Early this week, Maryland basketball coach, Gary Williams, complained about the fact his Terps keep getting left out of the top-25. You know what, the all-mighty sweaty one has a good point.
If you’ve see this Maryland team play at all, you know they’re one of the top-25 teams right now. They’ve won 11 of 13 games, with both loses coming on the road, where all teams in the ACC are having trouble winning.
Yet, during their current five-game winning streak, they’ve won twice on the road, including Saturday nights thrilling 104-100 victory over Virginia Tech. Is it me or are they starting to look like a team of some type of destiny?
Yeah, I’m probably reaching a bit, but over the last week, they beat Georgia Tech with two game winning shots and then needed double-overtime to take down a good Hokies team that was undefeated at home this season.
Yet, they’re still unranked, while teams like Texas can just keep losing (5-7 in their last 12 games), but not fall out of the top-25.
The great irony is, assuming Duke beats Virginia Sunday night, the Terps will be taking on Duke Wednesday for at least a share of the ACC championship, but Duke is a top-five team, but Marylan isn’t. It just don’t make no sense.
Think about it…Maryland can share the ACC title, but not get anything above a No 5 or 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
In the end, they will be ranked starting this Monday, but it’s a bit sad they had to struggle so hard to get there.
Despite my personal feelings for Maryland, I’ve been giving them props all season long, begging people not to overlook them. The fact is, Big Duke Balls loves experience and the Terps have it, including three senior starters. Of course the perro grande in College Park is Greivis Vasquez who dropped 41 against Virginia Tech.
Now we’re not going to overlook the simple fact Vasquez needed 33 shots (that’s many) to score those 41 points, so I’m not ready to hand him the ACC player of the year just yet. I am willing to say the race is down to two; Vasquez and Jon Scheyer. The award was Scheyer’s all season long, but his recent shooting slump has allowed the Maryland senior back into it.
In reality, Wednesday night’s game between Maryland has a legit chance to decide both the ACC regular season championship and the ACC player of the year award.
That…will be a hell of a game.
