Maryland @ Virginia Tech basketball preview: (100% FREE!)

#69 R.P.I. Maryland @ #15o R.P.I. Virginia Tech:

TV coverage: 9pm Thursday, Raycom, ESPN3
Vegas line: VT+5
o/u=141.5
$-line: bet $1 on VT to win $1.80, bet $2.20 on MU to win $1

Well, the one thing I know after the last two men’s basketball games, is if they had only been 60 minutes in combined totality; Virginia Tech would have finished a totally handsome 2-zip as opposed to o-2. As I recall, only one person was positive enough to pick us to upset the basketball factory otherwise known as U.N.C. last time out. That person was within E.Green (yet again) going 1 for Life on game-winning shots –recall he did win an A.c.c. tourney game on one in 2011- or one E.Green shot away from painting the town Chicago Maroon and being correct.

Coach J’s called that improvement and I for one am inclined to agree; however, I’d agree even more if we had split, much less swept. Which rather effortlessly segues us into today’s word…

al·most  (ôlmst, ôl-mst)

adv.

  1.  slightly short of;
  2.  not quite;
  3. nearly:
  4. VT’s last 85 minutes of play

Maryland at a glance:

  • #1 in offensive rebounding!!!
  • 2nd in rebounding margin (+11.1)
  • 4th in defensive FG percentage allowed (36.3%)
  • 24th in FG percentage offense (47.5%)
  • 337th in Turnover Margin (-5.5)

Maryland Frontcourt:
N.B.A. pros=1 maybe 2 overseas export ballers
Injuries=nadda

Lender nation indeed…

Leading the way upfront and down-low is 7`2“ Alex Len. Alex is a second year 255 lb. Antratsit, Ukraine native who plays a much springier game than you might expect. This is not some plodding or so-called “project” caliber true Center, this is however a 12.7 ppg scorer who also leads the way with 8.2 boards and 1.9 blocks alike. 57% from the field does not suck; although Alex’s free-throwing is a little rough on the rim at 64%. Curiously enough, Alex grew up and literally out-grew becoming a professional gymnast. His leaping ability echo’s such and harkens one back to the levitation and gravity defying sideline leaps of one Lynn Swann of Pittsburgh Stiller fame who as an accomplished ballerina in his own right was coming up. If you still think that this is a stiff looking Euro robot, just ask his signature warm-up cartwheel dunk routine. You don’t do that unless you can get major and I do mean major air folks. Alex missed 10 games last season due to NC2A suspension for “…violating amateur guidelines.” This had something to do with playing overseas collegiality for a year, which kinda sorta makes Alex more of a true r-sophomore sans the red. And yah; the next time I understand –much less care to read- the Ulysses ‘esque NCAA rulebook will be the first. That said, I do know that Alex was a bit late to the party last year, and that it took him a while to adjust to A.c.c. play. Though he did finish 2012 strong last spring and that Alex is funding the aforementioned team leading numbers in only 24 minutes of play! I also know that Alex’s numbers have diminished since we last saw him; nearly across the board. However, do (still) go ahead and imagine what this kid can do in another year or two if he keeps this up. Because if he does keep this up he’s a Pro, only question is where and at which level.

Charles Mitchell is a debut year 6`8“ 260 lb. big boy who is off to a fairly precocious College Park start. 6.2 points and 6 boards in a mere 16 minutes is about as tough as it gets. So is 56% from the floor and a rebounding ratio that is a highly offensive 1:1 as this kid simply inhales offensive caroms for a living. That’s’ a pretty decent start for Rival’s 12th ranked Center just last year who obviously has already deployed his scholastic reputation for rebounding and toughness to full effect. The real prep story here however was the Shaquille Cleare kid who was nearly everyone’s A.c.c. rookie of the year shoe-in pick and the most celebrated Terrapin recruit in at least a full decade. Rookie year Mr. Cleare is said to possess a ready N.B.A. body, as in most thought he was N.B.A. ready right now. 6`10“ 285 lbs. of a match-up nightmare if you are keeping score at home and he is a smart kid with a high basketball I.Q. and a relatively low B.M.I. (body mass index) or not much in the way of  being a chub’ or overweight kid in search of Jenny Craig. The Bahamas native graded out as a 96th percentile ESPN.com prospect and that tells you all you need to know about his contemporary skill level right now. Well, other than the science-fact that his inaugural season has been overwhelming. Right now the all-world prospect is only netting you 4.5 points and change and about three-n-a-half boards. 6o% shooting is nifty enough; though that’s a lot less than most expect outta Mr. Cleare who was thought to be the first stud A.c.c. Center since the 1990’s by most recruiting services just a matter of a couple of months ago. Jamie Padgett is a 6`8“ 229 lb. senior from the streets of Brooklyn who was third in offensive rebounding in the whole entire A.c.c. last year! James has a game that is strength based and he found 10 extra lbs. of right-mass this off-season.  James is also known to be a strong finisher around the rim and he will rock the same with more athleticism than you’d expect. James appears to have shaken off some bothersome ankle woes early on and he now gives you 5.9 ppg and 4 rebounds off of a team leading 61% from the floor. (READERs note: every single Terp frontcourter has declined since we saw them last time)

Maryland Backcourt:
Association pros=maybe one global player
Hurts=nil

Dez Well’s is something of a ‘tweener and although I will list Maryland’s second leading scorer (12.2 ppg) here, he is more of a lead-guard or pure scorer trapped in a bulky looking elongated Free-Safety of a body. That being said, in addition to having a kool-modine first-name, Dez was the A-10 freshman of the year last season at Xavier. That’s not half bad for the former 2-time state champion of North Carolina where Dez ran with some kid know as future #1 overall N.B.A. draft pick A.K.A. John Wall. Dez’s mum was a two-time all-American baller in her own right at Saint Augustine College. His sister both play college ball (softball and volleyball) so you know that athleticism is in his blood. The one thing I gathered from Dez’s Xavier profile is that he is fully capable of scoring punches in bunches or putting up points in a hurry. And Dez has been streaking of late, shooting 60%+ in all less one game since prior to Christmas. As this kid is a fearless driver to the hoop where he takes most of his shots; now mix in the fact that he is too strong for most 2-guards to cover, and too quick for most S/F’s to stay in front of, and suddenly you have a very tough cover over on the Wing. This makes Dez one of the better kept backcourt secrets right now in the A.c.c and presuming both Dez and Alex stick around; Maryland should enjoy a quality 1-2 punch for years.

Nick Faust and Pe’Shon Howard round out the Terrapin starting backcourt line-up for Coach Mark Turgeon and both guys can flat out play. Nick is a 6`6“ 2o5  lb. elongated 2-guard who somehow (cough-cough) managed to add a stunning 30 lbs, that’s thirty pounds of right-mass this off-season to his formerly stringbean frame. Nick is clearly the Terrapin marksman from downtown even though he has been a modest 30.3% from beyond the arc this season. Nick gives you 8.5 ppg, 4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in his sophomore season. Nick like so many other Maryland recruits is yet another V.H.T. (very highly touted) kid who was only a 95th percentile ESPN.com recruit. And as good as Maryland is right now, if Nick every finds his range from the outside, this Terrapin team will be nearly unguardable if Nick every gets around to stretching the floor. Pe’Shon Howard is the 6` 3“ 19o lb. junior year point-guard from Los Angleles via the national basketball factory otherwise known as Oak Hill Academy. Pe’Shon gives you 3.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and a team leading 4.4 assists as a pure hooping quarterback. Not half bad for a kid playing on a broken foot and blow A.c.l., all within the last calendar year.

Maryland Bench: (4-deep)
In addition to Mr. Cleare and Mr. Padgent above, Logan Aronhalt, Seth Allen, and Jake Layman contribute game-to-game off of Coach Turgeon’s bench. Logan is the 6`3“ 210 lb. senior anchor and Albany transfer who only put up 14 ppg last year and already has a degree in human-biology firmly in hand. Logan is an academic all-conference former pick and he is the son of a State Championship winning Ohio coach. So you know he came up fundamentally sound and he clearly does not want for on -or more importantly- off-court smarts. Logan nets you 5.8 ppg on a sizzling 49% from 3-point land.

Seth is a fringe starter who plays 20 mpg and contributes with 7.4 ppg and adds in a couple of floor-burn boards and 2.4 dimes (assists) off the pine in relief at the one (pt.guard spot). That said, don’t sleep on this unselfish play-makers 6`2“ 180 lb. first-year athleticism. Seth is a Commonwealth kid (Woodbridge) who got away from Seth and Co. at Vah.Tech. This Seth was the 7th best play in the state of Virginia last year and his 40“ vertical will show itself before his current 35% shooting from beyond the arc is all said and done. Jake Layman is a 6`8“ 200 freshman year Forward who brings versatility and good shooting range to the court at all times. Although it can be said he is a year away from adjusting to the physical nature of the Atlantic Coast as he could stand to fill out a bit this off-season which should help him add to his 2.7 ppg next year.

Right now Coach J's and company post-season chances ... are???

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Conclusion(s), illation, OPT digits:
Borrowing on the above, almost: just not quite, though coach J’s boys are almost in last place in Atlantic Coast terms (1/2 game out) and almost a .5oo team at 11 up and 1o down. And that means our post-season chances are nearly almost gone. Hence, Maryland is no less than a certifiable must win!

***

The handy-dandy, and formally reliable Forum Guide is predicting a staggering 52 point Terrapin beat-down in this one. I don’t know about you, though I’ll be passing on that (pun intended) inside our very own Cassell Coliseum vs. a 20% visiting Maryland basketball team; whereas Virginia Tech is 67% at home. That caveat firmly in-hand, I do wanna point out that the Forum Guide trends have been virtually bullet proof in terms of prediction the game winner. And as the Brits say: “…when 10 men tell you your drunk you’d better lie down.” Or in other words, when the Forum Guide is consistently predicting in-league Atlantic Coast ass kicking’s; there is a reason for that and that’s no lie folks.

Have you ever seen this guy and Wilma Laimibeer in the same room at the same time?

9 ppg, 9% from the floor, 4% from the arc, and a backbreaking +17 rebounding margin advantage, all in favor of the Terrapins when we study the most recent 5-game trends of these two clubs. That’s not good and neither are all of these reports of 18-22 year old kids having tired legs coming outta the New River Valley. I don’t like any of that, and if we don’t net a win in our next three games … you really have to start wondering out loud if Coach J’s and company are done winning for 2012-2013.


     We all know that almost only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades, the 2012-2013 men’s hoops season, and pregnancy need not apply. We also know that coach J’s squad has improved over the course of the last six games with two wins and two almost’s. We also know that Maryland is not a very savvy visiting team, and that the home team wins right at 7 outta 10 times when rolling out the welcome mat in A.c.c. play.

Maryland was in form last time we played them, and they obviously waxed us good and hard for that. And yet Maryland has not won a single road game in 42 days. There has to be a reason for that, even with a handsome looking 16-6 hoops team overall. However, I’m getting that the “Zombie Virus” rages on and is ravaging our frontcourt for this one; and that makes this one all about the match-ups in the paint, and about depth. Both of which favor the human pogo-sticks otherwise known as the Maryland Terrapins, even out on the road.

Virginia Tech=62, Maryland=69

LETS GO!

HOKIES!

bourbonstreet**

4 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. IMO we saw the future in the last game. EG has tired legs and a bruised body. This is nearly impossible to over come this late in the season for any length of time. EG has laid it all out there every time I have seen him play and carrying a team on your back wears on one physically and mentally. We saw this last year, also, when late in the season his shot just were off. There is no doubt EG should be player of year in the acc and nationally. Who else has been this important to his team and who in the acc has he not lit up. Who has faced two to three men nearly every time down the floor. The only reason he will not be honored is the blind arrogance of those making the decision. Please do not dishonor this young man by complaining about his play late, Hokie fans. He has given us his all and what else can anyone ask?

    1. Well put. The main thing we can ask of college athletes is to put forth the effort, and EG does that. He earns his scholarship, not because he’s the nation’s leading scorer, but because he does everything in his power to play well and win.

    2. I feel that.

      Now ^that’s^ how you construct and order a well thought out rebuttal. Notice my name was never mentioned; and yet the point was firmly made.

      Bra-freakin-vo! Just like 24 credit hours per semester, all class!
      That’s how true gentlemen act; and somewhere Dale Carnegie is smiling…

      b.street

Comments are closed.