Md vs Clemson Who ya got?

[DuffMan]

Ugly game, too many turnovers, and their double teaming of Booker allowed Grant to run free. Did anyone catch Vasquez screaming on the assistants for a towel? I know that guy is high strung but that was a bit too much...and pretty funny.

I did see that. I would attribute that to Greivis just being frustrated. I know he doesn't usually act like that. About 2 hours before the game, when only the students are there, he's always fooling around with the managers and the ball kids. He was just angry at the the way he was playing and took it out on a manager.

Yeah I saw that too. Funny I was yelling at him through my tv after about his fifth lazy pass that resulted in a turnover.

Haven't been watching much of the Terps lately, and after that game it will probably be another couple weeks til I tun in again.

Who needs the Terps, I'll just keep watching the Caps. Much more satisfying experience.

[Mackus]

Yeah I saw that too. Funny I was yelling at him through my tv after about his fifth lazy pass that resulted in a turnover.

Haven't been watching much of the Terps lately, and after that game it will probably be another couple weeks til I tun in again.

Who needs the Terps, I'll just keep watching the Caps. Much more satisfying experience.

No offense, but I can't stand the type of fan that you are describing yourself as.

Either follow the team or don't. Or at least, admit yourself as only being a casual, fair-weather fan. I understand being frustrated when they don't play well, but the team has played very well recently up until last night. Abandoning them doesn't seem like great fandom.

[Mackus]

I did see that. I would attribute that to Greivis just being frustrated. I know he doesn't usually act like that. About 2 hours before the game, when only the students are there, he's always fooling around with the managers and the ball kids. He was just angry at the the way he was playing and took it out on a manager.

I don't think any of these guys get upset or hold grudges over anything that happens mid-game. I mean, how could you play or work for Gary Williams if you've got thin skin and get all upset just from someone yelling at you.

[DuffMan]

No offense, but I can't stand the type of fan that you are describing yourself as.

Either follow the team or don't. Or at least, admit yourself as only being a casual, fair-weather fan. I understand being frustrated when they don't play well, but the team has played very well recently up until last night. Abandoning them doesn't seem like great fandom.

I full on admit to being a casual fan. I wouldn't consider myself fair weather, just casual. I'm past the point where I'm really excited after a big win or really down after a tough L. I guess I'm just not as big into college basketball as I used to be. Coupled with the past few years of frustrating/inconsistent play from the team has probably contributed to that. I still read/follow the team pretty well. I'm just not going out of my way to watch them. Don't take that as me not wanting them to succeed, because I do. They seam to better when I don't watch them anyway, so for their success this year I'll skip a few more games in hopes that it helps their record.

[Mackus]

I full on admit to being a casual fan. I wouldn't consider myself fair weather, just casual. I'm past the point where I'm really excited after a big win or really down after a tough L. I guess I'm just not as big into college basketball as I used to be. Coupled with the past few years of frustrating/inconsistent play from the team has probably contributed to that. I still read/follow the team pretty well. I'm just not going out of my way to watch them. Don't take that as me not wanting them to succeed, because I do. They seam to better when I don't watch them anyway, so for their success this year I'll skip a few more games in hopes that it helps their record.

Ok, that's fair.

[Avsfan]

The kid who guarded Grevis gave him absolute fits...he was almost as tall, and just stuck with him inch for inch.

Gary was PISSED

[Tony-OH]

You can't fairly judge this team based on teams of the past, especially after watching only 1 game. Trying to define this team after only having watched one game is like me watching the Ravens last playoff game and saying that the Ravens are a bad team. It took something to get them where they are.

We all know that you want Gary fired and that you have lost interest in Maryland basketball... you've made that clear. But it's just plain unfair to judge this team so quickly. Had you watched the other games, you'd know that this was easily the worst conference game that the Terps have played this year and that they've shown that they can play at a very high level.

I can define this team any way I like. I don't have a problem if you don't like my opinion and I'm not going to throw my opinion into every discussion. I watched a bit of a few other games but this was the first one I watched pretty much start to finish. I heard the announcers say the team averaged 11 turnovers and they committed over 25, so it certainly does not appear be a usual game for them.

However, at the same time, this is the same kind of Williams team I've seen in the past. There's certainly some talent there, but they are not good enough inside to beat a high caliber team in my opinion. Jordan Williams looks like he could be good inside, but Gary is still playing Eric Hayes way too much.

Either way, the ACC is pretty week this year so the Terps may actually have a decent record this year in the ACC, but they will lose to the first decent opponent in the NCAAs. I certainly didn't see enough talent out there to suggest that this team is anything other than a typical Williams team. That's good enough for most of you, but not for me.

[Tony-OH]

If you've only watched one game then your opinion on this year's squad really isn't very informed.

The team is very solid this year. We need to get some good wins, but this isn't a bubble team, IMO.

I think this team will be a lot like the Ravens this year. They will be a slight disappointment, but will still get into the tournament fairly comfortably and I think will be able to win at least one game once we're there. Despite the ugly performance today, I'm still bullish on this squad.

I really can't argue this point actually.

Still, I can only go by what I saw. They still get out rebounded and I didn't see a go to guy on the squad. I do happen to think Williams has a chance to be special.

[BaltimoreTerp]

I really can't argue this point actually.

Still, I can only go by what I saw. They still get out rebounded and I didn't see a go to guy on the squad. I do happen to think Williams has a chance to be special.

It should also be pointed out that "I watched a bit of a few other games..." is quite different from "This is the first MD game I've watched all year."

It's obvious that the team has a "go-to" guy; it's Vasquez. The problem is finding someone else to go to when he's struggling. I don't see any reason why that couldn't be Mosley, as he continues to improve, though whether that happens while Vasquez is still here is the question. The team is built around his play, and when he has a crappy night, the rest of this team can't get past it. Milbourne having a bad night at the same time doesn't help.

[Tony-OH]

It should also be pointed out that "I watched a bit of a few other games..." is quite different from "This is the first MD game I've watched all year."

It's obvious that the team has a "go-to" guy; it's Vasquez. The problem is finding someone else to go to when he's struggling. I don't see any reason why that couldn't be Mosley, as he continues to improve, though whether that happens while Vasquez is still here is the question. The team is built around his play, and when he has a crappy night, the rest of this team can't get past it. Milbourne having a bad night at the same time doesn't help.

I like Vasquez, always have, but he's not consistent enough to be a go-to guy. Honestly, in my opinion the last go to guy the Terps had was John Gilchrist.

[BaltimoreTerp]

I like Vasquez, always have, but he's not consistent enough to be a go-to guy. Honestly, in my opinion the last go to guy the Terps had was John Gilchrist.

Another shoot-first point guard with an over-emotional attitude

[8istheman]

Last go to guy was Juan Dixon.

[O-The-Memories]

The kid who guarded Grevis gave him absolute fits...he was almost as tall, and just stuck with him inch for inch.

Gary was PISSED

That's going to be the gameplan against Vasquez going forward. Body him up, and force him to drive the lane where he's not quick enough to blow by defenders in the paint. He forced quite a few off balance drives where he threw up banks and missed. I think we also hit one/two threes all night. I'd like to have a shooter to make teams pay.

[Mackus]

I like Vasquez, always have, but he's not consistent enough to be a go-to guy. Honestly, in my opinion the last go to guy the Terps had was John Gilchrist.

Depends on what level of go-to you mean.

Vasquez is a very good player, he's a 2nd team All-ACC guy. Ideally he'd be our 2nd best player, or at least even with someone else, preferably a big guy, who can we can also rely on.

The problem isn't that Greivis isn't a go-to guy, because he is. The problem, is that he's the only one. So when those games occur where he struggles, which all "go-to guys" have from time to time, we don't have anyone else who we can count on to step up. Every now and then we'll get a big performance from someone, but it isn't a 2-headed attack situation which you really want. The obvious example is Dixon and Baxter but most of Gary's good teams have had one good guard and one good big and then supplemental players who can help from time to time, Profit + Ekezie, Sarunas + Booth, Rhodes + Smith. When he had two of each is when we won it all (Dixon + Blake and Baxter + Wilcox).

The supporting cast is really pretty solid this year, and if we had that one other legit scoring option, we'd be right there with those other teams. If Jordan continues to improve throughout the year, I think that we'll be right there. We obviously can't reach the heights that the Final 4 teams did, or at least not without a lot of good breaks, but I do think we can be a legit Sweet 16 team if we get continued improvement from Williams (and how can you not be optimistic about that with the way he's improved seemingly every single game). Vasquez and Williams can be those two guys I think, and the supporting cast is good enough to be near to the level of most of the mid-90s teams.

I'll agree that Vasquez isn't a "go-to guy" in the sense that he can singlehandedly lead the Terps to being a good team, although he can singlehandedly get them to the tournament, as he did last year.

[Avsfan]

He might not be a "go to guy" but Grevis can singlehandedly take a game on his shoulders at times and carry the team. It's just he can't do it all the time...but when he does it's extremely fun to watch.

At this point....he's probably the best(and most experienced) guard in the ACC...Nolan Smith & Landsberg are probably right there with him.