Maryland Basketball Scoop: Transfer Buzz | Point Guard Prediction | Surprising Duo
Maryland basketball begins its most anticipated postseason in years tonight (Maryland-Illinois preview), but there's also a lot happening behind the scenes. The latest on a top recruit, a top transfer prospect and a surprise collaboration in the latest Maryland basketball scoop.
Maryland basketball begins its most anticipated postseason in years tonight (Maryland-Illinois preview), but there's also a lot happening behind the scenes. The latest on a top recruit, a top transfer prospect and a surprise collaboration in the latest Maryland basketball scoop.
On Chance Mallory: I'm entering a Crystal Ball pick for Virginia with a confidence score of six for the nation's top uncommitted point guard. I don't know for sure that it's done, but piecing together the information I've gotten, it seems likely. Mallory's family would like to have him close to home and they've been in communication with the administration about its impending hire, which seems likely to be VCU coach Ryan Odom; a bit of irony considering he coached UMBC to that historic upset over UVA, the first win by a No. 16 seed in tournament history.
Odom has some connections to Mallory's family and with Mallory setting an announcement date for later this month, the signs point to Virginia. But I don't have that down as a done deal and will keep tabs.
I'm hearing Maryland has a great chance to land Drexel transfer Kobe Magee, who I reported on yesterday. The portal doesn't open for another week, but when it does, they could quickly scoop him as a Selton Miguel replacement.
Elsewhere, Maryland will have an alum coaching in the NCAA Tournament after Duane Simpkins led American to the Gary Williams has said that out of all of his former players, he believes Simpkins might've been the best suited to become a successful coach. Simpkins, Maryland's starting point guard during the program's Williams-led resurgence of the early 90s, led American University -- the school where Williams cut his teeth as a young coach -- to the Patriot League title, earning its first March Madness berth since 2014 and fourth overall.
And he's had help from an unlikely source: Mark Turgeon. Turgeon, who nearly hired Simpkins as an assistant at Maryland on multiple occasions, has worked with him as a consultant this season, focusing on defensive strategy. Turgeon has been to most of the team's home games, attending a bunch of practices and reviewing film with Simpkins.
If you need to kill time until tonight's game, we talked about expectations for the postseason and lots more on this week's IMS Radio, along with an update from Chris Knoche in Indy. Listen here:
