Clemson - MD

NCAA Tournament Odds: 99%
Likely Seed: 5
Vasquez playing in the NBA all year next season: 85%
Keith Booth calling another time-out this year: 0.000001%

Why my brain hurts. . .

For those of you listening to the broadcast last night, here is the comment made by Brandt on two occasions:

"Sean Mosley has 13 points tonight; the most he has had since he scored ten points against Miami on January 26."

Hmmm. That would be an interesting comment if, and only if, thirteen was less than ten.

On another topic, here is a GW quote from the GT post-game press conference:

"For anybody who thinks that he doesn't belong in the top 5 to 7 players that have ever been here they don't know the game very well."

A few comments:

- I thought I knew the game very well.
- Here is Vasquez's post season resume. . . ready?. . . one win over a weak Cal team. That is it.
- Five to seven? Not a chance.
- Who are you throwing off this bus?

- Bias
- Dixon
- Lucas
- Smith
- McMillan
- Williams
- Elmore

I could keep going. . . Blake and Baxter are ahead of him.

Barring an elite 8 trip next month, this list is not going to change.

MD - GT Comments

Wow.

That was an awesome game from start to finish. NCAA tournament-type atmosphere. The answer to the question is Drew Nicholas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQhNDWnlflE

Seven years ago. The question is when was the last time MD had a more significant buzzer-beater to win a game. The Nicholas shot had a higher degree of difficulty.

Tucker entered the game with four minutes remaining based solely on a bad inbounds pass from Mosley. Great pass from Hayes on the play. Tucker was clutch.

Gani Lawal was 2 for 8 at the line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmmnA8WVqW8

In watching the video, it is clear that the time-out call was made by Keith Booth. GW was immediately irate, turned his back to the court to confront Booth, and seemed to shout, you never do that. Then, he looked at the court and realized that Vasquez's shot had banked in. This added fuel to the fire. He then swung one arm in a pointing motion at Booth and then did the same with his other arm (backpedaling as he did so - reminiscent of Carmelo at the Garden a few years back). I don't think he made contact. Nonetheless, I am guessing that Booth will be leaving the time-out calls to GW the rest of the way. All will be forgotten after the Tucker 26-footer.

Another event that is likely to be forgotten. . . Vasquez's floater from the lane with 15 seconds left to put MD up by one.

Another? How about the put-back by Jordan Williams late in the game? Or, the Eric Hayes drive with the shot high off the backboard? Or, his routine three-pointer with a minute left?

Four lead changes in the final 23 seconds.

MD now stands at 9 and 3 in the league.

NCAA Tournament Chances: 95%
Vasquez in the NBA next year chances (full season): 90%
Pre-game RPI: 38

Four tough ACC games remaining (RPI shown below):

Clemson (36)
at VT (45)
Duke (3)
at UVA (110)

Winning two of the four seems likely. A win against Clemson next week would lock up a first-round bye in Greensboro.

When was the last time MD was actually unfortunate in not being able to play UNC twice? Tar Heel nation is spiraling with an RPI of 82 after losing 9 of their past 11 games. Nine straight if you remove NC State from the equation.

UNC's NIT Tournament Chances: coin flip

Nice.

There is no way Favors returns to GT next year. Top five NBA lottery pick lock. Maybe, top two.

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State of North Carolina

This team has a decent chance at missing the NIT after being ranked #4 in the nation to start the year. I am surprised that more isn't being made of the job that Roy Williams is turning in this year. He was practically asleep on the sideline last Sunday as the Terps were putting a 21-point beatdown on the Heels. Speaking of 21-point (or more) ACC victories, there have been four thus far in the ACC; the Terps have three (NC State, Miami, and UNC; the fourth could have easily been at BC which ended up as a sixteen-point victory).

The only other is GT over Wake by 21 at GT.

The Heels don't play defense. Maryland hasn't played an ACC team that gave more open looks from distance in a long time.

Here is a breakdown of UNC's recent recruiting classes:

2008:
Zeller (ranked #7 in the nation)
Davis (#11)
Drew (#29)

2009:
Henson (#6)
Strickland (#27)
McDonald (#32)
Wear (#36)
Wear (#37)

This is next year's class thus far:
Barnes (#1)
Bullock (#16)
Marshall (#22)

McAdoo is already committed for 2011 (ranked #3); Hairston is #16.

For the Terps over the same timeframe:

2007: DuPree #65
2008: Mosley #40
2009: Nobody (I am not sure how Jordan Williams didn't make the top 100 list)
2010: Parker (SG, #40) and Stoglin (PG, #98)

If you think this is insignificant, check out the 2007 rankings. The top 50 is a very impressive list; the next 50 is not (yes, that includes Braxton DuPree).

1 - 5: Love, Gordon, Mayo, Singler, and Rose. Four lottery picks and a future first-rounder.

6 - 10: Nolan Smith, Austin Freeman, Beasley, Patterson, and Calathes. Still not sure how top in-state talent like Freeman and Beasley don't give College Park consideration. Patterson is projected at #9 in June.

11 - 15: Corey Fisher, Koufos, Aldrich, Hickson, and Stokes. Hickson is playing well in Cleveland. I still remember his drop-step dunk in a half-court set at MD three years ago; the type of dunk that you had to watch five times with TiVo right after it happened.

16 - 20: King, Greene, Blake Griffin, Lucas, and Moore. #1 pick in the draft at #18 overall. Moore has had a very solid career in West Lafayette. Taylor King couldn't cut it in Durham.

21 - 25: Harden, Lawal, Flynn, Anderson, and Jordan. Harden and Flynn were lottery picks. Jordan is playing on the Clips. Lawal and Anderson are projected in the mid first round in June.

26 - 30: Wright, Daye, Legion, Randolph, and Blair. Blair is starting for the Spurs; absolute steal in round 2 last year. Randolph will put up huge numbers once he escapes from Don Nelson.

31 - 35: Johnson, Pope, Alabi, Tucker, and Hillman. Nothing impressive other than Alabi.

36 - 40: Lucas, Robinson, Harris, Bayless, and Diebler. Bayless was the fourth pick in the draft two years ago. Kalin Lucas was Big Ten POY last year. Harris is a future first-rounder.

49: Evan Turner; projected at #2 in June.

Duke on Saturday. Keep this in mind; they lost by 14 at NC State. They only won by 3 at BC.

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MD - FSU Comments

RPI: 52 (before the game)
NCAA Tournament Odds: 70% (unchanged from last update)
Vasquez in an NBA Uniform Next Year Odds (entire year): 30% (down 5% due to being locked up by someone named Tanner Smith)

Very nice win.

Gregory had the biggest play of the game in taking the charge at the end. The ref made a tough call in that situation; but, on replay, he clearly had it right. I thought the charge that Gregory took earlier in the game was a block.

Most bizarre stat I heard all night: Gregory (87% from the line). He is now 22 for 25 on the season. Just have him go in there and head fake. Damn. Clutch throws at the end. In case you are wondering, he was 54% from the line last year.

Vasquez had a very solid overall game with 23, 7, 7. He cut his turnovers down to 5 (from 9 at Clemson). One shimmy is one too many.

MD out-rebounded FSU and also had more blocks. Very impressive given the size differential.

GW made an excellent call at the end going for the foul instead of allowing a three-pointer. Nice to see him play the percentages. Also nice to see that Chris Singleton forgot you had to draw iron.

Jordan Williams has arrived. No more comments on his vertical. Four dunks. He is now playing like he cares about the outcome of the game.

Milbourne has been clutch all year. He is the best mid-range shooter MD has had since Juan Dixon. He routinely knocks down 17-footers with hands in his face. Lately, he has shown a surprising ability to block shots at the rim. Impressive all around. NBA draft net has him at #51; Vasquez is projected at #44. 17 of the 30 second-rounders in last year's draft are currently in an NBA uniform.

Hayes is in his fourth year learning how to dribble with his left hand. Shaky. Still needs to shoot more.

Bowie will have visions of being posterized by Singleton for a long time. I am still going on record that MD is a better team when he is in the starting line-up getting 25 minutes per game. He is ineffective getting 10 to 15 minutes per game knowing there is a quick hook.

I forgot to mention the departure of Kim / Choi from College Park. We hardly knew ye. Although, thanks to being reminded 82 times during broadcasts, I am fairly confident that he was the first Korean player ever to play D1 basketball.

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