md/wisky news

[shawn555]

UW MEN'S BASKETBALL: Role reversal
0:13 AM 12/02/03
Jon Masson Wisconsin State Journal


COLLEGE PARK, Md. - University of Wisconsin junior point guard Devin Harris remembers. <

It's hard to forget the 87-57 loss the UW men's basketball team suffered at the hands of Maryland in the second round of the NCAA tournament March 17, 2002, in Washington D.C. <

"It was a long time ago, but they gave us a pretty good spanking," said Harris, who had seven points in 30 minutes of play. <

"You keep it in the back of your head, knowing if you don't do the things we can do well, then they can slip away real fast against a team like this." <

That was an experienced Maryland team, the kind of veteran group Terrapins coach Gary Williams grew accustomed to putting on the floor, and one that won the NCAA title in 2002. <

Now, Williams is getting used to the inconsistency of his youngest team in 10 years - a roster that includes nine freshmen and sophomores. The undefeated Terrapins, UW's opponent in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge tonight at the Comcast Center, are struggling with their offensive timing while learning to play together. <



"My young team is playing like that," Williams said last week during a teleconference promoting the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, which the ACC has won the past four years. <

"We're playing in spurts. We've played very well at times and we are playing with really good intensity ... If your level of intensity is good, you can make some mistakes defensively and still get away with it." <

The Badgers' only victory in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge came over Maryland, 78-75 in overtime Nov. 29, 2000, at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. That was Dick Bennett's final game as UW coach. <

Even though the cast of characters is different for Maryland, the 15th-ranked Badgers (3-0) have a feeling of familiarity with the Terrapins (3-0) because of those two recent meetings. <

"We know some of the things they like to do, especially on the press and in the offense, some of the things they got into us with two years ago," Harris said. "But now (we're) a different team. We are more experienced. So, we have to use those things as a learning point and try to take it a little bit further." <

Williams has his system in place, has recruited well and has a roster filled with depth, speed and athleticism, UW coach Bo Ryan said. The Badgers expect to see pressure from Maryland, which would like to get into a transition game. <

"They are going to push it at us," Ryan said. "They are going to go hard. They always do and they always like to play off that energy. And once they get it going, it kind of goes in waves." <

The Badgers also expect a battle inside, much like the physical game UW junior forward Mike Wilkinson recalled in that 2002 NCAA tournament game. <

"Their big guys had great moves in the post," said Wilkinson, who had seven points in 27 minutes. "We were in the game in the first half. They just went on a run to start the second half." <

Tonight's game will serve as an early season gauge for the Badgers, who have played strong defense but have struggled with their shooting. <

"Any time you play a quality team, your team gains," Wilkinson said. <

"There are a lot of good teams in the ACC and there are a lot of good teams in the Big Ten and this sets up almost a pride atmosphere. You are playing for your team and your conference. I think it brings a little more competitiveness to the table."

Game vitals
What: The 15th-ranked University of Wisconsin Badgers (3-0) vs. the Maryland Terrapins (3-0) in the fifth annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge. <

When, where: 8:30 p.m. today, Comcast Center, College Park, Md. <

TV: ESPN2, with Mike Patrick, Bill Raftery and Jay Bilas. <

Radio: WIBA (1310 AM, 101.5 FM), with Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas. <

Coaches: UW - Bo Ryan, 46-21 at UW (third season), 429-124 overall (20th season); Maryland - Gary Williams, 298-153 at Maryland (15th season), 505-281 overall (26th season).

About the Badgers
Probable starters: Devin Harris, 6-foot-3, jr. (16.3 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game), Freddie Owens, 6-2, sr. (13.3 ppg, 3 rpg), and Boo Wade, 6-3, so. (5.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg), at guards; Mike Wilkinson, 6-8, jr. (9.7 ppg, 8 rpg), at forward; and Dave Mader, 6-11, sr. (3.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg), at center. <

Key reserves: Zach Morley, 6-8, jr. (7.3 ppg, 6 rpg), and Ray Nixon, 6-8, so. (4 ppg, 4 rpg), at forwards; Clayton Hanson, 6-5, jr. (4.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg), at guard. <

UW update: UW is giving up 47.7 points per game. ... The Badgers average 8.3 turnovers per game. ... UW has made 69 of 91 free throws; its opponents are 18-for-31. ... The Badgers are 9-for-51 from 3-point range (17.6 percent). Owens and Wilkinson are a combined 6-for-14 from beyond the arc, while Harris is 1-for-13. ... The Badgers are 1-3 in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. ... UW leads the series 3-1. The Badgers won the only other meeting in College Park - 22-13 on Dec. 22, 1932.

About the Terrapins
Probable starters: John Gilchrist, 6-3, so. (10.3 ppg, 3 rpg), and Chris McCray, 6-5, so. (9.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg), at guards; Travis Garrison, 6-8, so. (8.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg), and Nik Caner-Medley, 6-8, so. (17 ppg, 5.7 rpg), at forwards; and Jamar Smith, 6-9, sr. (14.7 ppg, 11.7 rpg), at center. <

Key reserves: D.J. Strawberry, 6-5, fr. (7 ppg, 3.3 rpg), and Andre Collins, 5-10, jr. (3.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg), at guards; Ekene Ibekwe, 6-9, fr. (6 ppg, 3 rpg), at forward. <

Maryland update: The Terrapins defeated Hofstra 87-72 Saturday in College Park. Caner-Medley had 19 points and Gilchrist 18. Smith scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. ... Maryland's other wins also came at home - over American 79-48 and George Mason 79-64. ... D.J. Strawberry is the son of former major league baseball player Darryl Strawberry.

 

[shawn555]

Young Terps need to grow in hurry with Top 20 tape measure looming
No. 15 Wisconsin begins test of unbeaten Maryland
By Gary Lambrecht
Sun Staff
Originally published December 1, 2003, 9:24 PM EST



COLLEGE PARK - They have played an uneven stretch of winning basketball against three inferior opponents, and the unproven, unbeaten Maryland Terrapins are counting on a growth spurt over the next week.

Starting with tomorrow night's visit by 15th-ranked Wisconsin, the first of three Top 20 teams on the schedule in their next four games, the Terps are about to discover some important things about themselves.

Maryland has played to mixed reviews so far, fitting for a team marked by 11 players in their first or second seasons. The Terps expected to be a fast-breaking squad with good size, great athletes and the ability to impose their will with pressure defense that creates instant offense in spurts.

That has been the case. Maryland asserted its talent in victories over American, George Mason and Hofstra, yet did not look too impressive against the last two obstacles. And Maryland needs to close some holes in its game soon. After Wisconsin comes No.17 Gonzaga on Saturday in the opening round of the BB&T Classic at MCI Center. In eight days, Maryland gets its first true road test at No.2 Florida.

"We have to go through adversity to grow, and you don't allow yourself to feel happy about a win after the way we played [on Saturday]," Terps sophomore forward Nik Caner-Medley said. "The number one thing we need to improve on is playing 40 minutes of 100 percent good basketball. Wisconsin is obviously a better team [than Hofstra]. In order to beat a better team, we have to play better."

After overwhelming American by scoring 47 of the game's first 55 points, the Terps had to labor to take a pair of 15-point decisions. Maryland came from behind in the second half to beat George Mason, then slogged through a night of poor shooting and defensive breakdowns before putting away Hofstra.

The ball had better start going in the basket with more frequency. Maryland's start has been marred by scoring droughts, evidenced by its 13-for-50 shooting from three-point range (26 percent) and its painful 56 percent showing at the free-throw line. The Terps were 31-for-55 from the line against Hofstra.

Part of the challenge has been learning to attack zone defenses with patience and smarts. Maryland's shortcomings have ranged from poor ball movement to ill-advised shot selection to a lack of good spacing and dribble penetration. Plus, good shots simply have not fallen. That has limited the Terps' preference for an uptempo style.

"I definitely think that's the scouting report on us right now. Play them with a zone and slow them down. That's the way to beat Maryland," said sophomore point guard John Gilchrist, who is averaging 10.3 points, 4.7 assists and barely one turnover, but is shooting just 22 percent from beyond the arc.

Maryland coach Gary Williams said he isn't too worried about the missed shots, since the Terps are getting good looks at the basket. Some of his best teams have gone through nightmarish stretches at the free-throw line. What concerns Williams is the defensive lapses, even though the Terps are averaging 12 steals, 8.7 blocks and are forcing 22.3 turnovers per game.

"Steals and blocked shots are nice, but they're talent plays," Williams said. "Look at the team defense, the times you made teams take tough shots. Did you leave people open? We've got to get better at converting out of offense to the defensive end. We've got to talk better, make sure we get switched [covering opposing shooters]. Little things that didn't cost us [on Saturday] will cost us in the future."

Maryland is feeling its way. It is still searching for a consistent finisher down low, where senior center Jamar Smith has three double doubles, but has yet to find his shot or a dependable power move. The same goes for sophomore power forward Travis Garrison, who is shooting 35 percent and has not looked comfortable in the post.

In the backcourt, sophomore guard Chris McCray (9.3 ppg) has sparked at times on defense but has had trouble getting off his shot. Freshman Mike Jones, the heralded shooter, has missed seven of nine three-point attempts.

The revelations in Maryland's developing rotation have been freshman guard D.J. Strawberry and freshman forward Ebene Ibekwe. Strawberry, averaging 18 minutes a game, has been among the Terps' top defenders. Ibekwe, a lean 6 feet 9, has intimidated opponents with his explosive shot blocking and dunking ability.

Wisconsin (3-0), conference champion czang:s the past czang:last two seasons, promises a tough test as part of the fifth ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

The Badgers, led by point guard and preseason Player of the Year Devin Harris, rely on stiff, man- to-man defense and a deliberate offense that sets endless screens, takes excellent care of the ball and milks the shot clock.

The Badgers prefer to keep games in the 60s. They also are shooting the ball with Maryland-like inefficiency. Wisconsin has made 38.1 percent of its shots, including just nine of 51 (17.6 percent) from long range.

Even though the ACC is 10-3 on its home court in ACC-Big Ten Challenge play, Williams expects nothing to come easy. tonight or in the near future.

"Wisconsin is a smart team. They get you if you break down [on defense]. They know how to find the open guy. You have to be tough enough to play at the defensive end for 25 or 30 seconds," he said. "This is as good a stretch as we'll play."

Copyright ? 2003, The Baltimore Sun