Kevin Willard to meet with Villanova as Maryland coach nears decision, Porter Moser emerges as candidate​

A decision in the Villanova coaching search is imminent.​

Maryland basketball coach Kevin Willard, the top candidate for the same job at Villanova, is expected to make a decision on whether to stay with the Terrapins or leave for the Big East by Saturday night, per CBS Sports' Matt Norlander. The imminent decision will bring an end to a high-profile saga that largely overshadowed Maryland's run to the Sweet 16 and offer clarity in one of college basketball's top head coaching searches on the 2025 carousel. Should Willard elect to remain with the Terrapins, ESPN's Pete Thamel reports that Oklahoma coach Porter Moser will be at the top of Villanova's candidate list.

As of Saturday afternoon, Willard had not yet informed Maryland on whether he will return to the program or take the Villanova job. Villanova administration, Norlander reports, expects him to accept an offer and will meet with him later in the day to discuss the position. Willard's buyout at Maryland drops by $500,000 on Tuesday, but Norlander says neither the timing nor price tag are hurdles to completing a deal with Villanova.

Willard's transparency on the situation put him in the limelight during the NCAA Tournament. He was outspoken about his frustrations with Maryland administration amid contract negotiations and cited the Terrapins' lack of investment into the basketball program and athletic director Damon Evans' uncertain job status as points of contention. Evans this week accepted the AD position at SMU.

Willard previously voiced his willingness to spend a fourth year at Maryland if the university provided more funding and a boost in NIL resources. He did not commit publicly to a return when pressed on the subject, though. Willard said after the Terrapins' Sweet 16 loss that, at the time, he had "no idea" whether he would stay or leave.

Moser's emergence as a potential backup candidate at Villanova and a possible replacement for Willard at Maryland adds another layer of intrigue to the coaching search.

"If Kevin Willard decides to stay at Maryland — and again, he mentioned that he does not have an athletic director that he knows — the next candidate up is believed to be Porter Moser of Oklahoma," Thamel said on ESPN's "College GameDay," Saturday morning. "It's an interesting name, because he would likely be on Maryland's list if they have a job search. Maryland has not stayed flat-footed. They have started to prepare for Kevin Willard's departure."

With Oklahoma's first-round departure from the NCAA Tournament, Moser completed his fourth year atop the Sooners program. This was his first trip to the Big Dance since he left Loyola Chicago, which he led to the 2018 Final Four in one of the greatest Cinderella stories in tournament history.

The biggest farce of the last week-plus is finally over. Willard is off to the Main Line. Time for Maryland to find their next coach.

Figured I’d start a thread with the latest stuff I’m hearing with regards to Willard’s replacement.

- As I’ve mentioned multiple times now, the two names I know were vetted immediately were Tony Skinn and Duane Simpkins. I think I can safely say that Simpkins won’t happen. Simply doesn’t have the resume at the moment. A lot of differing opinions of Skinn. Personally, I think he would be well worth the risk. Willard basically got the job here with the caveat he brought Skinn with him. Terps absolutely over performed in Year 1 and he was the lead in the recruitment of Queen. Skinn also just had one of the best seasons in GMU history in his 2nd year as a head coach and was A10 COY. That isn’t anything to sneeze at. Past A10 COY include Calipari, Sean Miller, Phil Martelli, John Chaney, Chris Mack and Danny Hurley. That’s some serious company. He has also shown he can work the portal, having an entire portal starting five this season, including an Auburn transfer. I think he’s viable, but likely not at the top of the list.

- As for Buzz Williams, he’s apparently been throwing his name out there for every prominent opening this offseason. That usually means one of two things. One, he’s likely looking for an extension and a raise. Two, he’s worn out his welcome at what was basically his dream job. Either way, I just have an extremely hard time believing he’s at the top of any list for Maryland. I think it’s more likely he isn’t really in the mix.

- UConn assistant Luke Murray. For anyone left who might not know, this is the son of famed actor Bill Murray and was basically the architect of UConn’s offensive sets during their back-to-back title run. They ran some of the most innovative sets I’ve ever seen. He’s also an elite recruiter, most recently helping the Huskies land Queen’s former Montverde teammate Liam McNeeley. Now the thing that I wasn’t aware of that I just recently learned here is that his time at Towson on Pat Skerry’s staff apparently overlapped with new interim AD Colleen Sorum’s time at Towson. So there is some familiarity there. Obviously, this would be a high risk, high reward type hire. He obviously has no track record as a head coach, he is also one of the nation’s highest paid assistants and is in a very comfortable spot in a state where he attended college at Fairfield. On the plus side, he’d probably come on the cheaper end of the salary scale and with the right staff and a solid war chest could probably rebuild the roster quickly. But again, you could make the argument he’s a bigger risk than Simpkins, although the potential reward is an elite offense with elite results.

- Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard. Have had a lot of folks tell me Maryland would have no chance with Beard, but I’m not buying it. Have also been told by multiple people in the know he’s close with Patsos from his time at Texas Tech, where he took the Red Raiders to the Final Four. They are an Under Armour school and their starting center was from Odenton, Md. Many believe Beard is currently the best coach in the game and if you watched them last night take Izzo’s squad to the wire, not hard to figure out why. Obviously the whole thing with his now wife would be a possible impediment. And we all know Barry Svlurga would be sent in from the WaPo to try and destroy his program as soon as he got started. But he possibly has the highest ceiling of all, being a proven winner at the JUCO, D2, MM and P4 level. He would also likely bring the most buzz. The one issue is that while I think he would normally be extremely open to a program like Maryland, the lack of an AD could be a deterrent. He has to be careful about any move he makes and I would guess feeling comfortable with his new boss would be extremely important. But from what I can gather, his name is being vetted. Oh, and did I mention he’s a Bob Knight disciple?

Those are the names right now. Thoughts? Preferences?

Honestly, I really like three of those names and think all three have a higher ceiling than Willard. But that’s just my opinion.

What I'm hearing on Kevin Willard and Villanova, the Buzz Williams buzz and an AD sleeper candidate​

Is Kevin Willard heading to Villanova? What about the growing talk on a big name to replace him? Who is a sleeper for the AD job? And a look at one moment in this saga that, in retrospect, might have been an accidental giveaway.​

This Maryland basketball season was a familiar pattern for those who've followed the program. A high point and a parade of celebration and new hope ... Which, of course, abruptly crashes and burns. The infamous Maryland tease. But you knew all of that.

Is Kevin Willard heading to Villanova? What about the growing talk on a big name to replace him? Who is a sleeper for the AD job? And a look at one moment in this saga that, in retrospect, might have been an accidental giveaway.

The consensus still overwhelmingly says Willard will announce he's taking the Villanova job on Tuesday. Why Tuesday? Because his buyout decreases by $500,000. But there's a chance it'll leak officially before then.

I believe Willard has been ticketed for Villanova since at least early this week. On Tuesday, coaches, agents and others in the industry were talking about it like a done deal. And barring a strange twist, they were right. A source said Willard was on campus at Nova today.

It's also obvious that Buzz Williams is pushing hard for the job. The Texas A&M coach is ready to move on and has staged a full-on campaign for the Maryland job. That doesn't mean he'll get it, of course, but he's the only name loudly floated. Tony Skinn and Duane Simpkins don't appear to be on the list.

We'll get more on that soon. I expect that it'll speed up once Willard is officially gone. Williams is polarizing, but his track record is far better than Willard's or Mark Turgeon's, with three Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight. He's consistently made the tournament everywhere he's been. But locals aren't thrilled about the possible hire, questioning his lack of ties to the area.

It's hard to tell who's running the search internally. Maryland, of course, is without an AD after Damon Evans' hasty exit for SMU. It is interesting that the search firm Maryland hired is the same one that placed Williams at Texas A&M.

For the past 48 hours or so, someone has been floating talk that Willard is seriously considering Maryland's offer. The timing and phrasing of the texts I've received make it obvious this is PR campaign. By whom and why, we'll see. My gut feeling is Willard, and his circle would like to avoid the appearance that he was negotiating with another school while his team was entering its biggest stretch of games in years. But I'm sure Maryland would also like to make it clear it did everything Willard requested; remember, he claimed he just wanted some small concessions to boost the program. At some points, it's almost seemed like he might be collaborating with someone Maryland to manage how his exit looks, but that might be over analysis.

Willard has also told people he's been working the portal, but the lack of transfers mentioning Maryland is suspect. He didn't say which school he's recruiting for, though.

Maryland also needs an AD. A name consistently mentioned: Charlotte FC soccer franchise president Joe LaBue, a Maryland alum who'd love to return. He's widely respected and in this time of college sports essentially going pro, a professional sports executive could be a fitting hire. I'm told he's spoken with president Darryll Pines.

Starting off on the right foot:

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Playing two tomorrow to get ahead of the weather on Sunday.

vs. Ball State at 11 am

vs. Mercyhurst at 7 pm.

Starts at noon on BTN

In my opinion, "The Slide" goes back to the hiring of Wally Loh.

It's been a Soap Opera ever since.

From the firing of Fridge, to the Mike Leach snub, to the Kevin Anderson junkets looking for his next job, to the Baseball Coach rotating door, to the hiring of a drunk philanderer with a very thin resume as AD, to the hiring of a 3-31 Head Football Coach, to the Willard fiasco... and everything in between.

I cannot believe that the idiocy behind all of this was actually paid so damn much money.

In private industry, this kind of failure gets you fired at light speed.

Calling this a Clown Show is an insult to clowns.

IF Willard were to end up leaving, keep an eye on Tony Skinn. He played a major role in the success of Willard’s first year and was just named A10 Coach of the Year. Has been an Under Armour guy, has ties to the top local AAU and high school teams and knows his way around the Big Ten from his time at Ohio State and here.

I’m not saying I know anything, but this is also more than just a hunch.

Welp, it’s here. The biggest Maryland hoops game in 20 years.

We’re about 20 minutes from tipoff between the Terps and Gators in San Francisco.

At this point, it is basically the Crab 5 versus the world. These guys need to go out and do this for themselves.

Biggest matchup in this game might be Gillespie and Clayton Jr.

Terps also will need to keep their bigs out of foul trouble as Florida’s bench is deep. Need max effort on the boards.

Game can be seen on TBS at the bottom of the hour.

Maryland basketball's lone 2025 recruit, Chris Jeffrey, on Kevin Willard's situation and what he'll do​

What will Maryland basketball's lone commit, Chris Jeffrey, do next with Kevin Willard's situation in question?​

Have you been looking for any sort of silver lining in the Maryland basketball at least Maryland chaos? Well ... you don't have to worry about losing a lot of recruits because of the Kevin Willard situation?

There's one commitment in Maryland basketball's 2025 recruiting class because Willard's been increasingly focused on the transfer portal instead. But he's a good one. Mt. Zion Prep (Md.) point guard Chris Jeffrey is coming off a dominant season during which he averaged more than 24 points per game and won every MVP award available. Jeffrey, of course, has been following along, waiting for final news on Kevin Willard's expected move to Villanova.


"I was surprised it started like that, right when they were going to the Sweet 16. But I still feel like he could come back," said Jeffrey, the N0. 13-point guard in the 2025 class.

Has Willard reached out to the 6-2 Brooklyn native and former teammate of freshman Malachi Palmer?

"Not yet," he said.

"Personally, me, I do want to play at Maryland. That's what I've always wanted to do, and playing with Malachi," he said.

But if it's not Willard there?

"I would have to know, like, who the coach would be if he was to leave," he said.

He also didn't rule out considering Villanova if Willard goes there and recruits him.

"I could still play for coach Willard if he stays, or if he goes to Villanova," he said

Chris Jeffrey's 247Sports scouting report, via Adam Finkelstein:

Jeffrey is an ultra-competitive and consistently productive power guard. He stuffs a stat sheet like few other guards in the country and averaged 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and almost 2 steals per game during the EYBL season. He has good backcourt size at 6-foot-3, a very strong build, and plays with both a high-motor and extreme physicality. His intangibles and leadership skills are off the charts as he sets the tone on both ends of the floor.

While he's not a conventional point guard, he's often played with the ball in his hands. He's capable of initiating offense but can be turnover prone when asked to be the primary handler. He excels at getting downhill, playing through contact to get paint touches, and snapping kick-out passes once he collapses the lane. He's also comfortable stopping for mid-range pull-ups, but an inconsistent three-point shooter with questionable, set-shot type, mechanics (30% 3pt in EYBL while averaging just one made three every two games).

Jeffrey is a very aggressive defender who gets after people on that end of the floor and is capable of forcing turnovers. His physical strength also gives him the versatility to switch onto bigger players, while he is also an excellent rebounding guard.

Overall, he may not have the most polished skill set or a ton of wiggle, but he's the type of player who raises the level of everyone around him and is consistently productive because of his physicality, toughness, motor, and aggressive two-way floor game."

Any body watching? On ESPN. Some really strange calls mostly for SC. Ladies hanging in there. 22-22 under 5:00 til half.

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"I don't know what I'm doing"

Don't want to further muck up a game thread with an off-topic discussion.

CurlyBill said:

Yep. Long road back to relevance. Another head-scratcher for me was the Carbery hire. It seems he was the "shiny object" that offseason in the NHL and the Caps hired him without even talking to Todd Nelson, who was in the midst of a Calder run nobody predicted.

Todd appears to be doing it again this season. I'm not saying Carbery is a bad coach... I'm just saying his resume didn't warrant all the NHL attention he was getting during the offseason.

Now we have BMac. He said his goals during the offseason was to get younger and add to the top 6.

He did neither... and in fact we got a bit older, though things have changed with Backstrom now gone... which is another story altogether. Pacioretty was a cheap gamble, and he's not top 6 material. Oh, and when June rolls around, we won't have a second round pick because we gave it to Ottawa for Connor Brown... who played a whopping 4 games for the Caps.

Sorry... I could go on all night.

Click to expand...

They were fixated on Carbery (just like they were fixated on Todd Reirden) long before Nelson and the Bears came out of nowhere to win the Calder Cup last June. I schlepped up to Hershey for Game 5 of that series and it was painfully obvious who the better team was but Coachella Valley has Dan Bylsma behind their bench. Now that the Bears are lapping the AHL field, curious to see if he can repeat the magic of last season.

A lot of the problem in terms of getting younger and adding to the Top 6 are the contracts in the Top 6. Backstrom, Kuznetsov, and Oshie all have modified no-trade clauses which makes moving them out and getting younger really, really difficult. All three were given them for sentimental reasons even though they are now well past their prime which is why it is going to be a very long rebuild once it gets fully underway. FWIW, we have three 2nd rounders in next year's draft but Boston and Colorado's are very likely to be in the back-end of that round. GMBM, like GMGM, is only doing the best he can with what he's told to accomplish.

At least we got one Cup out of this run which is a whole lot more than we can say about the 80's Caps.

And speaking of the 80's, this would be a team that would make the playoffs and might pull off an upset or two in that era. Now, they're likely on the outside looking in and with the owners looking to make yet another expansion cash grab; it will be harder to make the playoffs and what rebuilding is done will take a step back in the process.

Anyone else tired of hearing about the “travel” and CSU got “hosed”? Funny how they only focus on that play and not the 3 point shot. Clifford double dribbled after the inbounds, before he passed the outlet for the 3. They call that and it’s game over on a turnover.

Seems Maryland almost got hosed.

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Maryland basketball: Kevin Willard offers unusual filibusters at NCAA Tournament Sweet 16​

Maryland basketball coach Kevin Willard gave an unusual answer when he was asked about all of the job speculation and Maryland football coach Mike Locksley's comments about it. Well, it was more like an unrelated filibuster than an answer. After a week of drama (recap here), he had no interest in talking about it.​

Maryland basketball coach Kevin Willard gave an unusual answer on Wednesday in San Francisco, where he was asked about all of the job speculation and Maryland football coach Mike Locksley's comments about it. Well, it was more like an unrelated filibuster than an answer. After a week of drama (recap here), he had no interest in talking about it.

"I'll be honest—my biggest thing is we've got to stop [Florida star Walter] Clayton. He's really good. He shoots the basketball going left at 48%. Going right, it's like 38%. So really, the last couple days we've been trying to come up with a game plan to stop Clayton. He's one of the best guards in the country we've seen. And fixing our rebounding issues has been top of mind too. So yeah, it's a big problem," he said.

He was also asked about his comments on the Kevin Sheehan show, about how he's been negotiating with Maryland's administration. Same result.

"We're playing Florida. It's a big match. This is all about the Sweet 16. These guys have enjoyed it as much as possible. I've enjoyed it tremendously. I do love this town. Great town, great food. Got to have dinner with PJ Carlesimo last night, which is always a lot of fun."

More below from Willard:

On his use of an analytics firm​

"I won't name the company, but I've always been a data guy. Everything you can do to get an edge helps. In the last two years, it's dramatically changed. It's all AI. The company has 50 computers in downtown D.C. There's no human bias. It's not like "Clayton might go this way." The computer grades the game. It's not like Synergy, where a person grades it. This is all AI. When we get these reports—on players in the portal and everything—it's amazing how accurate they are. I'll watch film and grade it myself, and when I compare my notes to the report, it's spot on. It's gotten so advanced that if you don't use it, you're falling behind. For us, it grades our offense—what plays to run for which players, what guys perform better at different times in the game. It's deep. It's been a great investment. Damon was awesome. He met with them and loved it. I think it's helped Locksley in football too. It's something we've invested in, and it's helped us tremendously."

On the team's inexperience in the tourney and nerves​

"I'm hoping by now that the nerves are gone. The first five minutes of the Grand Canyon game, I was a little nervous because the guys were nervous—besides Ju. The Colorado State game was just a regular, really good basketball game. I thought the nerves had gone away. I'm sure they'll be nervous. I hope they're nervous. It's a great opportunity. Part of life is having opportunities that make you nervous and excited. That's what makes this tournament so unbelievable. You're going to remember being nervous."

On Florida's depth​

"We're going to have to play all four of our Bigs for sure. They remind me a lot of Michigan State—how they bring four big guys in and just try to wear you down. I think Florida does the same thing. They shoot the basketball much better than Michigan State does. That's the biggest difference. But we're going to have to play all four Bigs. There's just no way Derik and Ju are going to play 36 minutes against this team. They run consistently. They're fresh. They're as good a basketball team as I've seen on film all year."

On Reese-Queen:​

Ju's been a big brother all year. On the court, he's helped Derik develop tremendously with physicality, getting used to it in the Big Ten. Derek, conversely, has been a great little brother—he's always joking around, always smiling. I think it's really helped Ju enjoy his senior year and really relax".

On competing with Florida's dominant rebounding​

"We're not going to switch nearly as much as we have. I went back and watched our last three games—the switching has really hurt us tremendously. We're going to try to switch a whole lot less. They remind me of Illinois. Illinois rebounds from the guard spot tremendously big guards. We're going to try to make it a point of emphasis. They score something crazy, like 32% of their points off offensive rebounds. I've never seen anything like that in my life. It's an unbelievable stat. As good as they are at shooting it, as good as they are in transition—you get a stop, and then they punish you on the offensive glass. That's why they're so good. They beat you so many different ways."

On Baltimore​

"The more time you spend in Baltimore, it gets a really bad rap sometimes, and it's a phenomenal city with great people that love where they come from. They love their sports. And Derik said it—it's not easy getting out of Baltimore. So, when you see someone coming out of Baltimore having the success that he has had, Baltimore kids take a lot of pride in where they come from, as they should because it's a great city with great people."

On what makes Reese a good rebounder​

"I don't know, to be perfectly honest. You'd have to ask him that. He gave a boring answer—I don't know. I'd say probably playing one-on-one with Angel all those years. They both have tremendous motors. They're both highly competitive. Ju is really strong. As a big guy, especially in AAU and high school basketball, the only way you get the ball is if you set a pick-and-roll or get a rebound. Ju has always had a good feel for where the ball is going to go. That's the sexy answer—he has a really good feel for where shots are going to miss. He doesn't just run to the same spot every time. He understands who's shooting it and where it's going. Rodney shoots it a little flatter than Kobi. Kobi's misses are a little bouncier. Rod's are a little harder. He kind of understands that."

Those comments from Locksley on Willard's comments last week​

"I'm an old-school DC guy. Family business is family business. I have no comment on any of those things. It doesn't pertain to my business or what I need to do," he said. "As I've stated since I've been here, I've gotten the resources I've needed to build a foundation. I've learned in 33 years of coaching — there are no utopias. Every family has their issues and dirty little secrets. I'm of the opinion those are handled individually, behind closed doors, within family ranks."

Breaking down the game​

Via Cody Nagel:
"It's hard to imagine Florida blowing Maryland out on Thursday. The Terrapins boast the 10th-ranked adjusted defense (KenPom), force 14.1 turnovers per game and haven't lost by more than six points all season. However, after its SEC Tournament championship run, Florida looks like a team of destiny and is battled-tested following a two-point win against UConn in the second round. The Gators also have a huge rebounding advantage, ranking No. 3 in total rebounds (41.9) compared to the Terrapins at No. 103 (36.7)."

​

at least to me and mama. Mama isn’t a Gator, she’s a Miami girl who’s a Terp. She lives with her sister and her husband of 70 years near Ocala now. They are Gators. However, mama is here in SF with us until after 2 April. Let’s go Terps!

I know, I know, the season isn't even over yet, BUT the portal is open for business and Maryland is going to need to add a bunch of guys this offseason. So I'm going to start a thread, some names will already officially be in, some won't. Some I have heard speculation on and some I'm making educated guesses as possibilities based on things I know. So lets get started.

- Sticking with this as the top name to know until I hear otherwise: Tyrell Ward. Left the LSU program just before the start of the season due to 'mental health' reasons. FWIW, I was told by folks close to him a year ago he was not happy in Baton Rouge and really wanted out then but money is pretty much what kept him there. He's been pulled in a lot of different directions since high school and I think it all just started to wear him down mentally. As for fit, he'd basically be plug and play for Selton Miguel. He made 52 threes at LSU as a sophomore, hitting at a 41.3% clip. In league play, his % got even better, going 33-72 (46%) which was 6th best in the SEC. He scored in double figures 10 times in league play and 14 times overall. He's got ideal size for the 3 at 6-foot-6, he's long and a plus athlete. But his story is very similar to Rodney Rice's and lets not forget, those two were teammates at DeMatha and won a WCAC title together. To be clear, I have not been directly told that there is interest either way heading into this offseason, but he absolutely had interest in coming home last year and there has also been some G'town chatter (but it is worth mentioning that the reason he was possibly going to G'town out of high school isn't there, so they don't necessarily have any sort of 'in.')

- I can confirm there is interest with Drexel wing Kobe MaGee out of Allentown, Pa., who has announced he will enter the portal. He is very similar to Ward and again, would be someone to replace Miguel. He also stands at 6-foot-6 and like Ward is a sniper from beyond the arc. He made 82 triples this season at a 44% clip, good for 42nd nationally. In conference play, he was 38-88 (43%), good for 4th in the CAA. As for why I prefer Ward, I think the answer is pretty obvious, he's already proven he can do it at the highest level in the SEC, while the CAA is a good few notches down from the B1G. I also think the fact that Ward has a winning history with Rice is a major plus for him, as well. Finally, MaGee averaged nearly 34 minutes per game to get those numbers, while Ward averaged just 22 minutes per game as a sophomore. Ward could see his numbers explode with similar minutes.

- I know there will be a lot of talk about Iowa transfer Owen Freeman, the 6-foot-10 center who led the Hawkeyes in scoring and rebounds before being injured and missing the final half of league play. He's already got several blue bloods throwing millions at him and I've been told one B1G school is already in talks with him, as well. Throw on top the fact that he has a 'do not contact' status in the portal and I don't see the Terps having a shot here despite a big man being their biggest need.

- I would keep an eye on Utah 6-foot-10 sophomore forward Jake Whalin, who is in the portal. He averaged just 6.2 points and 5 boards per game, but scored in double figures five times, including versus BYU, Kansas and Texas Tech. He started 22 of 32 games, shot 58% from the field and had 21 blocks. He would be a solid replacement in the front court with multiple years of eligibility remaining.

- Just throwing out a name here, with Ryan Odom almost certainly on the way out at VCU, one name to possibly keep an eye on is Luke Bamgboye, who spent some time in Baltimore before transferring to a prep school out in Ariz. last year. As a true frosh, he was 2nd nationally in block percentage, averaging 2.1 blocks per game. While he only averaged 3.7 points and 3.2 boards, he has made major strides as the season has progressed. Even if he isn't much of a scorer, he has the potential to be an elite rim protector at the highest level. With all of that said, I could easily see him following Odom to UVA or Villanova and who knows, maybe he's happy at VCU, but my guess is he's in the portal at some point this offseason and he's an elite rim protector who lived in Maryland and played for the same Team Thrill AAU program as Queen.

The Terps are going to lose Queen, Reese, Miguel, Geronimo and Young for certain. I'll be shocked if either DHS or Chance Stephens are back. I also think with Christian Jeffrey coming in that Long will leave, as well. So that means Maryland has potentially 7 scholarships to fill at the moment. Highest priorities being an elite big, a starting 4 and a starting sniper at the 3.

Ok, that's a start. Will add to this as guys enter the portal and as I hear more.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 preview: Can No. 4 Maryland basketball stun No. 1 Florida?​

Playing in their first Sweet 16 game in nine years, the Terps will look to pull the upset.​

The biggest game in at least nine seasons is nearing for the Maryland men's basketball program.

The No. 4 Terps (27-8) and No. 1 Florida (32-4), the fourth overall seed, will meet Thursday in the Sweet 16, also the West Region semifinal, in San Francisco.

It will be Maryland's first game in the Sweet 16 since 2016, when the fifth-seeded Terps bowed out of the NCAA Tournament with a 79-63 loss to No. 1 seed Kansas. Head coach Kevin Willard is also set to coach in his first Sweet 16 game. It will be the Terps' third Sweet 16 game since 2003. Maryland has been to the Elite Eight only four times and not since its 2002 national championship-winning season.

The Terps are coming off an exhilarating 72-71 win over No. 12 Colorado State in the second round Sunday night. Derik Queen banked in a runner at the buzzer, which immediately became an iconic moment in Maryland history. Each member of the Crab Five was in double figures: Queen with 17 points, Rodney Rice with 16, Julian Reese with 15 and Selton Miguel and Ja'Kobi Gillespie each with 11. It was the eighth time the five starters each scored at least 10 points, the most in the country.

Maryland is 2-2 all-time against Florida. They most recently met on Dec. 12, 2021, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, a 70-68 win for the Terps. Maryland also beat Florida on Dec. 10, 2003, a 69-68 road win over the No. 1 team in the country. Florida beat Maryland, 69-64, on Dec. 14, 2002. The Gators also own a 39-24 win over Maryland in the first meeting between the schools on Feb. 26, 1932.

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch, follow and listen to the matchup.

Tipoff: 7:39 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 27 at Chase Center in San Francisco

TV: TBS/truTV – Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Stan Van Gundy (analyst), Lauren Shehadi (sideline)

Streaming: March Madness Live

Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network, 105.7FM (Baltimore), 980AM (D.C.) – Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Chris Knoche (analyst), Claude Jennings, Jr. (engineer)

Live Stats: Link

KenPom Line: Florida -6

Betting Line: Florida -6.5 (-275 ML), O/U 156.5 per FanDuel Sportsbook

Florida is coming off a 77-75 win over No. 8 Connecticut on Sunday. The back-to-back reigning national champions gave the Gators all they could handle, leading for 17:28 and tying the game at 64 with 2:12 left. Florida scored the next eight points to take a 72-64 lead, and the final score was not as close as the game indicated it may have been down the stretch. First-team All-American Walter Clayton Jr. had 23 points and hit five three-pointers, three in the final 7:57. Alijah Martin had 18 points and Will Richard had 15. The Gators beat No. 16 Norfolk State, 95-69, in their first-round game last Sunday.

Florida ranks third at KenPom. It has won eight games in a row and 14 of its last 15. Since its eight-game winning streak began, Florida is the No. 1 team in the country, according to BartTorvik. Florida ranks second nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and 10th in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom.

Todd Golden is in his third year as Florida's head coach. The Gators have a 72-33 record with him at the helm. Golden, who coached three years at San Francisco before accepting the Florida job, had never won an NCAA Tournament game prior to this season.

The Gators are one of the best offensive-rebounding teams in the country, averaging 14 offensive rebounds per game and ranking fifth in offensive rebounding percentage. Maryland has had a mostly solid season in keeping opponents off the offensive glass, but it has struggled lately. Colorado State and Grand Canyon each had 13 offensive rebounds and Michigan had 18 against the Terps.

Florida shoots 35.6% from three. In its last five games, since its SEC Tournament run began, it is shooting 38% from deep.

While Florida does a solid job taking care of the ball – it ranks 44th nationally in offensive turnover percentage – it ranks only 192nd nationally in defensive turnover percentage. Maryland does a great job taking care of the ball, ranking 19th nationally in offensive turnover percentage. The Terps had just six turnovers against Colorado State, eight against Grand Canyon and six against Michigan.

The 6-foot-3 Clayton averages 17.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists (to 2.4 turnovers) and 1.3 steals per game. He shoots 44.6% from the field, 85.8% from the free-throw line and 38.7% from deep. Clayton started his career with two seasons at Iona under Rick Pitino, and he has played the last two in Gainesville. He scored 23 points in each of the Gators' two NCAA Tournament games. He is shooting 51.2% from three over his last five games.

Martin, a Florida Atlantic transfer, averages 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He shoots 46% from the field and 35.4% from three. Martin, 6-foot-2, is averaging 17.5 points per game during the NCAA Tournament. He has legitimate NCAA Tournament experience under his belt as one of the key cogs of FAU's run to the 2023 Final Four.

Richard averages 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He shoots 49% from the field and 35.6% from three. Richard played the 2021-22 season at Belmont, where Ja'Kobi Gillespie played before coming to Maryland, but the two were never teammates. Richard is in his third season in Gainesville. The 6-foot-4 guard is one of the best in the country inside the arc with a 68.1% two-point percentage.

Alex Condon is the only other Gator averaging double figures, posting 11.4 points per game. The 6-foot-11 sophomore forward/center from Australia also averages 7.8 rebounds (2.9 offensive rebounds), 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. He shoots 54.3% from two, 60.2% from the free-throw line and 34% from deep. He was held to five points against Connecticut.

Rueben Chinyelu, a 6-foot-10 sophomore center from Nigeria, rounds out the Gators' starting five. He averages 6.1 points and 6.5 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game. Chinyelu shoots 60.5% from two and has not attempted a three on the season. He scored six points against Connecticut. Six-foot-9 sophomore forward Thomas Haugh averages 9.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in 24.1 minutes per game. Haugh shoots 60% from two, 80.7% from the free-throw line and 33.3% from deep. He gets to the line often, ranking 31st nationally in free-throw rate.

Denzel Aberdeen, a 6-foot-5 junior guard, and Micah Handlogten, a 7-foot-1 junior center, wrapped up the Gators' rotation against Connecticut. Aberdeen averages 7.9 points per game and shoots 41.4% from the field and 35.1% from deep. Handlogten averages 2.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He is 15-for-20 from two on the season. Six-foot-1 guard Urban Klavzar (3.3 points per game) played two minutes against Connecticut.

There is no sugarcoating it: Florida is the best team on Maryland's schedule. The Gators have a bona fide March star in Clayton, and they tore through one of the best conferences ever to end the regular season. If Maryland can beat Florida, it would be the program's best win since 2002. Maryland, which has yet to lose a game by more than six this season, has the goods to compete, but it is a decently sized underdog for a reason.

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Interesting comments like, "For the first time as a coach, I lost my locker room."

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You can find a sorta transcript here:

Maryland Basketball Recruiting: Terps communicating with local guard "every day"​

While the Maryland coaches, players and fans' focus are on Friday's NCAA Tournament matchup against No. 13 Grand Canyon, recruiting never comes to a halt.​

While the Maryland coaches, players and fans' focus is on Friday's NCAA Tournament matchup against No. 13 Grand Canyon, recruiting never comes to a halt. No matter the result of Friday's game, head coach Kevin Willard and his staff carve out time to make a plan of attack for what kind of players they want to attack in the transfer portal as well as the 2026 high school class.

Archbishop Carroll point guard Anthony Brown seems to be rising up their charts quickly as the 6-foot-1 lead guard has been on campus multiple times in a matter of months.

"I pretty much talk with Maryland and Mississippi State the most at this point," Brown told IMS. "Those two schools have definitely established a lead. I get a text from both of those schools almost every other day."

Brown recently was voted as the DC Player of the Year by the DC Basketball Coaches Association after averaging 24.3 points and six assists per game this season.

"I really think Maryland has a chance to make a run in the tournament and when I say that I don't mean just a game or two. I could see them going to the Final Four or National Championship because of the talent they have and how connected they are. I was at practice last week and you can just tell with how hard they go, how they compete in everything they do, and the gym was loud. It was fun to watch."

Brown gave his thoughts on the heartbreaking loss to Michigan in the Big Ten semifinal game.

"I think with that loss, most teams that have the makeup to be a frontrunner or a favorite need a game like that. I think it makes them go into the NCAA Tournament with some urgency and doesn't allow them to relax thinking the job is complete. Those type of losses put an extra chip on your shoulder."

It's no secret by now that in today's recruiting landscape, the transfer portal has resulted in some programs not casting as wide of a net each year in the high school scene as they typically do. Instead, they'll zero in on a few guys who think could develop into what they need and invest ample time and energy into them.

That's the sort of strategy Kevin Willard and associate head coach David Cox seem to be taking with Brown.

"I think the conversations between us now have to do more with the game. They'll call me and ask what I saw in their games in the previous night's just to get an idea of how I see things. We've also spoke about lining up an official visit with the spring and summer coming. It could be sooner rather than later for that."

As of now, Brown fully intends to take official visits to College Park and Mississippi State. While other programs are involved, those two seem to be setting a high standard in showing genuine interest.

As Brown spoke about the chip on the shoulder of Maryland following the Michigan loss, he too has a chip on his shoulder despite winning DC Player of the Year by the DC Coaches Association. Why? Because he wasn't voted to All-WCAC First Team.

"Missing out on being first team changed my mentality, honestly. Every time I go into the gym, it's something I think about and makes me go harder. I feel like I got some more to prove and not making first team shows me that the work I was putting in wasn't enough. So now, I know what I have to do this summer and how hard I got to go.

As for what jersey Brown will be sporting this spring/summer, he is still undecided. There are multiple local AAU programs courting him and a decision should be made by the end of the week.

Brown ranks as the No. 140 overall prospect in the 247Sports 2026 rankings.

AWESOME

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COLLEGE PARK, MD – No. 4 seed Maryland women's basketball advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 after defeating No. 5 seed Alabama, 111-108, in double overtime in the second round at XFINITY Center on Monday. The Terps are now 25-7 overall this season and 43-18 in NCAA Tournament games under head coach Brenda Frese. The game is the second-highest scoring game in Women's NCAA Tournament history. Only a 1995 game, a 121-120 four-overtime game in the Round of 32, had more points (241).

No. 18 ranked Maryland will make its 12th Sweet 16 appearance under Frese as it will play No. 1 seed South Carolina on Friday, March 28. It will be Maryland's 17th Sweet 16 appearance in program history overall and its second in the last three years. The game will be played in Birmingham, Alabama, and streamed on ESPN. The game time will be announced shortly.

Sarah Te-Biasu willed the Terps to victory by scoring a season-high 26 points. She scored 10 of her points in the overtime, hitting clutch bucket after clutch bucket. She added six assists and four rebounds to her stat line. Overall, she shot 9-of-17 from the floor, including 5-of-7 from three.

The game featured six lead changes and 12 instances where it was tied, and Maryland trailed by as many as 17 points (62-45) at the 3:28 mark of the third quarter. The win equaled the fourth-largest comeback in the NCAA women's basketball Tournament since 2018 and the largest of this year's tournament. It was the largest comeback for Maryland in any game since 2019 at James Madison, when the Terps trailed by 19 points and won 70-68.

After a 3-pointer by the Crimson Tide (24-9), Te-Biasu drilled a clutch 3-pointer to tie the game at 83 apiece with 12 seconds to play in regulation. The Terps then got a stop on defense to send the game to overtime. The Terps shot 10-of-13 overall in the final frame.

The Terps scored first in the first overtime off a layup by Allie Kubek. They never surrendered their lead, but Alabama's Ashlee Sarah Barker made three free throws as she was fouled on a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds to play. The freebies tied the game at 96-96 and sent it to another overtime.

Shyanne Sellers led the Terps with 28 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter and overtime. The senior shot 8-of-17 from the floor, including 3-of-8 from three. She added a block and a steal.

Kaylene Smikle fouled out in overtime with 23 points. She also added seven rebounds and three steals. Smikle also scored 14 of her points in the second half and overtime as the junior was one of the other major catalysts in Maryalnd's comeback.

Kubek also recorded a strong second half. She scored 19 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out five dimes overall to earn the 12th double-double of her career. Mir McLean added crucial minutes off the bench. She scored eight points and grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds.

The win was also Maryland's sixth over a ranked team this season. Frese now has 100 wins over ranked teams as the Terps head coach.

Alabama's Barker scored a career-high and school-record 45 points on 17-of-25 shooting. She added eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

This is the Terrapins' 15th straight NCAA Tournament bid, dating back to 2011. It's their 21st NCAA bid overall under Frese in her 23 seasons in College Park. This is also Maryland's 16th top-four seed under Brenda Frese. Maryland is now 55-30 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.


Breaking Down The Action

• The Terps led 12-11 at the first media timeout. Shyanne Sellers and Sarah Te-Biasu each drilled a 3-pointer, and the Terps made their last three shots from the floor.
• Maryland led 19-15 at the end of the first. Its defense held Alabama scoreless for the remaining 3:56 in the frame. Sellers and Te-Biasu combined for 12 of Maryland's points.
• The Terps opened the second quarter on a 12-6 run to lead 31-21, making 5-of-6 shots from the floor. Allie Kubek was 2-of-2 with four points.
• The Terrapins burned a timeout as the Crimson Tide chipped away at Maryland's lead to trail 33-27.
• The Crimson Tide tied the game at 33 apiece on a layup by Sarah Ashlee Barker at the 3:57mark.
• Maryland trailed Alabama 41-39 at the break. Despite leading by double-digits early in the second, the Crimson Tide rallied to take the lead. Barker had a game-high 17 points, including 12 in the frame alone. Kaylene Smikle scored seven points in the quarter to lead the Terps. She had nine points in the game overall.
• Smikle scored the first bucket of the second half, but the Crimson Tide sparked a 7-0 run in just over a minute of action. They led 48-41 with 8:19 on the clock.
• The Terps called a timeout as Alabama went on an 11-0 run to lead 59-45 at the 3:59 mark.
• Alabama led by as many as 17 points (62-45) at the 3:28 mark. However, Maryland cut the lead to single digits, trailing 64-55 entering the fourth.
• The Terps shot 10-of-13 from the floor in the third. Te-Biasu tied the game at 83 apiece with a clutch 3-pointer and the Terps got a stop on defense to send the game to overtime.
• The Terps scored first in the first overtime off a layup by Kubek. They never surrendered their lead, but Alabama's Ashlee Sarah Barker made three free throws as she was fouled on a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds to play. The freebies tied the game at 96-96 and sent it to another overtime.
• Te-Biasu began the overtime with a 3-pointer, and the Terps stayed in control the rest of the way. They got a stop on the final possession of the game to close it out.

Double-Figure Factors

• Shyanne Sellers scored 28 points, recording her 92nd career game in double figures. She has scored double figures in 25 games this season.
• Sarah Te-Biasu scored 26 points, her 94th double-digit score in a game and 14th in double figures as a Terp. She leads the Terps in career double-digit scoring games.
• Kaylene Smikle scored 24 points, her 67th career double-figure game. This was her 29th game recording double-digit points as a Terp. She leads the Terps this season in double-figure scoring games.
• Allie Kubek scored 19 points and earned her 62nd career game in double figures. She has scored in double figures 14 times this season.