Terps Roll Through the Pack
“They just played harder than us.”
-Javier Gonzalez, NC State
I think that quote says it all. In fact you can use that quote for the many of the last few games the Terps have played in. I think it is safe to say they are on a roll. Last night was another W for the Conference Schedule as the Terps moved into a tie with UVA for 1st. Sure it’s early, but being the first of 12 at anytime is a good feeling.
Like the previous victories, this one was a team effort, it was also a nice present for Gary Williams who was coaching in his 1,000 game. The obvious key on defense was the double teaming of the always dangerous Tracy Smith. He had 23 in the Pack’s win over Duke but was held in check by the Terps all night long (his first field goal attempt didn’t come until the 3:30 mark in the first half).
Speaking of keeping people in check, the Pack locked down Greivis Vasquez as well, and I think that was the most impressive part of the night for the Terps. Greivis was all over the place, even when he wasn’t scoring. In fact with about 8 minutes left in the half when Mike Patrick pointed out that he hadn’t attempted a field goal yet, I was shocked. But he didn’t really need to. Landon Milbourne had a great night scoring 18 points and what else can you say about Jordan Williams? He has played so well these past few weeks, I often forget he is a freshman.
Also since he is my favorite player now, Sean Mosley had a great game. Maybe not great in the sense that he was shooting well (he wasn’t) but he did grab 7 boards and most importantly, got to the line 13 times. As a team the Wolfpack only got to the line 16 times. So gone are the days of everyone standing around waiting for Greivis to do something. This is clearly a team that is firing on all cylinders.
Next up for the Terps will be the Hurricane’s of Miami on Tuesday. If the effort we have seen over the last two weeks is once again duplicated, we’ll it could be a long flight back to Coral Gables.
Extra Droppings:
The following is a true story. A co-worker of mine recently went back to her home state of Wisconsin. While there she was nice enough to pick me up a bag of cheese curds (if you don’t know what cheese curds are, think of cheese on HGH). On the ride home from work I leaned into the back seat and handed one to my daughter who is already a cheese freak. She took a bite, let out an satisfied “Ooohhh” sound, and did the Greivis Vasquez shimy. I was stunned, yet proud, and yes, this is my first public effort to make the Greivis shimy part of our everyday vocabulary.
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January 24th, 2010 at 8:59 am
First of all, I too have relatives that live in Wisconsin, and let me tell you, those cheese curds are the best thing that state produces. Brats get a fare shake as well, but cheese curds are the greatest thing going. That daughter of yours and I are going to have many future conversations about how great cheese is!
Now on to the important matter. I think the real key for the game was the defense. In the past, if the Terps doubled down on someone, it often left a plethora of players open from beyond the arc, and State did get their share of three’s on kick outs, but the double team effort was great, and I think NCST was looking for Smith to be the go to guy, and when he only had 6 first half points, that hurt their game plan. They were quick getting there, and they did a great job of getting back to their man after he kicked it out for the most part.
There were two other keys for me. One you mentioned was Mosley getting to the line. You are correct, it is nice to see someone else who can get something going in a time of need. Secondly, the bench (mostly Cliff Tucker) played really well. Tucker came in when State was making a little run, and helped keep the lead with some big shots and a nice lay up off a steal. I think Dino deserves a little credit off the bench as well. He is an energy guy, and that is all needs to be right now. I think my expectations were a little high on him in the preseason after all the positive press, and how he finished last season. Just rebound and defend and hustle, and he is a big asset.
Going forward, if they can play with the effort they have shown the last two weeks, they should be able to make some noise in the conference.
January 24th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
I just wish they could play like this every game. The hustle was much better than in years past. Greivis and and Dino both got on the floor. Mosley and Milbourn are the keys to this team. When they are scoring and playing defense it’s tough for us to lose.
January 25th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
It’s still really early in the ACC schedule so who knows how things will end up. Keeping that in mind I have noticed a lack of nare-do-wells and Gary haters on the internet sites. Where did they all go? I thought he was a terrible recruiter and he ran an outdated offensive scheme. Come on, somebody start the Fire GARY thread. Basketball season just isn’t the same without it.
January 25th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
I am sure there will be a two game losing streak in the future where they will come out of the wood work. While I am very excited about this, we haven’t really beat anyone that we shouldn’t have yet. These were all the games I thought we could win. What is encouraging is the way they are playing. They are playing some motivated ball right now, and that sometimes can be the difference between winning and losing. I am trying to keep even keel right now, but it is hard. I find myself reading anything I can about the team, and scouring the stats, and boxscores. It is nice to be this excited about them again though. They make these New England winters so much better.