forward Steve Goins walked out onto the court a few minutes ago dressed in black slacks and a red polo shirt, which, as you might guess, is not proper gameday attire. He also was sporting a black protective boot...

By Steve Yanda | December 27, 2008; 12:45 PM ET | Comments (4)

Scouting Bryant

The name of Maryland's next opponent might not strike fear into many Terps followers, but the Bulldogs' head coach just might. Tim O'Shea, in his first season at Bryant, spent the previous seven seasons at Ohio University. You all remember...

By Steve Yanda | December 26, 2008; 12:22 PM ET | Comments (5)

Baby Steps For Dupree

At this point, nearly everything is relative for Braxton Dupree. He played 10 minutes during Monday night's win over American, which, relatively speaking, was a breakthrough for the sophomore forward. He shot 2-of-3 from the field and tallied five points...

By Steve Yanda | December 26, 2008; 07:50 AM ET | Comments (6)

An Early Stocking Stuffer

After yet another early-season victory, the positive vibes were flowing from the Maryland locker room Monday night. And why shouldn't they be? After defeating American and avenging a loss that dampened the Terps' Christmas spirit last season, the team stands...

By Steve Yanda | December 25, 2008; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (5)

The Big Men (Part 2)

The other half of Maryland's starting frontcourt tandem is senior Dave Neal. Unlike Landon Milbourne, Neal was not expected to provide major minutes for the Terps at the outset of this season. He'd been plagued by injuries throughout his first...

By Steve Yanda | December 24, 2008; 12:05 PM ET | Comments (7)

The Big Men (Part 1)

Today, I'm going to take a look at Maryland's two starting post players -- senior Dave Neal and junior Landon Milbourne. The former was expected to, at best, come off the bench and be a serviceable reserve for 10-15 minutes...

By Steve Yanda | December 24, 2008; 07:12 AM ET | Comments (7)

Rotation Talk

Very few teams enter the season knowing with complete confidence who their starting five will be, and even fewer keep that starting five intact throughout the first few months of the season. Coaches like to mix things up, to see...

By Steve Yanda | December 23, 2008; 02:29 PM ET | Comments (3)

Another Encouraging Performance By Tucker

Cliff Tucker now has turned in two solid showings in a row, certainly a welcome development for Gary Williams and the rest of the Terps. Tucker played 17 minutes and was one of the first two subs off the bench...

By Steve Yanda | December 23, 2008; 10:34 AM ET | Comments (6)

Doing Well Without Doing Well

Greivis Vasquez and Eric Hayes are the rocks of this team. You know what you're going to get from them on most nights, which typically is steady play that paces the Terps one way or another. Last night, Vasquez and...

By Steve Yanda | December 23, 2008; 07:55 AM ET | Comments (4)

Terps Knock Off American, 67-51

You all sure know how to pick 'em. At last check, 51 percent of those of you who took part in the Terps Insider poll earlier today said Maryland would beat American by 10-20 points, and you were dead on....

By Steve Yanda | December 22, 2008; 10:39 PM ET | Comments (2)

The Showdown Is Upon Us

It's nearly time for the big rematch you've all eagerly been waiting for. After a 10-day hiatus, the Terps will return to the hardwood tonight at 7:45 to take on American at Comcast Center. Last season, the Eagles contributed to...

By Steve Yanda | December 22, 2008; 07:44 AM ET | Comments (7)

Scouting American

It's safe to say this is not the same, fiesty American squad that knocked off Maryland around this time last season. At 5-5, the Eagles have been going through a bit of a rough stretch lately. They've played all but...

By Steve Yanda | December 21, 2008; 09:06 AM ET | Comments (5)

Some Thoughts On The 'D'

On the whole, the Terps' defense has been fairly stingy this season. Sure, it's still early, and that very well may chance come ACC season, but it's at least worth pointing out a development that could prove crucial (if it...

By Steve Yanda | December 20, 2008; 09:02 AM ET | Comments (2)

How To Handle A Blowout

One would think that with opponents such as Bryant and Elon on the horizon, the Terps will find themselves in a few more circumstances such as the one they faced a week ago in a 28-point win over Delaware State:...

By Steve Yanda | December 19, 2008; 07:03 AM ET | Comments (5)

Greatest Terp Ever (Hardwood Version)?

As our Web site is exploring different entries in Len Shapiro's book The Great Book of Washington, D.C. Sports Lists, today's topic is the top Maryland basketball players of all time. The consensus No. 1 seemed to be Len Bias,...

By Matthew Rennie | December 18, 2008; 02:35 PM ET | Comments (6)

Divided Attention

As anyone who ever has partaken in it can attest, exam week is a royal pain in the ... well, you get where this is headed. Anyways, Gary Williams may be long past his test-taking days, but that doesn't mean...

By Steve Yanda | December 18, 2008; 07:22 AM ET | Comments (5)

Making A Statement

Maryland's beatdown of Delaware State on Friday night did little to prove the merits of most Terrapins. Delaware State was out-classed in just about every area, which meant the accomplishments of, say, Landon Milbourne, Greivis Vasquez and Adrian Bowie against...

By Steve Yanda | December 17, 2008; 07:04 AM ET | Comments (3)

Changing Gears

The expectation heading into the season was that sophomore guard Adrian Bowie would serve as the Terps' spark plug, the guy who energized the troops with hustle on defense and constant movement on offense. So far, he has done just...

By Steve Yanda | December 16, 2008; 07:19 AM ET | Comments (2)

Milbourne On A Tear

To the delight of Terps players, coaches and fans, junior forward Landon Milbourne is averaging 18.3 points over the past three games. After a slow start as he adjusted to playing bigger and more physical opponents at the power forward...

By Steve Yanda | December 15, 2008; 07:34 AM ET | Comments (7)

When The Boot's On The Other Foot

Jerome Burney looked quite dapper as he took a few short-range shots prior to Friday night's game against Delaware State. He was, after all, dressed in a charcoal gray suit. But he also was fitted with a black protective boot...

By Steve Yanda | December 14, 2008; 10:06 AM ET | Comments (1)

The Break Begins

Over the next 10 days, the Terps will be out of action as they prepare for and take their final exams. The next game is Monday, Dec. 22 against American. That being the case, my (and every other beat reporter's)...

By Steve Yanda | December 13, 2008; 10:20 AM ET | Comments (2)

Terps Crush Delaware State, 86-58

It was a bad omen for the visiting Hornets when on their first inbound play, the player receiving the ball slipped, had the ball bounce off his hands and then watched it roll out of bounds for his team's first...

By Steve Yanda | December 12, 2008; 10:59 PM ET | Comments (0)

When Good Enough Isn't The Point

In the print edition today, we featured Dino Gregory's recent rise in the Terps pecking order. The sophomore forward is playing more frequently and thus, with more confidence than ever before during his time in College Park. Most everyone --...

By Steve Yanda | December 12, 2008; 02:13 PM ET | Comments (1)

Combo Guards

With Adrian Bowie's spot in the starting lineup growing more secure by the day, Gary Williams has another issue to consider when determining how to alternate his players in and out of the games -- all three of his team's...

By Steve Yanda | December 12, 2008; 10:41 AM ET | Comments (2)

Frontcourt Plans

As a byproduct of Braxton Dupree playing all of one minute in the past two games, Jerome Burney had been seeing some increased playing time. But after Gary Williams revealed yesterday that Burney will miss the next 3-6 weeks with...

By Steve Yanda | December 12, 2008; 07:09 AM ET | Comments (3)

Burney Out 3-6 Weeks

Gary Williams just announced sophomore forward Jerome Burney will miss the next 3-6 weeks with a stress fracture in his right foot. Burney complained of soreness in the foot after practice Tuesday and underwent an MRI exam this morning. Burney...

By Steve Yanda | December 11, 2008; 03:30 PM ET | Comments (0)

Tough Road For Hornets

Gary Williams has implied in the past few weeks that few -- if any -- college basketball teams have played as tough of an early season schedule as his Terrapins. And while he may very well be right, his team's...

By Steve Yanda | December 11, 2008; 10:50 AM ET | Comments (2)

Scouting Delaware State

Tomorrow night at Comcast Center, the Terps will take on Delaware State, a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference squad that already has played 12 games this season -- and has lost 10 of them. In the Hornets' defense, they have played a...

By Steve Yanda | December 11, 2008; 07:33 AM ET | Comments (0)

It's That Time Of Year Again

Most Maryland basketball followers are well aware of the destruction that occured to the Terps record (and NCAA tourney hopes) last December -- a loss to loss to VCU, followed later by three consecutive losses to Boston College, Ohio and...

By Steve Yanda | December 10, 2008; 11:36 AM ET | Comments (5)

The Eighth Man

For the sake of discussion, we're going to assume that Gary Williams sticks with his current starting lineup (Greivis Vasquez, Eric Hayes, Adrian Bowie, Landon Milbourne and Dave Neal) for the near future. Williams typically seeks out an eight-man rotation,...

By Steve Yanda | December 10, 2008; 07:14 AM ET | Comments (4)

A Time For Rediscovery

There were several positives to come from the Terps win over George Washington. Among the more surprising developments was the stellar play of Dino Gregory. But when it comes to Maryland's bench, Gary Williams said he needed to see improvement...

By Steve Yanda | December 9, 2008; 04:05 PM ET | Comments (0)

Studying Up On The Competition

Maryland followers should cheer for John Beilein's Michigan squad as if it was their own for the remainder of the season, because with each Wolverine victory, Maryland's triumph on Dec. 3 looks all the more impressive. Michigan already had beaten...

By Steve Yanda | December 9, 2008; 01:57 PM ET | Comments (0)

Maryland Basketball: Not Little League

Sophomore foward Braxton Dupree played the final minute of Sunday night's win over George Washington. It was his only minute of action that night at Verizon Center. His stat line consisted of a bunch of zeroes, save for the one...

By Steve Yanda | December 9, 2008; 10:18 AM ET | Comments (5)

Strength In Numbers

You can look at Maryland's scoring composition from last night's win over George Washington two different ways: On the one hand, four Terps (Landon Milbourne, Greivis Vasquez, Adrian Bowie and Eric Hayes) scored 88.1 percent of Maryland's points, which is...

By Steve Yanda | December 9, 2008; 07:01 AM ET | Comments (3)

Applause Needed

With just more than four minutes remaining in Sunday night's win over George Washington, freshman guard Sean Mosley was fouled and headed to the free throw line to shoot a one-and-one. But before he could take his shot, the Colonials...

By Steve Yanda | December 8, 2008; 04:12 PM ET | Comments (2)

Vasquez Earns Top ACC Weekly Honor Again

For the second time in three weeks, Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez was named ACC player of the week. In two games last week Vasquez averaged 20.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.5 steals and shot 51.9 percent from the field....

By Steve Yanda | December 8, 2008; 02:28 PM ET | Comments (0)

Clamping Down On 'D'

After watching Maryland manhandle a team as offensively deficient as George Washington, it is hard to discern whether it was the Terps defense that imposed its will on the Colonials or the Colonials own ineptness that contributed to their paltry...

By Steve Yanda | December 8, 2008; 01:31 PM ET | Comments (1)

Vasquez The Decoy

Junior guard Eric Hayes got off to quite a start last night, connecting on each of his first four shots and scoring nearly as much as the entire George Washington lineup through eight minutes of play. By the 12:20 mark...

By Steve Yanda | December 8, 2008; 10:26 AM ET | Comments (0)

Gregory With The Assist

Technically, sophomore forward Dino Gregory has recorded just one assist in eight games for the Terps this season. At least, that's what the stat sheet says. But last night against George Washington, Gregory provided Maryland with a huge assist on...

By Steve Yanda | December 8, 2008; 07:05 AM ET | Comments (0)

Terps Win Big Over GW, 76-53

Pretty easy work for Maryland tonight. Gary Williams credited the Colonials for continuing to push his squad throughout the game, but the score was so out of hand by the start of the second half that the effort was all...

By Steve Yanda | December 7, 2008; 10:46 PM ET | Comments (1)

The Young And The Restless

With just one senior and nine underclassmen, experience is not on Maryland's side. As with most everything else, that can be a good and bad thing. The obvious advantages of experience reveal themselves in ready-made leaders knowledgable in what works...

By Steve Yanda | December 7, 2008; 12:30 PM ET | Comments (0)

For Vasquez, A Month (Hopefully) To Remember

December typically serves as a final month for tune-ups, a chance to pad a team's record with a few more victories and an opportunity to build confidence and momentum heading into the season's conference slate. Last year, though, December refused...

By Steve Yanda | December 7, 2008; 08:06 AM ET | Comments (0)

Thoughts On The Colonials

I'm at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta getting ready to cover the SEC championship game in a few hours, which means I wasn't able to attend today's media availability in College Park. Fortunately, the tireless Eric Prisbell was able to...

By Steve Yanda | December 6, 2008; 03:10 PM ET | Comments (3)

Scouting George Washington

Last season, George Washington transformed from a constant to a variable. The Colonials had made three straight trips to the NCAA tournament from 2005-07 and had claimed an Atlantic-10 championship in 2007. But last year, point guard Travis King went...

By Steve Yanda | December 6, 2008; 02:07 PM ET | Comments (1)

An Unfavorable Tournament

Tomorrow night, the Terps will take on George Washington in the BB&T Classic at Verizon Center. Maryland is fresh off a win over Michigan, and, as Gary Williams is quick to remind anyone who will listen, his team has played...

By Steve Yanda | December 6, 2008; 09:59 AM ET | Comments (1)

Changing A Mindset

After Wednesday night's game, I spoke with sophomore forward Jerome Burney about the development of Landon Milbourne, who prior to the contest against Michigan seemed uncomfortable to varying degrees at the power forward position. Though he played at power forward...

By Steve Yanda | December 5, 2008; 02:02 PM ET | Comments (0)

Returning To Form

The first three minutes or so of senior forward Dave Neal's first start of the season did not go well. After scoring the game's first bucket, Neal drew the ire of Coach Gary Williams on consecutive possessions, leading to a...

By Steve Yanda | December 5, 2008; 10:55 AM ET | Comments (0)

Keep On Shooting

During the Terps' season-opening thrashing of Bucknell, junior guard Eric Hayes attempted just three shots (three fewer than any other starter) and scored just three points. Wednesday night, Hayes attempted 13 shots and recorded 13 points against Michigan. What does...

By Steve Yanda | December 5, 2008; 07:12 AM ET | Comments (2)

Who Starts? Who Cares?

Gary Williams said after the game last night that he inserted Dave Neal and Adrian Bowie into the starting lineup because A) the two had been playing well recently, and B) he thought those additions (specifically Bowie; had Braxton Dupree...

By Steve Yanda | December 4, 2008; 05:04 PM ET | Comments (1)

Who Do You Root For?

After Landon Milbourne's breakthrough performance last night against Michigan, Gary Williams addressed, again, what makes Milbourne such an endearing player. Throughout the early stages of this season, even as Milbourne struggled to adapt to his new position, Williams stood by...

By Steve Yanda | December 4, 2008; 01:04 PM ET | Comments (8)

Solid Showing For Gregory

The rumor was that Dino Gregory possessed a contagious energy that could spark his team at any given moment. I say "rumor" and "was" because until last night, I had seen only brief glimpses of Gregory's potential. But against Michigan,...

By Steve Yanda | December 4, 2008; 10:20 AM ET | Comments (0)

Expected Star Returns To Form

Greivis Vasquez filled up the stat sheet quite nicely last night. The junior guard tallied 23 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. He also was mainly responsible for holding Michigan's marquee player, Manny Harris, to just 5 of 15 shooting...

By Steve Yanda | December 4, 2008; 07:04 AM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Rebound In Win Over Michigan

In light of the beating they took Sunday night at the hands of Georgetown, the Terps' 75-70 victory Wednesday night over Michigan was impressive. To be honest, I think it was more impressive that they were able to win a...

By Steve Yanda | December 3, 2008; 11:03 PM ET | Comments (2)

Changes To Starting Lineup

Senior forward Dave Neal and sophomore guard Adrian Bowie are making their first starts of the season tonight for the Terps. Vasquez, Milbourne and Hayes round out the starting five. Your thoughts?...

By Steve Yanda | December 3, 2008; 07:30 PM ET | Comments (1)

Bringing 'Em Back

Gary Williams and his staff faced a multitude of challenges coming off a weekend in which the Terps were exposed in many areas. The team's shooting needed to be addressed, as did its defensive focus and overall effort level. Oh,...

By Steve Yanda | December 3, 2008; 03:49 PM ET | Comments (0)

Milbourne The X-Factor

Michigan junior forward DeShawn Sims understands, probably better than most people, what Landon Milbourne is experiencing this season, mainly because Sims is making a similar transition himself. Last year, Michigan Coach John Beilein had Sims (6-foot-8, 235 lbs.) playing out...

By Steve Yanda | December 3, 2008; 01:10 PM ET | Comments (1)

Passing Up Opportunities

Gary Williams knows good and well that Michigan Coach John Beilein has seen tape of the Terps' performance against Georgetown, the one where Maryland shot 31.6 percent from the field. He also knows Beilein probably has seen footage of Maryland's...

By Steve Yanda | December 3, 2008; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (1)

What The Terps Need From The Big Fellas

Tonight, John Beilein and the Michigan Wolverines come to College Park for a showdown with the Terps. One thing you can look forward to seeing a lot of from Michigan tonight at Comcast Center is a 1-3-1 zone defense. It...

By Steve Yanda | December 3, 2008; 07:01 AM ET | Comments (3)

The Scene After The Loss

Adrian Bowie and Eric Hayes got to do probably the last thing on Earth they wanted to do today with a collection of reporters at Comcast Center -- relive their team's shortcomings during its worst performance of the season, Sunday's...

By Steve Yanda | December 2, 2008; 05:31 PM ET | Comments (3)

Bowie's Declaration

After having a few days to digest Sunday's embarrassing loss to Georgetown, sophomore guard Adrian Bowie declared today in a chat with reporters that the lack of effort the Terps displayed in their final game at the Old Spice Classic...

By Steve Yanda | December 2, 2008; 04:34 PM ET | Comments (6)

Scouting Michigan

In many ways, the teams at Michigan and Maryland have a lot in common. Neither squad was expected to do much this season. Then both squads went out and provided a shocking upset over a ranked team. And then both...

By Steve Yanda | December 2, 2008; 11:06 AM ET | Comments (0)

Some Outside Thoughts

Following Maryland's loss to Georgetown on Sunday evening, I got a chance to catch up with CBS college basketball analyst Clark Kellogg, who had been watching the day's games at the Milk House. Like most of the people who saw...

By Steve Yanda | December 2, 2008; 07:11 AM ET | Comments (0)

Mosley's First Start

Lost in the shuffle from last night's game was the fact that freshman guard Sean Mosley made his first collegiate start. This wasn't necessarily the most shocking occurence for two reasons: 1) Williams frequently has praised Mosley since the start...

By Steve Yanda | December 1, 2008; 03:44 PM ET | Comments (1)

Entry Denied

Here's a scene from last night's game, a little more than four minutes into the first half: Adrian Bowie is running the point at the top of the key. On the wings are Sean Mosley and Cliff Tucker. Dave Neal...

By Steve Yanda | December 1, 2008; 12:59 PM ET | Comments (0)

Desperate To Move Forward

In case you were curious, the last time Maryland got beat by 27 or more points was Jan. 8, 2005 at North Carolina when the Tar Heels prevailed, 109-75. The last time the Terps lost a non-conference game by at...

By Steve Yanda | December 1, 2008; 11:09 AM ET | Comments (6)

Terps' Weekend: Which Was Worse?

After the euphoria of Thursday's basketball victory over Michigan State, Maryland fans had a rough holiday weekend, obviously. A 1-2 record in Orlando, with a win over a top-10 team, is something most followers would have accepted beforehand if offered,...

By Matthew Rennie | December 1, 2008; 09:01 AM ET | Comments (1)

An Off Night For Vasquez

Regardless of whether he's operating within the flow of the offense or trying to take over the game all by himself, junior guard Greivis Vasquez likely has to be a big part of Maryland's offense on most nights for them...

By Steve Yanda | December 1, 2008; 07:16 AM ET | Comments (2)

Hoyas Crush Terps, 75-48

That, folks, was not pretty. It would be one thing if the Terps had come out and been straight-up beaten by a better team (which they were). But to make things worse, Maryland came out flat in what should have...

By Steve Yanda | November 30, 2008; 09:08 PM ET | Comments (3)

Mosley Makes His First Start

Freshman guard Sean Mosley was just announced in the starting lineup in place of sophomore Cliff Tucker, who has struggled in the past few games. The rest of the lineup remained unchanged....

By Steve Yanda | November 30, 2008; 05:31 PM ET | Comments (0)

Ten Minutes To Tip-Off

They've found enough gum to clog all the leaks in the roof here at the Milk House and we're about ready to start the long-awaited matchup between Maryland and Georgetown. If the Terps can establish the up-tempo pace they prefer,...

By Steve Yanda | November 30, 2008; 05:21 PM ET | Comments (2)

Rain Delay At The Milk House

With 12:47 to go in the first half of the Michigan State-Wichita State game, the roof at the ceiling began to leak considerably (it's raining outside here in Lake Buena Vista) and the contest came to a halt. After waiting...

By Steve Yanda | November 30, 2008; 01:42 PM ET | Comments (0)

A Trend Developing

When friend and colleague Eric Prisbell predicted on his new college basketball blog that Gary Williams would "mention the words Michigan State in almost every press conference from now until Selection Sunday," I was hoping for the sake of my...

By Steve Yanda | November 30, 2008; 12:12 PM ET | Comments (0)

More G-Town-Terps Coverage

For more coverage of the big game, check out Press Break, our new college basketball blog that has some additional posts up about tonight's matchup. And check out my post on what a win would mean for Gary Williams. During...

By Eric Prisbell | November 30, 2008; 08:45 AM ET | Comments (0)

'We Just Happen To Be Located Close To Each Other'

Excited about tonight's Maryland-Georgetown match-up? Fired up because these two programs -- separated by less than 15 miles -- play each other once per presidential administration? Well, good for you. But Gary Williams isn't buying it. Sure, Maryland's head coach...

By Steve Yanda | November 30, 2008; 08:01 AM ET | Comments (3)

Scouting Georgetown

Have any two teams ever been more familiar with one another without having actually faced each other before? Most of the players on Maryland's and Georgetown's roster were still in grade school the last time these two teams faced each...

By Steve Yanda | November 29, 2008; 02:06 PM ET | Comments (0)

In Need Of Some Parts

Gary Williams was asked after the game last night about his thoughts on the Gonzaga squad that had just beaten his Terrapins. His answer, I thought, was telling. "Well they have all the tools, and it’s not just the first...

By Steve Yanda | November 29, 2008; 12:09 PM ET | Comments (2)

Lesson Learned

As should be expected when a team gets beat by 12 points and owned on the boards by a much bigger and more physical team, the Terps tried to find some positives in the aftermath of their defeat to Gonzaga....

By Steve Yanda | November 29, 2008; 08:39 AM ET | Comments (2)

Terps Fall To Gonzaga, 81-59

A night after pulling off a shocking upset of No. 5 Michigan State, Maryland came back down to earth against a Gonzaga squad that simply was too big for the Terps to handle. Three Gonzaga starters were 6-foo-8 or taller....

By Steve Yanda | November 28, 2008; 09:16 PM ET | Comments (5)

Game Time Approaches

I'm back at the Milk House for day two of the Old Spice Classic. Tennessee just put away Georgetown, 90-78, to advance to the tournament championship game on Sunday night. Next up, Maryland will take on No. 9 Gonzaga to...

By Steve Yanda | November 28, 2008; 04:02 PM ET | Comments (1)

Earning Some Praise

Gary Williams says he doesn't mind his team being underestimated by outside observers, and with the way the Terps have been playing under such circumstances, that's understandable. But after last night's win over No. 5 Michigan State, the pendulum will...

By Steve Yanda | November 28, 2008; 02:24 PM ET | Comments (0)

Some Fun With The Crowd

Greivis Vasquez is a bit of a showman with charisma that borders on arrogance and endearing, so it didn't suprise me too much last night that when a select few Michigan State fans sitting in the first row began chirpinig...

By Steve Yanda | November 28, 2008; 12:31 PM ET | Comments (2)

A Crucial Stretch

The first half did not end particularly well for Maryland last night against Michigan State. Ahead by five, Dave Neal set up to inbound the ball after a made Spartans basket. Michigan State was in a full-court press, leaving Neal...

By Steve Yanda | November 28, 2008; 10:40 AM ET | Comments (2)

Scouting Gonzaga

Next up for the Terps are the No. 9 Gonzaga Bulldogs, who dispatched Oklahoma State, 83-71, in the final game of the Old Spice Classic's first round Friday night. Gonzaga is 3-0, having also defeated Montana State-Billings and Idaho this...

By Steve Yanda | November 28, 2008; 08:05 AM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Knock Off Spartans, 80-62

Well I'll be honest, I absolutely didn't see that one coming. Maryland out-ran, out-hustled, out-smarted, out-defended and just plain out-played Michigan State. The Spartans committed numerous turnovers, frequently rushed their shots, racked up silly fouls -- and the Terps capitalized....

By Steve Yanda | November 27, 2008; 11:34 PM ET | Comments (0)

Hour Until Tip-off

The players are warming up and the stands are starting to fill. Here are a few quick notes on both teams heading into tonight's match-up: 1) Junior guard Greivis Vasquez is 22 points away from becoming the 47th player in...

By Steve Yanda | November 27, 2008; 06:01 PM ET | Comments (1)

Live At The Milk House

ORLANDO -- Hey everybody, just arrived here at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex where in a few hours Maryland will take on Michigan State. (In case anyone is curious, Georgetown is playing right now and are on top of...

By Steve Yanda | November 27, 2008; 03:41 PM ET | Comments (0)

If A Terrapin Falls In the Woods ...

... and no one's there to hear it, does it make a sound? Maryland players -- and certainly their coach -- are not deaf to the many questions observers have raised about the talent level and ability of this year's...

By Steve Yanda | November 27, 2008; 01:29 PM ET | Comments (0)

More Matchup Chatter

Before the Terps left town on Tuesday, several reporters got the opportunity to speak with senior forward Dave Neal, who acknowledged that Maryland's first round game in the Old Spice Classic certainly will be a challenge. Michigan State is ranked...

By Steve Yanda | November 27, 2008; 11:03 AM ET | Comments (0)

Altered Situation In The Post

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Hope you and your families have a wonderful day, but if you feel the desire -- or need -- to pull yourself away from the crowd for a few minutes, I'll be here with some preview material...

By Steve Yanda | November 27, 2008; 08:47 AM ET | Comments (0)

Another Breakdown of the Orlando Field

Hello, everyone. I'm jumping back and forth between blogs here. I posted an additional look at the entire Orlando Old Spice Classic field, along with rankings, on our new blog, Press Break. Click here for the link....

By Eric Prisbell | November 26, 2008; 02:03 PM ET | Comments (0)

Spartans Big Man Injured

I was just musing through some of the Detroit papers, and it appears as though Braxton Dupree and the other Maryland big men might have one less problem to worry about. Michigan State center Goran Suton injured his left knee...

By Steve Yanda | November 26, 2008; 12:49 PM ET | Comments (1)

Scouting Michigan State

Without question, Michigan State will serve as Maryland's toughest test of the season to date. The Spartans, much like the Terps, prefer an up-tempo game pace and like to accrue as many points in transition as possible. The Spartans also,...

By Steve Yanda | November 26, 2008; 12:02 PM ET | Comments (0)

Starting Spots, Deserved and Otherwise

The starting lineup, Gary Williams said yesterday, will look much the same tomorrow night against Michigan State as it did against Vermont, Youngstown State and Bucknell. And really, by making that claim he was addressing the job security of one...

By Steve Yanda | November 26, 2008; 10:37 AM ET | Comments (1)

Introducing Press Break

Hello, basketball fans. We'd like to introduce you to a new online feature from washingtonpost.com called Press Break. While Steve Yanda will continue to bring you Maryland men's basketball news (and Camille Powell will bring you Maryland women's basketball news)...

By Matthew Rennie | November 25, 2008; 04:21 PM ET | Comments (0)

A Quick Look At the Field

The Old Spice Tournament will kick off in Orlando on Thanksgiving Day, and just a few hours after Gary Williams and I partake in the buffet at the local Denny's, Maryland will take on Michigan State that night. If you'd...

By Steve Yanda | November 25, 2008; 01:30 PM ET | Comments (4)

Vasquez Earns ACC Honor

First of all, allow me to apologize for the extreme tardiness of this blog post. I received the email from the ACC during the middle of our college basketball chat earlier today, and I simply lost track of it after...

By Steve Yanda | November 24, 2008; 10:23 PM ET | Comments (2)

Savoring Wins and Finishing Shots

Make no mistake, Gary Williams and the Terps felt fortunate to make it out of Comcast Center with a win Friday night over Vermont. One would imagine they knew it would be a tough test entering the night, but not...

By Steve Yanda | November 24, 2008; 01:14 PM ET | Comments (0)

A Nod to Dino and Dave

Sophomore forward Dino Gregory played 24 minutes off the bench last night, and while he didn't really make much of a mark in the scoring department (two points), he definitely made his presence felt on defense. The knock on Gregory...

By Steve Yanda | November 22, 2008; 04:49 PM ET | Comments (0)

Halftime Adjustments

Maryland jumped out to a hot offensive start last night for the first time in a game this season. They also pressed well enough to force Vermont into 12 first-half turnovers. And yet, the Terps led by just two points...

By Steve Yanda | November 22, 2008; 03:04 PM ET | Comments (0)

Three Up, Three Down

What a crazy night at Comcast, folks. Vermont shot the lights out and led the game with 6.4 seconds left on the clock. Then Greivis Vasquez nails a three-pointer from the corner to tie the score. And just like that,...

By Steve Yanda | November 21, 2008; 11:37 PM ET | Comments (1)

Lonergan on a Tough Loss

This is Eric checking in from Comcast Center, about a half hour after I finished talking with Vermont Coach Mike Lonergan and standout forward Marqus Blakely. They were understandably downtrodden after losing to Maryland, 89-74, in overtime in heartbreaking fashion....

By Eric Prisbell | November 21, 2008; 11:24 PM ET | Comments (2)

Ball Handlers and Off-the-Ball Handlers

Among the many bright sides to having a plethora of capable guards is the ability to rely on several different players to run the show at different times. Need a steady floor general? Have Eric Hayes take the ball down...

By Steve Yanda | November 21, 2008; 04:03 PM ET | Comments (0)

Milbourne's Role on the Boards

Landon Milbourne strikes you as a slasher, mainly because that’s what he is. Or at least, what he should be. He’s listed at 6-foot-7, 207 lbs., not bulky by any means, but not wiry, either. He seems like he’d be...

By Steve Yanda | November 21, 2008; 02:22 PM ET | Comments (1)

Slow Starters

As Coach Gary Williams is quick to remind everyone, his team has scored lots of points in its first two games and has won by wide margins. But as much as Williams would like to chalk the Terps’ early offensive...

By Steve Yanda | November 21, 2008; 12:19 PM ET | Comments (0)

More On Lonergan, Eye Problems and Guard Play

I'll post some of the highlights from today's media availability throughout the day tomorrow, but I had a few more items I wanted to mention about Vermont and its coach, Mike Lonergan. Let's start with Lonergan, who grew up in...

By Steve Yanda | November 20, 2008; 05:14 PM ET | Comments (0)

Scouting Vermont

Maryland will host one of its former coaches and the team he now leads tomorrow night at Comcast Center. Coach Mike Lonergan and the Vermont Catamounts are 1-1 this season and would appear to be the Terps' first somewhat legitimate...

By Steve Yanda | November 20, 2008; 03:17 PM ET | Comments (0)

Getting Into The Flow

The stat line for junior guard Greivis Vasquez from last night's game would seem to indicate a performance reminiscent of the ones he frequently put up last season. You know, the ones where Vasquez seemed to do everything -- score,...

By Steve Yanda | November 19, 2008; 02:03 PM ET | Comments (1)

Same Pattern In Terps' Win

Another game, another slow offensive start for Coach Gary Williams's bunch. Maryland missed its first six shots from the field and scored just 12 points in the opening 10 minutes. But just as they did Friday night against Bucknell, the...

By Steve Yanda | November 18, 2008; 11:25 PM ET | Comments (0)

Sticking Up For Duke?

Coach Gary Williams was wrapping up his chat with a handful of reporters yesterday when he turned the tables on the men with the notepads and recorders. “Hey, I got a question for yah,” Williams said. “You see the (Associated...

By Steve Yanda | November 18, 2008; 05:05 PM ET | Comments (2)

Taking Charge

Though the Terps continue to insist they believe forward Braxton Dupree and his fellow big men will develop into adequate contributors, they long ago came to the conclusion that they must adjust to what appears to be the team’s most...

By Steve Yanda | November 18, 2008; 03:56 PM ET | Comments (1)

Playing Time

A good amount of time during yesterday’s media availability was spent talking about playing time and whether specific players earned more of it based on their performance Friday night against Bucknell. Coach Gary Williams has said many times over the...

By Steve Yanda | November 18, 2008; 01:47 PM ET | Comments (0)

Padgett Signed

Coach Gary Williams just announced that James Padgett officially has signed his letter of intent. Padgett, a 6-foot-8 power forward out of Brooklyn, joins Jordan Williams as part of Maryland's 2009 recruiting class. More from Williams's media availability to come....

By Steve Yanda | November 17, 2008; 03:44 PM ET | Comments (1)

Scouting Youngstown State

Up next for Gary Williams's bunch are the Youngstown State Penguins, who traveled to the College Park vacinity this morning and will take on the Terrapins at 8 p.m. tomorrow night at Comcast Center. Youngstown State hails from the Horizon...

By Steve Yanda | November 17, 2008; 01:08 PM ET | Comments (0)

Thoughts On The Frontcourt

As the rain continues to fall here at Byrd Stadium, I thought I'd chime in with some thoughts lingering from last night's men's basketball season opener. For those of you who saw or have read about the win over Bucknell,...

By Steve Yanda | November 15, 2008; 02:42 PM ET | Comments (0)

VMI vs. Bucknell

I have received some feedback questioning a line in my game story that stated a Bucknell win over Maryland would have been more shocking of an upset than VMI beating Kentucky. My rationale was two-fold: 1) Kentucky did this last...

By Steve Yanda | November 15, 2008; 11:42 AM ET | Comments (0)

Terps Win Season Opener

Much like my Honda Civic, the Maryland's performance Friday night in its season opener against Bucknell was not pretty, but it will do. The Terps won convincingly, 81-52, but the final score in no way does justice to the offensive...

By Steve Yanda | November 14, 2008; 11:18 PM ET | Comments (0)

Starting Lineup

As expected, Greivis Vasquez, Eric Hayes and Landon Milbourne started for the Terps. Joining them were Cliff Tucker and Braxton Dupree. Milbourne, Tucker and Dupree were announced as forwards....

By Steve Yanda | November 14, 2008; 08:01 PM ET | Comments (0)

Bench Talk

Greivis Vasquez held court in front of about a dozen media members yesterday at Comcast Center and among the many interesting things he had to say was a brief mention of the capabalities of Maryland's bench this season. "Our bench...

By Steve Yanda | November 14, 2008; 03:04 PM ET | Comments (0)

Paulsen's Thoughts On Facing The Terps

Bucknell Coach Dave Paulsen didn't sound to encouraged at the thought of matching up against Maryland on Friday night. When asked what advantages he thought his squad might have over the Terps, Paulsen responded bluntly. "I don’t know if anything...

By Steve Yanda | November 14, 2008; 12:59 PM ET | Comments (3)

A Note On Flannery

For those of you who are interested, here's an idea of how former Bucknell Coach Pat Flannery is spending his free time now that he doesn't have to worry about recruiting or game planning or sideline pacing. The guy had...

By Steve Yanda | November 14, 2008; 08:34 AM ET | Comments (0)

New Look Terps?

Traditionally, Gary Williams teams run offenses that start from the inside and work their way out to the perimeter, but with the makeup of this year's squad, that might not be the best way to go. Tomorrow night, the Terps...

By Steve Yanda | November 13, 2008; 10:09 PM ET | Comments (1)

Jordan Williams Signs With Terps

Maryland just announced via a press release that Jordan Williams, a 6-foot-10, 245-pound center from Torrington (Conn.) High School has signed a letter of intent to play for the Terps. "At 6-10, Jordan is one of those rare players who...

By Steve Yanda | November 13, 2008; 03:38 PM ET | Comments (1)

Vasquez, Mosley To Play

Maryland Coach Gary Williams just confirmed at a media availability today at Comcast Center that Greivis Vasquez and Sean Mosley both will play tomorrow night in the team's season opener against Bucknell. Vasquez sat out last Saturday's exhibition game against...

By Steve Yanda | November 13, 2008; 03:30 PM ET | Comments (0)

Scouting Bucknell

Following a season in which Bucknell lost 19 games – its most in 26 years – Coach Pat Flannery retired after 14 years at the helm. The Bison hired Dave Paulsen to take Flannery’s place, and Paulsen said in a...

By Steve Yanda | November 13, 2008; 03:00 PM ET | Comments (2)

Wanna Bet? Vegas's Take on the Terps

Over at the esteemed DC SportsBog, our colleague Dan Steinberg, on the eve of the unveiling of the preseason Atlantic 11 poll, takes a look at what Las Vegas oddsmakers are saying about our local college basketball programs. You could...

By Matthew Rennie | November 12, 2008; 01:33 PM ET | Comments (1)

More Three-Point Struggles

I’m keeping a close eye on three-point shooting early in the college basketball season, and I’ll post some thoughts here until we get our new college basketball blog/bracketology site up and running in the near future. Yes, it’s only one...

By Eric Prisbell | November 12, 2008; 12:02 PM ET | Comments (0)

Plenty of Poison Pens Out There for Terps

Not a lot of love out there for Gary Williams' bunch among the college basketball season previews. I don't think anyone has tremendously high expectations for this season's team, but that doesn't explain the level of vitriol in some of...

By Matthew Rennie | November 12, 2008; 09:59 AM ET | Comments (9)

Beyond the Arc

So the college hoops season opened last night, not a moment too soon, and few could make a shot beyond the new three-point line at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke (3 of 11) and Presbyterian (3 of 17) both struggled behind...

By Eric Prisbell | November 11, 2008; 10:02 AM ET | Comments (6)

Football-Basketball: Which Side Are You On?

This column in the Winston-Salem Journal doesn't tell tell us a lot that Prisbell hasn't already written, but there are two observations I thought were pretty illustrative: (1) the BCS race actually has more clarity than the ACC race right...

By Matthew Rennie | November 11, 2008; 08:50 AM ET | Comments (8)

An Update On Mosley

Freshman guard Sean Mosley sat on the bench, draped in his black warm-up pullover for most of the game yesterday, standing only to get in closer to the huddle during timeouts. As the game progressed and the score got out...

By Steve Yanda | November 9, 2008; 03:00 PM ET | Comments (0)

Some Props To Milbourne

I covered this only briefly in the game story I posted on the blog yesterday evening, but one of the main sparks for Maryland during its commanding exhibition victory over Northwood was junior forward Landon Milbourne. He shot 9 for...

By Steve Yanda | November 9, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (2)

'The New Thing' Leads Terps to Commanding Victory

Jin Soo Kim's week began with what he thought was a joke and it ended with his right wrist extended in the air, watching another shot fall through the net as the Comcast Center crowd erupted once again. Kim turned...

By Steve Yanda | November 8, 2008; 05:26 PM ET | Comments (2)

It Was Close ...

... and then the game started. As would be expected when Maryland matches up with any NAIA opponent, the Terrapins made it clear the canyon separating their skill level from that of Northwood University is vast. Maryland got out to...

By Steve Yanda | November 8, 2008; 02:50 PM ET | Comments (0)

Warm-ups

Just arrived at the Comcast Center, where both teams are running through their warm-up drills. Freshman guard Sean Mosley is participating in all drills so far, which could mean he will play today against Northwood. Coach Gary Williams had said...

By Steve Yanda | November 8, 2008; 01:05 PM ET | Comments (0)

The Virtues of Scrimmages and Exhibitions

Gary Williams was asked yesterday whether he preferred to have his team play in scrimmages or exhibition games during the preseason. His choice varied, depending on the experience of the players to which he referred. This season, the Terps experienced...

By Steve Yanda | November 8, 2008; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (1)

What Do Preseason Rankings Tell Us?

Maryland was picked to finish seventh in the ACC this season. The conference's preseason rankings were voted on by members of the media that cover ACC basketball and that attended the ACC's preseason men's basketball media day a few weeks...

By Steve Yanda | November 8, 2008; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (2)

Scouting Northwood

Good morning, everyone. A little bit later today, I'll be heading out to College Park to watch the Terps play in their first -- and only -- exhibition game. Maryland will take on Northwood University at the Comcast Center at...

By Steve Yanda | November 8, 2008; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

Praise For The Freshmen

During his chat with reporters earlier this afternoon, Gary Williams made sure to point out how well two of his three freshmen have performed so far during pracitices. One of them, Jin Soo Kim, has been able to work out...

By Steve Yanda | November 7, 2008; 09:35 PM ET | Comments (0)

Vasquez Out Tomorrow

Maryland Coach Gary Williams said this afternoon that junior guard Greivis Vasquez will not play in tomorrow's exhibition game against Northwood. He also said freshman guard Sean Mosley may not play due to an ankle injury. Williams said Mosley suffered...

By Steve Yanda | November 7, 2008; 03:01 PM ET | Comments (0)

Kim Declared Eligible

Freshman forward Jin Soo Kim was declared eligible for the 2008-09 season by the NCAA Clearinghouse this afternoon. Maryland released the news in a press release moments ago. Kim will begin practicing with the team on Wednesday. The NCAA Clearinghouse...

By Steve Yanda | November 3, 2008; 05:37 PM ET | Comments (4)

Jin Soo Kim Denied Eligibility; Decision Pending (Updated)

A source close to the situation confirmed late Friday night that Maryland freshman forward Jin Soo Kim has been denied eligibility by the NCAA Clearinghouse, though the decision is not yet final. Maryland has until next Thursday to submit further...

By Steve Yanda | November 1, 2008; 10:10 AM ET | Comments (1)

Men's Basketball Scrimmage

Today's scrimmage lasted nearly two hours at the Comcast Center. As would be expected of an early showing, the performance was littered with positives and negatives. Three Up 1. Cliff Tucker shines again. Tucker had a solid showing in Saturday's...

By Steve Yanda | October 29, 2008; 06:45 PM ET | Comments (3)

Poll: Who is on the Hottest Seat?

SAVANNAH, Ga. --- Before I run to an interview in Richmond Hill, Ga., here is a question about ACC coaches under scrutiny. Enjoy. poll by twiigs.com...

By Eric Prisbell | October 27, 2008; 11:27 AM ET | Comments (0)

Neal's Take on the ACC

Here is how Dave Neal sized up the ACC: 1) UNC 2) Virginia Tech 3) Miami 4) Wake Forest 5) Duke 6) Clemson 7) Maryland 8) Georgia Tech 9) Florida State 10) Boston College 11) NC State 12) Virginia all-conference...

By Eric Prisbell | October 27, 2008; 11:22 AM ET | Comments (0)

Poll: Ready for Some Basketball?

In case you missed it, Sunday was ACC media day, and the Terps were forecast to finish seventh in the conference in a media poll. That left Gary Williams and Greivis Vasquez feeling just a little put out. The season...

By Matthew Rennie | October 27, 2008; 08:58 AM ET | Comments (1)

Quick Update

My computer died, so I'm at a Kinkos right now in Atlanta. Will drive four hours to Savannah tonight and will have more later, including preseason predictions from Greivis Vasquez and Dave Neal. Terps were seventh in the media poll,...

By Eric Prisbell | October 26, 2008; 05:39 PM ET | Comments (0)

Greetings from Atlanta

You are looking LIVE at a ballroom in the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, where I will be covering ACC basketball media day all day today. I’ll have thoughts from Gary Williams and some players, as well as other conference tidbits....

By Eric Prisbell | October 26, 2008; 10:23 AM ET | Comments (0)

Hoops: Burney and Dupree

Jerome Burney missed both of his shot attempts and scored no points in 35 minutes of action. Braxton Dupree made 3 of 8 shots and finished with 8 points....

By Eric Prisbell | October 25, 2008; 03:14 PM ET | Comments (0)

Basketball Stats

Landon Milbourne 24 points Cliff Tucker 26 points Sean Mosley 12 points Adrian Bowie 10 assists Greivis Vasquez 23 points Dino Gregory 12 rebounds...

By Eric Prisbell | October 25, 2008; 03:11 PM ET | Comments (0)

Basketball Update

Just arrived at Byrd Stadium from the basketball scrimmage. A few hundred fans watched the hoops team play, applauding the squad at the end. Overall, I thought Landon Milbourne and Sean Mosley looked the best. Milbourne had a flurry of...

By Eric Prisbell | October 25, 2008; 02:58 PM ET | Comments (0)

The New Lobbyists: Basketball Coaches

It might be a little early to be talking basketball, but it isn't too early for basketball coaches to be talking about Selection Sunday, apparently. Maryland Coach Gary Williams spent part of last week's media day pleading the case for...

By Matthew Rennie | October 23, 2008; 02:40 PM ET | Comments (3)

Men's Basketball Public Scrimmage Saturday

If you're interested in getting a sneak peek at the men's basketball team and didn't make it to Maryland Madness last Friday night, you can get another chance before Saturday's football game. Gary Williams' squad will hold a public scrimmage...

By Matthew Rennie | October 23, 2008; 12:05 PM ET | Comments (2)

Maryland Gets Verbal Commitment (Updated)

Jordan Williams, a 6-foot-9, 245-lb. forward from Torrington High School in Connecticut, gave a verbal commitment to Maryland early Monday morning. Reports of the commitment had been circulating this week, but I wanted to confirm the news firsthand before relaying...

By Steve Yanda | October 21, 2008; 06:15 PM ET | Comments (4)

Tidbits From Opening Night

The armored vehicle Gary Williams rode out in during introductions weighed 17,000 pounds. Gary said the thing gets at least six miles to the gallon. "I still think this is a good thing," Williams said of the night's event. "You...

By Steve Yanda | October 17, 2008; 10:27 PM ET | Comments (2)

A Little Rusty

The men's team scrimmage began with a couple of missed alley-hoop attempts, and the team did not find much rhythm in the transition game. But Adrian Bowie looked impressive. He said Thursday his confidence really improved over the summer while...

By Steve Yanda | October 17, 2008; 09:49 PM ET | Comments (1)

And Now For the Men's Team ...

An Under Armour representative got the crowd riled up. His scratchy, booming voice was perfect for the whole "We must protect this house!" routine. Coincidentally, his mic was cut off before he was through talking. The players descended from the...

By Steve Yanda | October 17, 2008; 09:31 PM ET | Comments (5)

Men's Team Performs the Macarena

Seriously. Only for a few lines of the song, but ... um ... no better choices available, guys? The other tunes were a little more their style. The men's team was dressed in sport jackets with their jerseys underneath. Always...

By Steve Yanda | October 17, 2008; 09:03 PM ET | Comments (3)

Live at Maryland Madness

Pretty good size crowd here for the kickoff of the basketball season in College Park. Gymkana just performed. Pretty good stuff, especially at the end when the gymnasts jumped through a ring of fire. A few came dangerously close to...

By Steve Yanda | October 17, 2008; 08:59 PM ET | Comments (3)

Thoughts From Williams on Upcoming Season

Maryland held its men's basketball media day earlier today at the Comcast Center, which allowed Coach Gary Williams to provide his outlook on the upcoming 2008-09 campaign. Williams aknowledged his team's perceived shortcomings, and then provided reasons why his team...

By Steve Yanda | October 16, 2008; 09:00 PM ET | Comments (5)

Recruiting Spotlight: DeMatha's Victor Oladipio

Maryland men's basketball fans can get an early peek at this season's team tomorrow night at Maryland Madness. But for a glimpse at someone whom the Maryland staff would certainly like to be a member of future teams, check out...

By Matthew Rennie | October 16, 2008; 02:30 PM ET | Comments (3)

Revisiting Graduation Rates

I was interested in reading both sides of the back-and-forth in the comments yesterday regarding graduation rates of student-athletes, so I wanted to raise the topic again today with some additional information. The most notable figure among Maryland's scores was...

By Matthew Rennie | October 15, 2008; 10:04 AM ET | Comments (7)

Graduation Success Rates Released

The NCAA released the latest Graduation Success Rate figures for student-athletes, and the news is once again not great for the Maryland basketball program. The GSR measures the percentage of student-athletes who entered college in 2001 who have earned their...

By Matthew Rennie | October 14, 2008; 02:01 PM ET | Comments (16)

Maryland Madness

The Maryland men's basketball season kicks off Friday night at the Comcast Center. The doors open at 6 p.m. and the event is scheduled to begin around 7:20. Here is the full slate: 6 p.m. – Doors open 7:20 p.m....

By Steve Yanda | October 13, 2008; 02:51 PM ET | Comments (1)

Terps Hoops: Last? Don't Bet On It

In light of Steve Yanda’s earlier post about Maryland hoops predictions, I wanted to check in with some quick thoughts on my predictions for Maryland and the ACC. First off, I’m really looking forward to this season getting started in...

By Eric Prisbell | October 9, 2008; 12:34 PM ET | Comments (9)

Terps Men's Basketball Preseason Predictions

Ah yes, that's right. It's that time of the year again, when guessers both educated and non- attempt to foretell how things will play out on the hardwood this season. The early read on the Terps? Well, according to two...

By Steve Yanda | October 9, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (12)

Who Have Been the Quirkiest Terps?

This really has nothing to do with Maryland, but it's a bye week and it's too good not to share. Arian Foster is less than 350 yards from becoming Tennessee's career leading rusher. Not surprisingly, some of the media that...

By Matthew Rennie | October 8, 2008; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (8)

BB&T Classic Tickets on Sale

Given how Saturday's events went for Maryland fans and that this is a bye week for the football squad, this might be a good time to turn our attention to basketball. So ... tickets went on sale this week for...

By Matthew Rennie | October 8, 2008; 09:29 AM ET | Comments (5)

Williams on the Goins Decision

Just got off the phone with Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams, who said freshman Steve Goins was late to pass through NCAA Clearinghouse because the Chicago public school system recently switched computer systems and that prevented Maryland from getting the...

By Steve Yanda | September 25, 2008; 02:04 PM ET | Comments (9)

Goins Clears NCAA Waivers

NCAA Clearinghouse approved the transcripts of freshman Steve Goins, a 6-foot-10, 260-pound center out of Chicago, on Tuesday, according to a Maryland athletics department spokeman. Goins now is officially a member of the Maryland men's basketball team's 2008-09 roster and...

By Steve Yanda | September 25, 2008; 09:31 AM ET | Comments (1)

Men's Basketball Schedule Released

Maryland released its 2008-09 men's basketball schedule this afternoon. Below are the details: Sat. Nov. 8 vs. Northwood (exhibition), 2:00 pm Fri. Nov. 14 vs. Bucknell, 8:00 pm Tue. Nov. 18 vs. Youngstown State, 8:00 pm Fri. Nov. 21 vs....

By Steve Yanda | August 26, 2008; 02:19 PM ET | Comments (19)