If Maryland wins NIT

**Corvus Corax** · 04-02-2013, 04:25 AM

I remember the last time that happened. In 1972, the NIT was far more significant with only 32(?) teams in the NCAA tourney. The Terps were a young, up-and-coming team under Lefty Driesel - with players in the All-American class like Tom McMillan (Rhodes scholar) and Len Elmore (Harvard(?) law graduate). That was their first big step to becoming a national power - culminating in 1974 when they were in the top three in the country, along with UCLA and NC State.

The current set of Terps remind me of them - although probably not nearly as good. The first win over Duke was a surprise. But it was a golden opportunity for UM since it was Duke's third game that week and on the road and without arguably their best player. The second win over Duke was a SHOCK to me. They were at full strength, rested and looking for revenge. I figured the Terps to lose by at least 20 points.

If Maryland wins the NIT and IF Duke had won the NCAA's, you could argue (although stretching it a bit) that the Terps were the best team in the country, given their TWO victories over the Blue Devils (no one else accomplished that).

**HoustonRaven** · 04-02-2013, 02:06 PM

If the Terps were even close to being the best team in the country, they would have at least made the tournament.

Beating Duke was impressive, but that logic is like saying the Redskins were the better team last season since they beat the Ravens. It doesn't compute.

And excuse me while I try not to hurt myself as I pat myself on the back, but I got murdered on these boards for suggesting the Terps go after Jim Larranaga instead of Turg when there was a vacancy. I'd say he's done far much more and with less than Turg.

**esmd** · 04-02-2013, 02:36 PM

Yeah, no way you could say the Terps were the best team in the country.

**NCRAVEN** · 04-02-2013, 02:40 PM

If Maryland wins NIT, than you can make the case the definitely should have been in the tournament.

**alien bird** · 04-02-2013, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by NCRAVEN

If Maryland wins NIT, than you can make the case the definitely should have been in the tournament.

After watching the Mountain West Five crap the bed, they can probably make that case anyway.

**mfdoom42** · 04-02-2013, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

If the Terps were even close to being the best team in the country, they would have at least made the tournament.

Beating Duke was impressive, but that logic is like saying the Redskins were the better team last season since they beat the Ravens. It doesn't compute.

And excuse me while I try not to hurt myself as I pat myself on the back, but I got murdered on these boards for suggesting the Terps go after Jim Larranaga instead of Turg when there was a vacancy. I'd say he's done far much more and with less than Turg.

Larranaga is a great coach, but it's an out-and-out lie to say he has done more with less. Miami had a roster with 5 seniors, 1 junior, and 1 of the best underclassmen (and overall players) in the country in Shane Larkin. Larranaga took over a team with a lot of talent in that 2009 recruiting class and rode out their senior year in great fashion. He did a good job and I'd never bad mouth him as he's one of my favorite coaches in any sport, but that team absolutely should've been top-3 in the ACC this year.

Turgeon took over in 2011 (less than 2 full years ago) and has completed almost a complete roster turnover in that time (Padgett + Howard are the only 2 GW recruits left - Faust was a GW recruit who de-committed and then re-committed to Turgeon). Gary Williams left a roster absolutely devoid of talent. Maryland's key players this year are 4 freshman, 3 sophomores, 1 junior coming off 2 major injuries, 1 senior mediocre bench player, and 1 grad student transfer from a mid-major. It took them almost the full season to get it together but over the past 3 weeks we've seen how incredibly athletic and talented their roster is.

I'd be willing to bet that Maryland's 2015-16 season will be just as good, if not better, than Miami's 2012-13 season when Chuck, Shaq, Layman, and Allen are seniors, Roddy Peters is a junior, and some combo of Romelo Trimble (already committed), Dion Wiley, Rashad Vaughn, Goodluck Okonoboh, Abdul-Malik Abu, and Obi Enechionyia are sophomores.

**HoustonRaven** · 04-02-2013, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by mfdoom42

Larranaga is a great coach, but it's an out-and-out lie to say he has done more with less.

Curious. Please tell me how an opinion can be a "lie".

Originally Posted by mfdoom42

Miami had a roster with 5 seniors, 1 junior, and 1 of the best underclassmen (and overall players) in the country in Shane Larkin. Larranaga took over a team with a lot of talent in that 2009 recruiting class and rode out their senior year in great fashion. He did a good job and I'd never bad mouth him as he's one of my favorite coaches in any sport, but that team absolutely should've been top-3 in the ACC this year.

They went 9-7 his first year and got bounced in the 2nd round of the NIT. Hardly a situation of him taking over a "team with a lot of talent". Simply having seniors is not a guarantee for success. I give you Larkin, but that was it. And now he's taken basically the same team and gone to the sweet sixteen. I'd say that has more to do with coaching than the talent.

Originally Posted by mfdoom42

Turgeon took over in 2011 (less than 2 full years ago) and has completed a 100% roster turnover in that time (Padgett is the only remaining GW recruit and has 1-2 games remaining in his college career - Faust was a GW recruit who de-committed and then re-committed to Turgeon). Maryland's key players this year are 4 freshman, 3 sophomores, 1 junior coming off 2 major injuries, 1 senior mediocre bench player, and 1 grad student transfer from a mid-major. It took them almost the full season to get it together but over the past 3 weeks we've seen how incredibly athletic and talented their roster is.

I am not slamming MD. Its my Alma Mater. But, IMO, you can't tell me Turg has been a better coach than Larranaga thus far. Proof is in the records, especially considering both, up till now, play together in the ACC. One coach won the ACC this year. The other, did not, and had arguably better recruits this year. Heck, even Turg himself has said publicly he cannot get through to this group of kids sometimes. That doesn't inspire much confidence in ones coaching abilities if you ask me.

Originally Posted by mfdoom42

I'd be willing to bet that Maryland's 2015-16 season will be just as good, if not better, than Miami's 2012-13 season when Chuck, Shaq, Layman, and Allen are seniors, Roddy Peters is a junior, and some combo of Romelo Trimble (already committed), Dion Wiley, Rashad Vaughn, Goodluck Okonoboh, Abdul-Malik Abu, and Obi Enechionyia are sophomores.

How is it possible to compare a team in the future to another schools teams in the past? And how is that even relevant to the discussion? What does that prove?

**edtude** · 04-02-2013, 04:06 PM

Overall this year college basketball is --imho-- one of the worst I have ever seen played. The first two rounds of the NCAA had just so many bad games played by bad teams. The fundamentals of the game truly are gone. So many teams their offense is to run down the court and put up a three or look for the dunk, this tourney has been painful to watch and not just the Louisville game Sunday night. As far as Maryland I do hope Alex Len goes pro, because I do not think I could take another season of his up and down play.

**Paintballguy** · 04-02-2013, 04:07 PM

The Terps were way too inconsistent this year which is why they didn't make the tourney. Sure they beat Duke twice, but they also sucked it up against teams they should've crushed.

**Tanner Boyle** · 04-03-2013, 08:01 AM

[QUOTE=HoustonRaven;613274]Curious. Please tell me how an opinion can be a "lie".

I am sure what he is referring to was the statement that Larranaga did far more with less than Turge. Except for Stoglin,who was a head case that was primarily interested in getting high, the cupboard was completely bare when Turge got hired. Larranaga is a good coach and did a great job coaching the players he inherited. He was a great fit for Miami.

Maryland was replacing a very good coach in Gary Williams who struggled his last few years as he got close to retirement age. It would have made no sense to hire Larranaga who will be 64 before the next season starts and be right back in the situation with a coach close to retirement. Turge has turned around recruiting, but the jury is still out on how successful he will be.

**pslholder96** · 04-02-2013, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by Corvus Corax

I remember the last time that happened. In 1972, the NIT was far more significant with only 32(?) teams in the NCAA tourney. The Terps were a young, up-and-coming team under Lefty Driesel - with players in the All-American class like Tom McMillan (Rhodes scholar) and Len Elmore (Harvard(?) law graduate). That was their first big step to becoming a national power - culminating in 1974 when they were in the top three in the country, along with UCLA and NC State.

The current set of Terps remind me of them - although probably not nearly as good. The first win over Duke was a surprise. But it was a golden opportunity for UM since it was Duke's third game that week and on the road and without arguably their best player. The second win over Duke was a SHOCK to me. They were at full strength, rested and looking for revenge. I figured the Terps to lose by at least 20 points.

If Maryland wins the NIT and IF Duke had won the NCAA's, you could argue (although stretching it a bit) that the Terps were the best team in the country, given their TWO victories over the Blue Devils (no one else accomplished that).

If anything it's an indictment on Maryland. The irony of beating Duke twice in one season yet still not getting into the tournament speaks volumes about how inconsistent this team really is. Not a having a true point guard on the roster has been a big achilles heel for this team. Hopefully that changes next year. And they really need to toughen up their non conference schedule. This year's was pathetic but no fault of Turgeon since these games were already penciled in prior to his arrival.

**bacchys** · 04-02-2013, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

If anything it's an indictment on Maryland. The irony of beating Duke twice in one season yet still not getting into the tournament speaks volumes about how inconsistent this team really is. Not a having a true point guard on the roster has been a big achilles heel for this team. Hopefully that changes next year. And they really need to toughen up their non conference schedule. This year's was pathetic but no fault of Turgeon since these games were already penciled in prior to his arrival.

They're young and without a solid ball handler (as you note). They are also very talented. That's a recipe for amazing wins and let-down losses.

Turgeon has impressed me, though. Maryland is going to be a force in men's college basketball for years if he keeps going like he is. Their deep and talented, and the only flaw in his recruiting so far is not getting a ball handler. Faust and Allen can both handle the ball, of course, but neither is a real passer.