Is Maryland an NCAA tourney team?

[Sports Guy]

It is still early and maybe too early to even talk about this since MD has a young squad that figures to get better as the year goes along.

However, 10 games have been played, so there should be some sense of what you think this team will be.

So, what do all of you think?

I have barely watched them play, so I don't have much of an opinion based off of what I have actually seen.

[Mackus]

They have not played well enough so far to be considered even a bubble team, IMO. However, I do expect them to improve enough to be given strong consideration, but not sure they will have the non-conference wins to overcome the slow start and get in. I'm still optimistic, and Gary's teams almost always peak at the right time of year, so I think its very possible that we get to 9-7 in conference and (assuming we beat Charlotte and don't lose any bad OOC games) we should be good enough to get into the tourney if thats the case.

[sangell2007]

I haven't gotten to see as much as I'd like either, but I'll just say that there was a point early in the season last year when people didn't give the Terps much chance to make the tournament, then they went on their great ACC run. Granted, they had a bunch of seniors.

This year's team looks to be an extraordinarily young team that has fought hard in just about every game. Hopefully that will translate into wins once the ACC season really starts. If not, I still am confident that this is a group that will be a serious contender in the conference and nationally speaking in the next couple of years.

[Sports Guy]

BTW, if I remember correctly, their last 10 games are pretty favorable so that could help out a lot.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I think they stink, and that saddens me.

[Flosman]

If selection Sunday was this week no way. I think they might make a run at it. But they are really painting themselves into a corner. You really don't want to have to beat Duke and NC on their court to get in not to mention just holding serve at home against everyone.

[glenn__davis]

Right now, no.

But I'm very optimistic that they will be at the end of the year. Seems like every game we come out with absolutely no rhythm on offense, but by the second half things look much better. This team is still gelling, still trying to figure out what role each player will have.

Last night's loss stunk in a lot of respects, but I think we'll be very pleased with this team once the real ACC season begins.

[Jagwar]

I think they stink, and that saddens me.

This statement is a little harsh. While I can't argue that the Terps are not a very good team, I think you have to factor in just how young they are. They are going to get better as the season progresses. Will it be enough to make the tourney? I doubt it, but you never know.

I think Gary Williams has to take a good chunk of the blame for the makeup of the roster. To have Gist as the lone senior, with no contributing juniors on the roster, is absolutely a result of poor recruiting.

[Sports Guy]

This statement is a little harsh. While I can't argue that the Terps are not a very good team, I think you have to factor in just how young they are. They are going to get better as the season progresses. Will it be enough to make the tourney? I doubt it, but you never know.

I think Gary Williams has to take a good chunk of the blame for the makeup of the roster. To have Gist as the lone senior, with no contributing juniors on the roster, is absolutely a result of poor recruiting.

No its not...It happens to a lot of teams...Look at Duke last year...Recruiting wasn't an issue.

[glenn__davis]

I think Gary Williams has to take a good chunk of the blame for the makeup of the roster. To have Gist as the lone senior, with no contributing juniors on the roster, is absolutely a result of poor recruiting.

Like SG said, there are plenty of teams that this could describe.

Plus, while not really a Williams recruit, Osby is a senior as well.

[Dracula]

Right now, no this team would not make the tourney. Like you guys said, they're young, seem to be improving. Most of their games have been really sloppy, lots of turnovers, dumb shots.

But this team has the talent to improve down the stretch and make the tourney, they have shown some flashes of greatness here and there but they need to put it together on consistent basis.

[AgentOrange]

I think the Terps are still searching for indenity from their players as far as what roles they will have with the team. There are a lot of players that can come in and out of the lineup so depth is not an issue with this team.

I feel like we need more defined roles before we can really see the types of pieces we really have. Gary is still shuffling minutes with a lot of different players right now and hopefully once he gets a feel of what each player will offer, he can use that wisely. This I feel is something that Gary can do, coach these players once he sees what he has.

It was very interesting to see the team totally fall apart once GV fouled out of the game. I don't know if it is a product of the way it happened or just GV not being in the lineup that hurt.

I was hoping Hayes would have used that time to really run the PG position and show that he should be the man with the rock in his hands more often.

And I was flipping back from the Ravens game, did Bowie even play? I didn't see him and I was thinking that would have been a good idea to put him on Gray since I think he is one of our better on the ball defenders.

[Jagwar]

No its not...It happens to a lot of teams...Look at Duke last year...Recruiting wasn't an issue.

Have to disagree. The back to back years of 04-05 left a big hole in the roster.

2004: Gist, Ledbetter (Juco transfer)

2005: Neal, Brown (Juco transfer), Shane Clark (decommitted)

I understand that all teams develop recruiting issues. But the Terps had two years in a row where the classes were decidedly thin or contained short term fixes. The only contributor from those classes is Gist.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Have to disagree. The back to back years of 04-05 left a big hole in the roster.

2004: Gist, Ledbetter (Juco transfer)

2005: Neal, Brown (Juco transfer), Shane Clark (decommitted)

I understand that all teams develop recruiting issues. But the Terps had two years in a row where the classes were decidedly thin or contained short term fixes. The only contributor from those classes is Gist.

But remember, the 2002 and 2003 classes each had four-or-five recruits.

You can only give out so many scholarships. And sometimes you have to fill needs when needs arise.

[glenn__davis]

Have to disagree. The back to back years of 04-05 left a big hole in the roster.

2004: Gist, Ledbetter (Juco transfer)

2005: Neal, Brown (Juco transfer), Shane Clark (decommitted)

I understand that all teams develop recruiting issues. But the Terps had two years in a row where the classes were decidedly thin or contained short term fixes. The only contributor from those classes is Gist.

But in Gary's defense, Shane Clark was coming here until some apparently "interesting" tactics led to him not qualifying.

The JUCO guards were brought in to bring some depth at a position we were then at. At the time it seemed like a solid idea. In hindsight, looking at how little those two contributed, it probably wasn't worth it.