For all intents and purposes the 2010-11 season for the University of Maryland’s Men’s Basketball team ended tonight with a 80-66 loss to the Miami Hurricanes.
Maryland needed to win tonight, beat Virgina this weekend and likely win two games in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament to have a chance to dance in the NCAA Tournament. With the loss, the Terps are now 18-12 overall, and just 7-8 in the ACC. The only legitimate path to the NCAA Tournament would be for Maryland to go to Greensboro and win the ACC Tournament. Assuming that does not occur, where is Maryland as a program?
Clearly the Terps underachieved this year. If they do not shoot 14 of 30 from the foul-line, maybe they would have secured a neutral court victory over Pittsburgh. If Maryland beat Temple in the BB&T Tournament, maybe the overall resume looks a bit better. If the Terps do not blow a 12 point second-half lead against Villanova (while allowing a 19 point run) maybe Maryland is getting ready to dance.
Perhaps most importantly, if the Terps win the home-court games against Boston College and Virgina Tech; Maryland would be getting ready to host Virgina with a 9-6 record in the ACC.
Alas, none of that occurred. Maryland showed they could play with quality teams this year, but did not show an ability to secure wins. They are 18-12, and 7-8 for a reason. For this year they are the definition of a mediocre National Invitation Tournament (NIT) team.
Anyone that wants to say that it is unacceptable that Maryland is likely to go to the NIT for the 4th time in 7 years is absolutely correct and entitled to make such an argument. For the record, I totally concur. Even after accounting for the departures of Gilchrist, and McCray; 4 NIT’s in 7 years for this program is pathetic.
That all said, even if Maryland does not pull of the unlikely in Greensboro, the immediate future for the Terps looks very good.
2011-12 Terps
1) Howard, Gibbs
2) Stoglin, Faust
3) Mosley, Parker
4) Breunig, Palsson, Padgett, Pankey
5) Williams, Weijs
Between Howard and Gibbs, you should be able to get reasonable PG production next year. Stoglin has now scored 115 points (23 per) in his last 5 games. Between him, and Faust (Baltimore’s Top Senior, and a National Top 40 player); Maryland should have solid production at the 2G.
Mosley has had an up and down Junior season, but between him, Parker, and when Palsson plays down to the 3; that is a good rotation.
What Maryland gets at the 4 remains to be seen. Individual workouts only account for so much, but it appears Breunig has an advanced offensive game. When Palsson plays up, and you combine the athletic talents of Padgett and Pankey; the Terps will have a multitude of options at the PF position.
Jordan Williams has proven to be a dominating collegiate player. However, while he is listed as 6’10, he appears to be closer to 6’8. At the NBA level, a 6’8 player is a forward. Williams is a dominating College Center, but will not play that position at the next level. He does not currently have the game to be an NBA 4, and lacks the size to be a true back to the basket NBA center. That is a long-winded way of saying that I believe Williams will return to College Park for at-least his Junior season.
If Jordan Williams returns, and he has the team mentioned above him around him; Maryland can be a contender within the ACC and Nationally these next two years. It is hard to think of the multitude of options for tomorrow, when the Terps have blown another opportunity here today. That said, Maryland will have a chance to do significant damage at the National level next fall.
Owner
Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.