Sunday, January 17, 2010

The Makings of a "Pretty Good" Team

Maryland basketball is pretty good this year. They are not great, they are not miserable. They are pretty good. After the convincing win up at BC yesterday, the Terps are now 11-5 overall and 2-1 in the ACC; a league that appears to be down overall this season.

As for Maryland, give the team credit for going up to Boston and taking care of business against a team the Terps said appeared "disinterested" in their post game assessments. The Eagles aren't very good this year and do not count as a marquee win - but an ACC win is an ACC win and Maryland will take each and every one they can get.

After the home loss to William & Mary, I predicted Maryland would go 4-12 this season in the ACC and I now must admit that I was wrong. They aren't that bad. The ACC isn't that good. Maryland can easily put together a 9-7 or 10-6 campaign and earn a bid to the tournament, especially if they keep playing with the passion and hustle they've shown since the start of the league season.

I do have a hard time understanding how it is possible for Maryland to lose at home to William & Mary, but pershaps that loss will continue to serve as a reminder for the rest of the year that the Terps aren't good enough to loaf to a win. BC loafed yesterday and got absolutely pummeled by the Terps.

It was great to see a more balanced scoring attack, especially the punch off the bench from Adrian Bowie - Maryland's best finisher around the rack since Drew Nicholas -- who scored 15; and Cliff Tucker, who looked like a big-time player yesterday with 14 points. Time will tell if Maryland basketball can reassert itself as a formidable program, but suffice to say that this will not be the year it all goes wrong. The Terps are pretty good. We'll see how far that gets them.

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