Maryland Basketball: A Queen Question, a backup's big energy and Rodney Rice on his role
Kevin Willard and his players go behind the scenes of Rice's monstrous performance, Derik Queen's limp and more.
After he drilled back-to-back threes during his torrid late first-half scoring spree, Rodney Rice Jr. had a brief talk with his coach, Kevin Willard's message to the sophomore guard was simple. What did he tell Rice?"Just basically, let it go," Rice said (video) afterward. "Keep letting it go."
Simple yet solid advice.
Playing his second game in a Terps uniform, Rice exploded for 26 first-half points en route to a career-high 28 in Maryland's 86-52 win over Mount St. Mary's on Friday night at Xfinity Center.
"This is the way Rod's been playing for the last two or three weeks in practice and it's the way he played the other night, to be honest with you, when he came in the second half and kind of did the same thing. He's got a great knack to score, he knows how to core and he's been working hard. So he's playing well," Willard said (video) after his team became the first Maryland squad in 10 years to win its first two games by 30 or more points.
And the Terps (2-0) did it without getting a lot of cheap buckets from Derik Queen (eight points, three assists, two steals) and Julian Reese (nine points, 10 rebounds) against a smaller frontcourt.
"If we're knocking down threes consistently like that," Rice said, "they can't double Ju or Derik when we throw it in there."
Willard on Maryland's slow start
Last year, Maryland beat Mount. St. Mary's by 15 in the opener and then lost to Davidson and UAB in the next two games. It was quickly clear it might be a long season. Spoiler: it was.This year, even during a frigid start that saw the visitors take a 10-2 lead three minutes into the game, Willard is more confident in his team.
"I think the biggest difference is I probably would have called timeouts last year. And this year, I understand that coming off the bench, we are going to have guys that can really pick us up coming off the bench defensively and offensively ... You got two big guys out there that are eventually going to get the ball. Something good is going to happen. So I think there was just, you know, teams are going to come in and they're going to give you their best shot the first five to 10 minutes and we weathered the storm. And then we kind of imposed our will," he said.
On Gillespie
"I think he's still trying to figure a lot of stuff out. Which is a good thing. I think he's trying to figure out you, you know, 'I'm playing with two really talented big guys. When do I pass them? When do I shoot it?' So I think we're just starting to see a little bit of what how good Ja'Kobi can be it's. I think everyone's still trying to figure out a little bit, like, when do I shoot, when do I not shoot? What I do like is, though, everyone's defensive energy has been really good to start the season and the opportunistic play
On playing Reese and Queen together
"I haven't figured that out yet, to be honest with you. I don't like not having Derik or Juju in the game. It just it hasn't worked so far. They do really well when Jordan or Tafara with one of the big guys, not that they're not playing good. And we're definitely going to continue to do it but yeah, I'm not happy with -- when they're both out of the game, I just think I'm giving the other team a free pass."On Tafara Gapare's big energy off the bench (four steals in 16 minutes)
"Absolutely, Tafara is going to be one of those guys. I love having Tafara. He's so talented, he gets his hands on so many loose balls and deflections. Again. he's a legit 6-10, 6-11. He just has, he has said, it's kind of weird, he has kind of short arms. But he's definitely going to see more time."On Selton Miguel
"We practiced Wednesday he looked better, and we didn't really practice Thursday. So I think he just needs a couple more. Again, Selton is one of those guys that, he's played at, this is his third school. Everyone's got to take a deep breath and just kind of realize it's going to take him a little bit of time to figure it out. There's times when he thinks he's still playing a whole different style. So in the new era of the transfer portal ... You got to take a deep breath every once in a while, realize you're going to make a mistake just because of the fact that sometimes your reflexes are going to go back to something that you did for 36 games last year. And now I'm asking you to do something totally different. So I'm not worried about Selton."Maryland Football Scoop: The Real Deal on Malik Washington | Recruiting Upgrade | Portal Talk
On no one playing more than 23 minutes
"I think the biggest thing, as I look at the numbers, I think the highest [number of minutes was], Ja'Kobi played 23 and Ju played 23. I think in a long run for Ju, Ja'Kobi all those all these guys getting experience playing against guys that are going after them, showing them different looks is great. But at the same time, not putting a lot of mileage on guys this time of yea. I think will pay dividends for all those guys when they do have to put a lot of mileage on come DecemberOn his team's defensive versatility
"I do think the fact that we can play two different styles within the game, I thought Tafara and Jordan came in with energy and we switched up our pick-and-roll defense, and we went from drop to pretty much trapping and rotating instead of just drop with Ju and DQ. So I think within the game, when Ja'Kobi takes a break, you bring Jay in, so you don't really get a break. Jay's just as good a defender as Ja'Kobi, so I think we're a little bit more athletic in the fact that we can uh play technically three different pick-and-roll defenses in the same half. I think it really helps us."Rice, asked if he wants to be a starter
"It's just coach's game plan. I mean, we're going to stick with and we're just going to execute regardless as a team."Rice on Queen's outlet pass for him for a breakaway and-one: "He's a very good passer. Ball went in the air, hit the court, I just went after it. The defender wasn't going to get there before me. I was just determined to finish the play."
Rice on feeling comfortable after a long time without playing in games: "Knocking the rust off and just staying with it, being consistent every day in practice, just playing hard as well. It felt good to be out there
Rice on the bench bringing energy: "Yeah, when we need it, that's what we're going to do. That's what we going to come in and do. We're going to play with energy and assert ourselves."
More Willard and players
Willard, asked if Derik Queen was limping as he walked off the court after the game: "I have no comment on that."Willard on Rice and Gillespie's outside shooting: "When Ja'Kobi and Rodney are out here together, it's two guys that can really shoot it and score.
Gillespie on the slow start: "We responded really well and then our bench players came in and kind of helped us turn it around and bring more energy. Cause we came out flat, so I feel like we responded well.
