Previewing Maryland

2009 Scouting Report / 2009 Game Plan / 2010 Scouting Report / 2010 Game Plan
2010 Stats (pdf)
2010 Roster
2010 Schedule

Last year's Terps did some things well at the offensive end, but those minor strengths weren't enough to overcome poor shooting inside and out.  All four factors declined in conference play and Maryland averaged just under a point per trip.  Not a disaster, but pretty close.

No such issues this season, as they've rediscovered their two-point accuracy (in non-conference play, anyway) and have for the first time since 2007 not just reliable but excellent outside shooting (though they still don't like to take a lot of threes).  Landon Milbourne and Sean Mosley have been effective in the paint, while Greivis Vasquez and Eric Hayes are having career years from beyond the arc.

Starters:

Greivis Vasquez (6-6, 200) -- A career 32.5% three-point shooter, he's hitting 36.9% this year.  Otherwise, it's business as usual.  Good assist and turnover rates, modest success scoring the ball inside the arc, huge workload, vast amounts of panache.

Eric Hayes (6-4, 180) -- Always deadly from outside and this season is no exception.

Sean Mosley (6-4, 210) -- Couldn't hit anything as a freshman in '09, can't miss anything as a sophomore in '10.  He's off to a slow start in conference play, and like the Maryland offense in general, I'm just not sure I buy the significant improvement yet.  Decent offensive rebounder who does a good job getting to the line, where is effective.

Landon Milbourne (6-7, 205) -- Having a career year despite being responsible for more possessions than he ever has before.  His two-point effectiveness has increased every year and he's a pretty good outside shooter too, on the rare occasions he decides to shoot from out there.

Jordan Williams (6-10, 260) -- Maryland's best rebounder at both ends of the court, though when it comes to the defensive end that's not saying a whole lot.  The scoring touch isn't there yet but unlike a lot of freshmen his size, he's not prone to turnovers.  In fact his turnover rate is among the lowest on the team.

Bench:

Adrian Bowie (6-2, 190), Cliff Tucker (6-6, 205), James Padgett (6-8, 225), Dino Gregory (6-7, 230).  Outside of Vasquez and Milbourne, it's a committee approach for the Terps, and that extends to the bench.  Bowie and Gregory have been yikes shooting the basketball; Tucker and Padgett have been solid in limited roles.

Their FG% defense has been outstanding, but this isn't a big team.  NC State is going to need another sharp, relatively turnover-free effort from its guards if they're going to make Maryland's lackluster defensive rebounding matter.  I think that's going to have to matter if the Pack's going to pull off this upset.

Pomeroy Predictor likes the Terps by 10.