Maryland’s path to an upset against No. 6 Virginia is pretty clear: the Terps have to clean up the mistakes that burned them against Georgetown and make the Cavaliers play on Maryland’s terms.
That starts with the perimeter. In Saturday’s 86-74 loss to the Hoyas, Georgetown won the 3-point battle in a runaway, outscoring Maryland 45-9 from deep.
The Hoyas hit 15 of 30 attempts, while the Terps managed just 3-for-20. That gap did a lot of the damage, and it’s the kind of problem that gets even harder to solve against Virginia.
The Cavaliers have been sharp from outside through four games, with five players shooting 40% or better from 3-point range. They’ve also piled up a 67.4% assist rate, with point guard Chance Mallory helping steer one of the best passing attacks in the country.
Maryland’s guards didn’t give the Terps much help against Georgetown, either. DJ Wagner, Andre Mills and Mike McNair combined to go 1-for-12 from beyond the arc, and too many of those looks came with a hand in the face.
If Maryland is going to generate better shots, Pharrel Payne has to be part of the answer. He scored 28 points against Georgetown and drew enough attention in the post to create space for others.
When defenses can’t handle him one-on-one, the double-team should open up cleaner catch-and-shoot chances on the perimeter. Maryland has shooters who can make that work - McNair is a career 40.9% 3-point shooter, Mills had multiple Big Ten games last season where he shot over 50% from deep on at least five attempts, and freshman Kaden House has already shown some touch, going 3-for-5 across two exhibition games and 2-for-4 to start the regular season.
The other major problem is on the defensive end, where Maryland has to deal with Thijs De Ridder. The 6-foot-9 forward entered the year as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, and he’s backed that up with 17.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2.8 assists per game.
At 246 pounds, he’s a tough cover inside, but he’s not just a bruiser. He can handle the ball, knock down shots and make plays for others.
Virginia showed that full package against Arkansas. With the Cavaliers trailing 13-12 in the first half, De Ridder buried a catch-and-shoot 3, forced a bad in-bounds pass that became a turnover, missed a hook shot, grabbed the offensive rebound, reset the possession, attacked off the dribble and found Johann Grunloh for the basket that put Virginia ahead 17-12. It was a snapshot of why he’s such a problem.
Tomislav Buljan, Robert Jennings and Payne will likely all get turns on him, but Maryland can’t expect one defender to solve it. The Terps will need to deny him touches, communicate well and rotate cleanly if they decide to send help.
That gets trickier because Virginia has plenty of other options. Grunloh, Mallory and senior guard Sam Lewis - who is averaging 15 points per game - give the Cavaliers enough experience and scoring around De Ridder that overcommitting to him could backfire.
Then there’s the turnover issue, which may be the most dangerous one of all. Virginia has been elite at forcing mistakes, ranking third nationally in steal percentage and taking the ball away on more than 18% of its defensive possessions. Against Arkansas, the Cavaliers turned 15 turnovers into 24 points.
That is a bad matchup for a Maryland team that has already been loose with the ball. The Terps rank 230th nationally in turnover percentage and have committed 27 turnovers over two games. Their best offense has come when they’re pushing tempo and using their athleticism to attack the rim, but that style can also feed directly into Virginia’s pressure.
If Maryland gets dragged into a track meet with the Cavaliers, it could be trouble. The Terps need better shot selection, better ball security and a way to slow down Virginia’s offense long enough to give themselves a chance.
In Other News...
Marylands Coaching Search Just Became Far More Ambitious
Marylands coaching search has taken a notable turn, with Brian Kelly recently interviewing for the Terrapins vacant job. The former Notre Dame and LSU coach has been out of the dugout since LSU fired him last fall, spending this season as a CBS analyst and SiriusXM co-host while the school moved on from Mike Locksley earlier in October.
Kellys name immediately raises the level of the search, which already has included other familiar candidates such as Chip Kelly, Dan Mullen and Biff Poggi. For Maryland, the next hire will shape not just the programs direction but also how aggressively it tries to position itself in a crowded Big Ten coaching market. [Read more 🡒]
Marylands Sudden QB Change Just Changed Everything For The Terps
Cardell Williams did not need long to make his first start feel like a turning point for Maryland. In a tense Big Ten game at SECU Stadium, the quarterback settled the Terrapins in from the opening stretches, helping them control the pace against Wisconsin and keep the Badgers from ever fully dictating the afternoon. His efficiency stood out immediately, and the offense looked far more settled than a unit still adjusting to a sudden change under center.
Williams finished with school-record marks in completion rate and consecutive completions, and he accounted for three total touchdowns in a 24-21 win that felt as much about composure as production. Maryland still had to close it out late, and S. O'Haire delivered the deciding field goal to seal it, but the bigger question now is whether this one-game spark has permanently altered the Terps' quarterback picture. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Let A Statement Win Slip Away When It Mattered Most
Maryland had a chance to turn a strong start into a signature win, building an 11-point lead against Virginia before the game slipped away in the second half. The Terps looked in control early, but the Cavaliers kept hanging around and eventually flipped the momentum with a blistering finish that left Maryland searching for answers after a loss it could have used.
Virginias offense was relentless down the stretch, shooting better than 62% from the field and hitting nine of its final 10 shots. Maryland, meanwhile, ran into trouble with its own shot-making and ball security after halftime, and Buzz Williams along with several players pointed to the same broad takeaway afterward: the Terps have work to do if they want to close out games like this one. [Read more 🡒]