Maryland(18-7) @ Boston College(11-14)

[clapdiddy]

I watched the last few minutes of the first half online and figured they would probably win this game going away. Boy...was I wrong!

[murph]

I was only able to catch a bit of the second half last night, but I noticed Howard running the point again and also saw him pass the ball to some BC players at one point. I hate to pick on one guy, this is a team game, but we play our best game of the year without him and then fall apart against BC the next game with him....coincidence?

From what I have read and seeing the box score, it does seem like it was a lot more than just Howard last night. Aronhalt did see a lot of minutes and it looks like he put them to good use, but as another poster said, I wonder what we lost on defense with him out there so much.

NCAA is definitely still in doubt, hopefully they can get it together for these last few games.

[Tony-OH]

I was only able to catch a bit of the second half last night, but I noticed Howard running the point again and also saw him pass the ball to some BC players at one point. I hate to pick on one guy, this is a team game, but we play our best game of the year without him and then fall apart against BC the next game with him....coincidence?

From what I have read and seeing the box score, it does seem like it was a lot more than just Howard last night. Aronhalt did see a lot of minutes and it looks like he put them to good use, but as another poster said, I wonder what we lost on defense with him out there so much.

NCAA is definitely still in doubt, hopefully they can get it together for these last few games.

Aronhalt was far from the problem last night. Try every other single player that played were part of the problem before Aronhalt. Len was terrible, Allen was ugly with the ball again and threw up some bad shots, Turgeon called in a search party to find Wells for slong stretches of the game, Mitchell was in foul trouble all night, Layman was off, and Faust, Howard and Cleare were their normal terrible selves.

[Dr. FLK]

I'm not a basketball scout obviously, but Len's problems look much deeper than just a lack of PG or other bigs. I don't see a go to shot and although some people talk about his hands being soft, I see a guy who struggles to pull down rebounds in traffic. The biggest problem I have with the guy is sometimes he just looks like he doesn't try very hard. He doesn't like to bang underneath and as soon as a guy of similar height gets on him defensively he struggles to get inside for a shot and prefers to fall away or pass it out. BC had no one of his size last night and he was invisible. There is no excuse at all. If a guy is going to be a lottery pick, he can't get dominated by lower level ACC bigs. I know he's get potential, but if he does go tothe NBA, I hope they are willing to wait awhile because he won't be ready to play in the NBA and without regular playing time, I don't know how he gets better.

By the way, I've been a big Turgeon supporter but these kinds of games really start having me wondering whether he's that good of a coach overall. He certainly seems to have a hard time motivated his players to even give a good effort consistently. Gary Williams may have been a lazy recruiter, and his team's lacked talent, but his team's rarely didn't show up. Either Turgeon is recruiting the wrong kinds of guys or he's struggling to find a way to motivate this group of guys. That effort last night was pitiful on all accounts outside of Arronault.

Re: Len - I don't see that. He outworked and dominated Plumlee. And Plumlee is certainly a high-effort guy. He's not the most dominant rebounder for his size. But I think the guy puts out the effort. He has post moves and nice touch. When I watch, I see him get position, not get the ball, and then the ball gets to him way too late for him to do anything with it.

Turgeon is bringing in the right guys. He just didn't get a PG. He's stuck with PeShon - and he's horrid. He needs a PG, and he needs one badly. You can't win without one.

[Tony-OH]

Re: Len - I don't see that. He outworked and dominated Plumlee. And Plumlee is certainly a high-effort guy. He's not the most dominant rebounder for his size. But I think the guy puts out the effort. He has post moves and nice touch. When I watch, I see him get position, not get the ball, and then the ball gets to him way too late for him to do anything with it.

Turgeon is bringing in the right guys. He just didn't get a PG. He's stuck with PeShon - and he's horrid. He needs a PG, and he needs one badly. You can't win without one.

Sure he did, but then he gets outworked and hustled by guys on BC and Virginia and others. Len just doesn't bring a consistent effort. Sometimes he seems motivated ans hows up, and others times he looks like he did last night. Len does not get in position often enough and I think part of it is Turgeon's offense that has him setting a lot of screens at the top of the key.

I totally agree with the lack of PG is killing this team though, but I'm concerned over the lack of consistent effort and play from too many guys on this team.

[Tony-OH]

Well Turgeon didn't pull any punches after the game.

“Start of the second half, James Padgett has a 3-point play opportunity, goes up weak – shoots an air ball six feet short. And that’s your senior,” Turgeon said.

“It just seemed like we were standing in quicksand all night – standing watching. They just seemed quicker to the ball all night. All night. First play of the game was a loose ball. They pick it up. They lay it in for a basket. I don’t get it and it’s hard for me. My team is a challenge every day to figure out what I’m going to get.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/tracking-the-terps/bal-analyzing-marylands-6958-loss-at-boston-college-20130220,0,6702583.story

[Baltoravensrule]

Well Turgeon didn't pull any punches after the game.

“Start of the second half, James Padgett has a 3-point play opportunity, goes up weak – shoots an air ball six feet short. And that’s your senior,” Turgeon said.

“It just seemed like we were standing in quicksand all night – standing watching. They just seemed quicker to the ball all night. All night. First play of the game was a loose ball. They pick it up. They lay it in for a basket. I don’t get it and it’s hard for me. My team is a challenge every day to figure out what I’m going to get.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/tracking-the-terps/bal-analyzing-marylands-6958-loss-at-boston-college-20130220,0,6702583.story

He has been on Padge all year. I know he is your senior but truthfully I've only seen hard work when he has been out there.

My thoughts on Len are that he still lacks strength with the ball/receiving passes/bringing down rebounds. Whether that be the result of a lack of physical strength, bad hands, or a mentality problem I'm not sure.

Extremely disappointing L.

[Dr. FLK]

Well Turgeon didn't pull any punches after the game.

“Start of the second half, James Padgett has a 3-point play opportunity, goes up weak – shoots an air ball six feet short. And that’s your senior,” Turgeon said.

“It just seemed like we were standing in quicksand all night – standing watching. They just seemed quicker to the ball all night. All night. First play of the game was a loose ball. They pick it up. They lay it in for a basket. I don’t get it and it’s hard for me. My team is a challenge every day to figure out what I’m going to get.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/tracking-the-terps/bal-analyzing-marylands-6958-loss-at-boston-college-20130220,0,6702583.story

I also heard him say a few days ago (I can't find a link) that he's never coached a team before that doesn't want to win more than he does. That doesn't sound like a good thing...

[JohnD]

Like I said last night, right now the team isn't mentally strong. If Len enters the draft, he'll go high, because of his potential. Worse players than him have been paid millions.

And the idea that Gary's teams always showed up is revisionist history. There was the ACC Tournament game against Clemson at Verizon Center. There was the 18 point lead against Clemson that they blew at home. Hell, the last year of Gilchrist and the year after that were disasters, both in terms of highly touted recruits who bombed out, and the total lack of effort many of them displayed. Turgeon has been around or less than two years, and he's got one recruiting class in here. Next year's is even more highly touted than this one. What we've seen so far is good, but young and inconsistent play from them. Drawing any conclusions about what he can do as a coach and where this program can go is laughably premature. I understand the win now mentality, but we should all know what we're getting with this team. It's a squad that can steal a game or two at their best, and totally give away games when they shouldn't. We've seen that the whole conference schedule. But all indications suggest better days are ahead. If they weren't good they wouldn't be stealing games against Dook. But the good times just aren't coming this season. This ain't a video game.

[Jarman8675]

He has been on Padge all year. I know he is your senior but truthfully I've only seen hard work when he has been out there.

My thoughts on Len are that he still lacks strength with the ball/receiving passes/bringing down rebounds. Whether that be the result of a lack of physical strength, bad hands, or a mentality problem I'm not sure.

Extremely disappointing L.

Somebody needs to mention two words to Alex Len. Jordan Williams. If Len wants to make an instant million, by all means, leave, but I gotta ask, where is Jordan Williams now? I think he lasted half a season in the NBA. Alex Len looked horrible last night, granted I'm no basketball expert or scout, but he just got dominated by guys smaller than him. Heck he got dominated by Justin Anderson, a 6'5" or 6'6" guard. I agree he will get drafted if he leaves, but the kid is far from ready.

[JohnD]

Jordan Williams was an undersized center at the NBA level, who never demonstrated the face up game in college that would be required in the pros.

Alex Len is 7-1 and athletic, showing flashes of potential and tools that every NBA scout goes nuts over. Remember, all these teams think so highly of themselves. They can always harness that potential. There's no question Len would benefit by staying at Maryland and continuing his development. It'll make him a better pro. But it also delays an enormous paycheck that all of us would take in a second. He's a lock for a top 10 pick just because of his size and ability, regardless of his performance. Show you can do it sometimes, and someone will think they can help you do it all the time. And they'll put a lot of 0's at the end of your paycheck as proof. I'm at least 90% certain he's gone for those reasons.

[zweem]

Coach sure does a good job of throwing his team under the bus.

Boom Osby developed more in one year than Len and there has been regression with everyone on the team with the possible slight exception of Leyman.

[Wish]

Somebody needs to mention two words to Alex Len. Jordan Williams. If Len wants to make an instant million, by all means, leave, but I gotta ask, where is Jordan Williams now? I think he lasted half a season in the NBA. Alex Len looked horrible last night, granted I'm no basketball expert or scout, but he just got dominated by guys smaller than him. Heck he got dominated by Justin Anderson, a 6'5" or 6'6" guard. I agree he will get drafted if he leaves, but the kid is far from ready.

Jordan Williams was never an NBA prospect. Alex Len has all the tools to be a legit big man in the NBA. After dominating Plumlee and Noel, he's as good as gone. Why would he want to come back anyways for a team that didn't even make the tourney?

Crossing my fingers that he's a Wizard next year

[murph]

Jordan Williams was an undersized center at the NBA level, who never demonstrated the face up game in college that would be required in the pros.

Alex Len is 7-1 and athletic, showing flashes of potential and tools that every NBA scout goes nuts over. Remember, all these teams think so highly of themselves. They can always harness that potential. There's no question Len would benefit by staying at Maryland and continuing his development. It'll make him a better pro. But it also delays an enormous paycheck that all of us would take in a second. He's a lock for a top 10 pick just because of his size and ability, regardless of his performance. Show you can do it sometimes, and someone will think they can help you do it all the time. And they'll put a lot of 0's at the end of your paycheck as proof. I'm at least 90% certain he's gone for those reasons.

Yep, solid reasons, it is a shame, but Len will be gone.

Coach sure does a good job of throwing his team under the bus.

Boom Osby developed more in one year than Len and there has been regression with everyone on the team with the possible slight exception of Leyman.

I don't know that he was throwing the team under the bus as he is just not sure what else to do to get this team to stay focused and energized. This has to be the most frustrating freshman class MD has had in a while, but I also don't know that we have been quite this young very often. As for Leyman, I do agree he has developed quite well, I enjoy watching him on the court.

[zweem]

For this game his quote about Padgett throwing up an airball was a pretty good under-bus shove.

For those using the team youth as an excuse- UVA and BC are both younger than MD.

BC by most minutes played- top 6= 2 FR, 4 SO.

MD-2 FR, 3 SO and 1 SR