Second half of the Villanova-Miami game is underway. Terps game is set to tip at approximately 9:40 pm ET, depending on whether or not the first game runs late.
Maryland contingency is maybe about half full right now, but the team just left the hotel a little bit ago. Should fill in before they tip off later. Nova probably has the largest contingency in the arena for the first game.
I noted this in a thread I started below, but both teams are absolutely shooting the cover off of the ball in the first game. Maryland's guards seemed to shoot the ball very well yesterday during shoot around. I asked Jared Nickens about it and he noted that the rims here were friendly and that the lighting is much better in Louisville than it was in Spokane, definitely a shooters gym.
A couple of keys to the game:
- Melo needs to continue getting to the line like he did in the Terps' first two NCAA tourney games. Trimble attempted just 4.6 free throws per game this season during B1G play. Last year he shot 6.8 free throws per B1G game. In Maryland's first two tourney games, Trimble got to the line 23 times for a 12.5 average. Trimble must continue to get to the line if the Terps want to upset Kansas.
- The Terps need to shoot better. Maryland has no chance of winning against a team like Kansas going 1-18 from beyond the arc. As mentioned above, though, the arena in Louisville appears to be a shooters gym and hopefully that will help cure the Terps' recent shooting woes.
- The Terps have been outrebounded in 2 of their past 4 games, losing to Michigan St. and defeating Hawaii. Maryland's bigs need to do a better job of securing rebounds and the Terps as a team need to out-hustle Kansas on every 50-50 ball.
- Two key defensive matchups for the Terps are Jake Layman on Wayne Selden and Robert Carter on Perry Ellis. Jake Layman's length as well as his familiarity with Selden could play major factor's in neutralizing the Jayhawks' second-leading scorer. Perry Ellis has been fantastic this season, scoring 20 or more in six of the Jayhawks' past seven games, but has only attempted 11 threes during that stretch. He's playing in the paint and dominating inside. Carter is going to have his hands full down low and his ability to keep him off of the low blocks could be key.
Terps assistants Cliff Warren and Bino Ranson scouted the first half-plus of Nova-Miami.
Closing Line: +5.5 (line opened at Kansas -6.5)
Uniforms: Red
Pregame reading:
Turgeon will face familiar foe in Bill Self
Several Terps have history with Kansas starters
Maryland contingency is maybe about half full right now, but the team just left the hotel a little bit ago. Should fill in before they tip off later. Nova probably has the largest contingency in the arena for the first game.
I noted this in a thread I started below, but both teams are absolutely shooting the cover off of the ball in the first game. Maryland's guards seemed to shoot the ball very well yesterday during shoot around. I asked Jared Nickens about it and he noted that the rims here were friendly and that the lighting is much better in Louisville than it was in Spokane, definitely a shooters gym.
A couple of keys to the game:
- Melo needs to continue getting to the line like he did in the Terps' first two NCAA tourney games. Trimble attempted just 4.6 free throws per game this season during B1G play. Last year he shot 6.8 free throws per B1G game. In Maryland's first two tourney games, Trimble got to the line 23 times for a 12.5 average. Trimble must continue to get to the line if the Terps want to upset Kansas.
- The Terps need to shoot better. Maryland has no chance of winning against a team like Kansas going 1-18 from beyond the arc. As mentioned above, though, the arena in Louisville appears to be a shooters gym and hopefully that will help cure the Terps' recent shooting woes.
- The Terps have been outrebounded in 2 of their past 4 games, losing to Michigan St. and defeating Hawaii. Maryland's bigs need to do a better job of securing rebounds and the Terps as a team need to out-hustle Kansas on every 50-50 ball.
- Two key defensive matchups for the Terps are Jake Layman on Wayne Selden and Robert Carter on Perry Ellis. Jake Layman's length as well as his familiarity with Selden could play major factor's in neutralizing the Jayhawks' second-leading scorer. Perry Ellis has been fantastic this season, scoring 20 or more in six of the Jayhawks' past seven games, but has only attempted 11 threes during that stretch. He's playing in the paint and dominating inside. Carter is going to have his hands full down low and his ability to keep him off of the low blocks could be key.
Terps assistants Cliff Warren and Bino Ranson scouted the first half-plus of Nova-Miami.
Closing Line: +5.5 (line opened at Kansas -6.5)
Uniforms: Red
Pregame reading:
Turgeon will face familiar foe in Bill Self
Several Terps have history with Kansas starters
