2010-11 Maryland Basketball Predictions
November 12, 2010
The Maryland Terrapins surprised a lot of people with the way they played last year, earning a share of the ACC regular season title. With the unexpected success head coach Gary Williams earned ACC Coach of the Year accolades. Even so, Maryland was unable to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, as they lost to Michigan State 85-83 in the second round. Williams is going to have a difficult time repeating that success this season, as he will have to do deal with the loss of ACC Player of the Year Greivis Vasquez and seniors Eric Hayes and Landon Milbourne. The trio was responsible for over half (54.7%) of Maryland’s points last season. For a better idea of what the Terps will be like this year, here is a short breakdown of what they have added and are bringing back, plus my prediction on where they will end up this year in the ACC.
Looking at the NCAA basketball odds for this year, the Terrapins come in with the seventh best odds to win the conference at +1200, and are heavy underdogs to win it all at +10000. If you are looking for a great site to do your NCAA basketball betting this year, now is the perfect time to get an account up and running at Sports Interaction. Simply take the time to sign up for a new account today, and receive a 100% bonus on your initial deposit!
Backcourt: A lot of uncertainty surrounds this area, as it’s hard telling exactly what to expect out of these guys. Junior guard Sean Mosley is likely the most talented of this group, averaging just over 10 points and five rebounds a night last season. What really makes Mosely a talented player is his ability to lock down on defense. Senior Adrian Bowie will likely start at point guard this year, but he will need to take better care of the basketball and hit at a higher rate from the perimeter. Senior Cliff Tucker has has a lot of upside and could be a big time player for the Terrapins this year, but he struggles to bring it on a game to game basis. Freshman Pe”shon Howard is a physical player that should contribute off the bench this year, and fellow freshman Terrell Stoglin is a quality point producer, and could wind up being a big time spark off the bench.
Frontcourt: If the Terrapins make it back to the NCAA Tournament this year it will be because of the play of sophomore center Jordan Williams, who was only the third Maryland player in school history to record at least 250 points and 250 rebounds in his freshman year. Williams is an offensive threat down low that the Terrapins have been searching for. He is also a tough defender and can rebound the ball. Williams nearly averaged a double-double his freshman season, averaging 9.6 points and 8.6 boards per night. Senior forward Dino Gregory will be the other inside presence for Maryland, who is also a solid defender and while he won’t be asked to score a lot, he can hit down the open jumper if left alone. Sophomore James Padgett and junior Ersin Levent are back and will come of the bench, but don’t be amazed if you see freshmen Mychal Parker and Ashton Pankey get invloved as well.
Pick – 5th in the ACC: Never underestimate the Terps and Williams, and I think this year’s Maryland team is going to surprise a lot of people with their ability to get after teams defensively and offensively. I think we are going to see Jordan Williams blossom into a star, who could end up being the most dominant big man in the ACC. Maryland won’t compete for the ACC title, but I think they have an excellent shot at making it back to the NCAA Tournament.
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