Yardbarker: Maryland Terrapins

Week I Pith

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:10:56 -0500

(By Toni L. Sandys - TWP) Because I forgot to do this earlier, here are all your extra pithy comments about the Week I Atlantic 11 teams. 1. Maryland Before the flight to Maui, Coach Williams had to temper the players' expectations about the concept of getting leid upon arrival in Hawaii. (Markus Videnieks) Greivis Vasquez can probably save himself some time and just start pricing apartments in Greece right now. (Jamie Paquette) Place your bets now. When will the discussion about Greivis ...

Maryland Plows Silver Swords

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:59:46 -0500

The first 20 minutes of the game against Chaminade were as bad a strech of basketball as this team has played all season. Greivis Vasquez picked up two early fouls that limited him to 22 minutes and his shooting woes continued. The officials seemed to be getting paid by the offensive foul call with how often they calling them but Vasquez made some poor decisions in the first half and the team suffered. Greivis did look better in the 2nd half but Maryland will need him to shake off his early season funk if they are going to make any noise in Maui.

The entire squad looked lethargic on both offense and defense. On offense they were not running the offense well and were settling for jumpers that were not falling. They didn't get much in transition until the 2nd half when things opened up and Chaminade became exhausted. On defense the rotations were slow and the waterbug Steven Bennett gave Maryland guards, especially Eric Hayes, fits with his dribble penetrations. Lucky for Maryland Bennett had a hard time finishing and lacked the teammates to score off his penetrations.

As with the prior three games Sean Mosley was the Gibraltar for this team. Landon Milbourne had a good 1st half scoring but with Maryland down by two at 16-14 with over seven minutes to play Mosley scored 7 points and grabbed two rebounds over the next two and a half minutes to put Maryland ahead for good. The Maui Tournament may be Mosley's coming out party on a national stage. He is playing gritty defense, his shots are falling and his great floor game adds much to the team in addition to his hefty stats. He finished the game with 19 points on 8/13 shooting and 8 rebounds in 27 minutes. For the season Mosley is shooting 67% from the floor while playing every position from shooting guard to power forward. Mosley and Jordan Williams are the best players at drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line. That has been a real weak spot for this group for the last few seasons. Players who can get to the free throw line help take the pressure off your half court offense. Pay close attention to Mosley these next few weeks because I think you will realize he is the best player on the team with Vasquez in a slump.

Eric Hayes continues his torrid shooting from 3-point range. After going 3/6 from outside last night Hayes is shooting 55% from 3-point range for the season. He didn't commit a single turnover and helped to weather Vasquez's early foul trouble. Hayes did struggle with the quicker Bennett and couldn't seem to keep him out of the lane. Overall though Hayes is doing exactly what you would hope he would be given his skills.

Landon Milbourne didn't take a field goal or score a point in the 2nd half but his 10 points and 5/10 shooting also helped Maryland get through the early game milaise. I think he was settling for jump shots too much early on, like the rest of the team, but it was a minor issue.

Jordan Williams and James Padgett struggled with their help defense a little as Chaminade's structured offense challenged them a little more than in privious games. Williams free throw shooting was off in the first half but he stayed focused and game on strong in the 2nd half to finish with 9 points and 10 rebounds. Chaminade had no answer for him on the inside when he started asserting himself. Padgett also found his rythm in the 2nd half and finished with 8 points and 6 rebounds in 10 minutes of play after halftime.

It was also nice to see Jin Soo Choi and Steven Goins back in the game and both scored for the first time this year. Both may be needed against a much more physical and up tempo Cinncinati squad tonight.

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Random Fun With Shot Data

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:22:05 -0500

Some completely random observations from our shot data...

The most difficult shot type to hit is the running jump shot which averages 40 feet, which tells me these are likely buzzer beaters. The longest shot we have recorded is a 73 footer by Nolan Smith against Loyola-MD on 12/31/2008. Players make just 8%of running jump shots.
The next most difficult shot is the jump shot which averages 17 feet. Players hit just 33% of jump shots, which includes both 2 point and 3 point shots.
Maryland's Eric Hayes is the the best shooter of the jump shot given significant attempts. Hayes makes 51% of his jump shots. Others at the top of the list: Marcus Ginyard, Jack McClinton, James Johnson, Courtney Fells, Ty Lawson.
Among the worst jump shooters with significant attempts: Demontez Stitt, Derwin Kitchen, Lance Hurdle, Greivis Vasquez, Gerald Henderson.
Outside of shots from 0 feet, 7 foot shots are the next most successful in terms of FG% at 40%.
Outside of shots from 0 feet, 3 point shots up to 27 feet are the most successful in terms of eFG%.
Shots of a distance of 0 feet account for 34% of all shots.
The average distance of shot for a winning team (10 feet) is the exact same for a losing team (10 feet)

If you have other numbers you're curious about, drop us a note in the comments and we'll try and look into them the next time we post something like this.

Jaguars Place LB Bryan Smith On Injured Reserve

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:04:27 -0500

The Jaguars placed linebacker Bryan Smith on injured reserve today, the team announced. Smith is out for the year with a shoulder injury after starting two games this year. Rookie defensive end Jeremy Navarre (Maryland) was promoted to the active roster from the practice squad.

Maryland routs Chaminade in Maui Invitational opener

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:01:00 -0500

Sean Mosley scored 19 points, Eric Hayes added 12 and Landon Milbourne had 10 to help No. 21 Maryland beat Chaminade 79-51 on Monday night in the first round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

Notes from the 29-26 loss

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:21:37 -0500

This looked like a win. I think the key play was when freshman kicker-punter Nick Ferrara -- who has had a very good season -- couldn't punt the ball out of bounds with the Terps leading and about two minutes left. Florida State's Greg Reid, the ACC's leading punt returner, took it back 48 yards and the Seminoles were in great position to score the game-winning touchdown. Having said that, how many backup punters in college football can do it as well as Ferrara (who averaged...

Terps led -- for a moment

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:31:08 -0500

With Maryland trailing 14-13, receiver Adrian Cannon caught a swing pass, slipped a tackler and raced into the end zone for a 20-yard score on the opening possession of the fourth quarter. A two-point conversion pass failed, so Maryland led 19-14. Offensive lineman R.J. Dill cupped his hand to the ear hole of his helmet as if it to say to the Florida State crowd, “Where’s the noise now?” But, just like that, the noise returned. The Seminoles regained the lead on their next possession wh...

Wujciak keeps Terps in the game

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:28:24 -0500

Maryland scored an offensive touchdown. I promise. It was the first such touchdown for the Terps in almost eight quarters since starting quarterback Chris Turner sprained his knee in the second quarter against N.C. State two weeks ago and Jamarr Robinson replaced him. It was set up by the defense. The Terps trailed 14-6 in the second quarter when linebacker Alex Wujciak intercepted E.J. Manuel’s third-down pass and ran 82 yards to the Florida State 7. Wujciak had returned an intercep...

Maryland Terrapins at Florida St. Seminoles Gamethread

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:15:11 -0500

No pics in the gamethread. Safety Myron Rolle will never forget a Thursday practice when Andrews told the defensive backs they had to shave their chest hair before getting on the plane the next day, telling them they weren't "man enough to have hair on your chest anyway." With that, Andrews exposed his "jungle" of chest hair. A player then bet Andrews that he wouldn't remove his chest hair and with that ... "And he starts grabbing chunks of hair...

Dino Gregory's December return

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:41:16 -0500

How much does Gary Williams value Dino Gregory? Well, enough that the Maryland coach was ready to anoint the power forward as a starter when I spoke with Williams before the season began. Gregory gives the Terps an energetic big body on defense and on the boards. He also brings something that Jordan Williams and James Padgett lack -- experience in ACC games and in postseason play. I think many fans began to appreciate Gregory only when there was the possibility of his missing a numbe...

Terps preview, It's that time of year again

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:27:20 -0500

Team Name: Maryland TerrapinsLast Years Finish: Lost to Memphis in the second round of the NCAA tournament 70-89. Finished the season 21-14 (7-9). Defeated #5 Michigan State, #3 North Carolina, # Wake Forest. Key Additions: F Jordan Williams (Torrington, CT), F James Padgett (Brooklyn, NY)Key Losses: Dave Neal What they're saying: "In 2007-08, he led the country in turnovers with 149. While maintaining his flair, he cut the mistakes down to 98 last season. And where would his ...

What Is Going On With Dino Gregory?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:14:00 -0500

Dino Gregory, Maryland's junior forward expected to at least be in the starting lineup to begin the season, did not play in the exhibition, and reports are that he violated team rules. However, Maryland is not revealing what happened, and it looks as if this may be a big problem for Gregory.The Washington Post and Baltimore Sun alike have been trying to figure out what happened, but no one at Maryland, coach Gary Williams included, seems to wish to elaborate. On Jeff Barker's Trackin...

What we know (and don't) about Gregory

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:46:24 -0500

If Maryland sounds vague about the future status of forward Dino Gregory, that's not because the team is trying to be coy. Maryland really doesn't know how things will play out with Gregory. His situation going forward has not been determined, university sources said. The university announced in a news release before last night's exhibition win over Indiana (Pa.) that the junior forward would not participate "due to a violation of team rules. Due to federal regulations ...

What we know (and don't) about Gregory

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:46:24 -0500

What we know (and don't) about Gregory

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:46:24 -0500

What we know (and don't) about Gregory

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:46:24 -0500

Dino Gregory is out due to "team rules"

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:49:39 -0500

Terps forward Dino Gregory is out of tonight's exhibition game due to an undisclosed violation of team rules. His future status is uncertain. Maryland won't identify the rules it said were violated, citing federal privacy regulations. This would be a blow to the Terps if it's long term. Coach Gary Williams had told me a few weeks ago that Gregory had probably earned a starting spot. He averaged 2.6 points and 3.2 rebounds last season but became an important inside def...

Maryland Terrapins 2009-2010 Season Preview

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:55:32 -0500

ACC Season Previews Boston College | Clemson | Duke | Florida State | Georgia Tech

Maryland Season Preview Record Last Season 21 - 14, 7 - 9 ACC Players Lost Dave Neal" target="_new">Dave Neal, Braxton Dupree" target="_new">Braxton Dupree New Players Jordan Williams, James Padgett Projected Lineup Adrian Bowie" target="_new">Adrian Bowie, Greivis Vasquez" target="_new">Greivis Vasquez, Sean Mosely, Landon Milbourne" target="_new">Landon Milbourne, Jordan Williams Schedule Highlights 12/1 @ Indiana, 12/6 vs Villanova Maryland Schedule Maryland Scouting Report
Projected Statistics (Returning Players Only) Explanation of Statistic Projections

Name Pts Asts Rbds Stls Blks TOs % Correct Greivis Vasquez 18.6 5.0 4.6 1.8 0.2 3.4 45 Sean Mosley 10.5 2.1 3.7 1.0 0.5 2.0 87 Eric Hayes 10.2 3.3 2.8 1.1 0.2 2.0 72 Landon Milbourne 9.6 1.4 4.8 0.8 0.6 1.6 73 Adrian Bowie 9.4 2.3 3.6 1.1 0.2 1.7 84 Cliff Tucker 7.5 1.4 3.5 0.8 0.5 1.4 86 Dino Gregory 3.3 0.5 3.1 0.3 0.7 0.8 89 Jin Soo Kim 3.0 0.6 1.8 0.4 0.3 0.8 97 Steve Goins 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.2 98 David Pearman 0.6 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.1 100 Things to Watch

The Maryland Terrapins return nearly everyone from a team that had its ups and downs a season ago. The Terps saw their low point losing to Morgan State in early January, but rallied together late in the season to make it to the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament.

For what seems like the 8th season, the core of the team is built around Greivis Vasquez. Vasquez is an emotional player who is still looking to find the proper balance of emotion to bring to the court to help his team. Vasquez is a brilliant passer and is a perfect fit in Maryland's flex offense where he can come off screens, isolate his defender, or even post up. Sharing point guard duties will be Adrian Bowie who was a revelation for Gary Williams last year. Bowie gives Maryland a different look with his quickness and abililty to defend.. Sophomore Sean Mosely should get a look at starting on the wing where he brings toughness. It was said last year that Mosely is one of those guys that will win you extra possessions by getting to 50/50 balls. Off the bench, Eric Hayes" target="_new">Eric Hayes returns and will bring solid shooting and a calming presence on the floor, while Cliff Tucker" target="_new">Cliff Tucker has the ability to defend and knock down the open shot.

The Maryland frontcourt is not nearly as deep as their backcourt. Landon Milbourne will play out of position once again at the power forward position. Milbourne is more naturally suited to play on the wing, but the Terps need the 6'7" lefty to hit the boards. Milbourne will also bring his ability to stretch defenses and use a strong mid-range game. In the middle, there will likely be a number of guys that get a shot, including Jordan Williams, James Padgett, Dino Gregory" target="_new">Dino Gregory, and Steve Goins" target="_new">Steve Goins. Gary Williams would love to get 9 points and 7 rebounds and active defense out of this spot, but it remains a spot that is a huge question mark for the Terps.

Maryland comes in with virtually the same team from a season ago, but which team will that be? Will it be the team that lost to Morgan State or the team that made the NCAA tournament? Will it be the team that lost by 41 at Duke or the team that nearly beat #1 UNC? Gary Williams will need to find the answer in the post while his leader, Vasquez, tries to raise his game to the same consistent level that the Terps are striving to reach.

by The Webmaster

Fantasy Player to Watch

Greivis Vasquez can give you a big numbers in four (points, assists, rebounds, AND turnovers) stat categories on any given night in the ACC. The turnover bug has bitten Vasquez in the past, but with the enigmatic senior you have to take the bad with the good.

Last Year's Player Statistics Maryland Name GP Mins Pts Asts Rbds Stls Blks TOs FG% 3P% FT% Greivis Vasquez 35 34.6 17.5 5.0 5.4 1.4 0.4 2.8 40.5 32.7 86.7 Landon Milbourne 35 29.0 11.4 0.6 5.2 1.1 1.0 1.5 49.1 35.0 83.3 Eric Hayes 35 29.3 10.3 3.2 2.8 1.1 0.1 1.7 42.8 37.5 86.1 Adrian Bowie 35 24.1 9.0 2.5 3.0 1.1 0.3 1.9 45.3 22.4 68.2 Dave Neal 35 23.8 8.5 0.7 4.3 0.6 0.2 0.8 44.1 38.5 79.1 Sean Mosley 35 19.6 5.3 1.3 3.7 0.9 0.3 1.3 37.0 23.8 70.7 Cliff Tucker 34 12.2 4.5 0.9 1.6 0.7 0.3 0.6 42.4 37.8 72.4 Dino Gregory 35 16.3 2.6 0.2 3.2 0.4 1.0 0.7 41.3 0.0 53.6 Braxton Dupree 25 10.0 2.1 0.0 2.4 0.3 0.4 0.5 35.9 0.0 41.2 Jin Soo Kim 21 6.5 1.6 0.0 1.1 0.3 0.2 0.6 28.6 23.8 71.4 David Pearman 9 1.3 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Jerome Burney 9 7.6 0.9 0.2 1.9 0.0 0.7 0.2 26.7 0.0 0.0 Steve Goins 4 3.0 0.5 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.3 0.5 0.0 0.0 50.0
Team Stats

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Safety Antwine Perez is injured

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:14:16 -0500

Maryland safety Antwine Perez lay on the field after a head-first tackle with 49 seconds to go in the first quarter. Head coach Ralph Friedgen came out to midfield to see his player. Perez was immobilized and taken out on a stretcher. Duke began the game with 12 straight pass plays. Harder to pass now that the rain has intensified, but it's what the Blue Devils do. Maryland, which started Caleb Porzel at running back, forced the only turnover so far -- a Duke fumble. Duke 7, M...