MD vs Penn State Dec 30 2015

[TakebackOPACY]

When MD beat Michigan State in an all-around ugly but thrilling 2OT game in late December last year, I posted this:

I'm surprised the talking heads don't talk about training cycles when we see ugly games like this in December (though it's not usually this ugly):

Both teams played like they just started expanded doubles after finals week. If they're training and practicing the way they should, their arms and legs should feel like rubber out there.

Maryland has been among the best shooting teams in the country. When they repeatedly had good open looks fall short or rattle out, I immediately thought of what it feels like to be in an intense portion of training.

Your arms feel like rubber; and you have less control over your motor skills. When trained right; the payoff is more muscular endurance, and better pure control of your motor skills primarily when the body gets a bit of extra rest (presumably when practices back off the amount of physical work heading into the end of the season).

I think there's a trend here. Expect that Turgeon's approach to the holidays and his physical training cycles are similar to the ones that lead Gary W. to win 'ACC Coach of the Year' after losing to William & Mary in late December 2009.