Takeaways from Michigan’s walloping of Maryland men’s basketball

Maryland males’s basketball had a nightmarish begin to 2023, getting destroyed by Michigan, 81-46, as Massive Ten play resumed. It was the biggest loss the Terps had suffered since becoming a member of the Massive Ten.

“There’s nothing, I don’t assume there’s something I can say in addition to I completely let down this program and these youngsters, so that is on me,” Maryland head coach Kevin Willard stated in his postgame radio interview with Chris Knoche. “It is a whole, whole failure.”

Michigan had sputtered to start out the season, and went into Sunday with a 7-5 report after dropping to lowly in-state foe Central Michigan final Thursday. It appeared just like the group had taken all of its anger out on the Terps, who have been totally embarrassed for the second time this season.

Let’s dive into the takeaways.

Dangerous offensive begins have gotten an unlucky pattern for the Terps.

Every part that would have went mistaken to start out Sunday’s recreation went, nicely, someway even worse than anticipated.

Popping out of the gates, the Terps turned the ball over on two of their first three possessions. Then, sophomore ahead Julian Reese picked up his first foul simply over two minutes into the sport, an indication that he and the remainder of his frontcourt mates would have issues with Michigan 7-foot-1 star heart Hunter Dickinson.

However no, that was not all. On the first-half under-16 timeout, Michigan held a stunning 16-0 lead, one that will inch as much as 17-0 after Terrance Williams II completed the drill on a layup plus a foul.

Maryland missed its first 10 shot makes an attempt of the sport till junior guard Ian Martinez lastly received it on the board with a 3-pointer with 12:09 to play within the first half, one which was hardly a panacea for Maryland’s disastrous begin.

The Terps trailed 25-4 on the under-eight media timeout of the primary half, and never a single starter had touched nylon but.

By halftime, the sport was wrapped up, as Michigan held a 44-13 lead. The Wolverines shot a blazing 66.7% from the sphere within the first 20 minutes, and Maryland shot simply 13% (4-of-30). It was an outright embarrassment for the Terps, who by no means had any hope Sunday.

Hunter Dickinson’s animosity towards Maryland is well-documented, and he capitalized with yet one more huge recreation in opposition to it.

Dickinson attended DeMatha Catholic Excessive Faculty in Hyattsville, Maryland, which is nearly 2.5 miles away from the College of Maryland campus. Dickinson has continually ranted about his perceived lack of recruitment from the close by program below then-head coach Mark Turgeon.

Seemingly, although he has but to play in entrance of an XFINITY Middle with no attendance restrictions — that can occur on Jan. 19 — he appears to have somewhat further juice when enjoying in opposition to the Terps.

In 4 earlier video games in opposition to Maryland, Dickinson had two 20-point performances, scoring 26 on Dec. 31, 2020 in School Park and 21 on Jan. 18, 2022 in Ann Arbor. Sunday was a brand new degree of greatness.

Dickinson completed the sport with 32 factors on 13-of-16 capturing and grabbed 12 rebounds. It was the third 30-point exhibiting of his profession and one level shy of his career-high 33 factors in opposition to Michigan State on Mar. 1, 2022.

Dickinson’s efficiency was hardly a shock contemplating Maryland’s frontcourt circumstances. Reese, who just lately got here again from a shoulder damage, stands at 6-foot-9 and has struggled with physicality from opposing groups. Backup huge Patrick Emilien is a serviceable, bodily participant, however his 6-foot-7 body and skillset have been no match for Dickinson. Apart from that, 6-foot-11 freshman heart Caelum Swanton-Rodger wasn’t thrown into the fireplace till the second half.

Regardless, there have been instances when Dickinson was left alone with only one defender or the assistance got here too late. The guide on Dickinson, particularly when the opponent is undersized, must be to ship ferocious double-teams at him when he touches the ball within the submit. The dearth of preparedness and solutions for Dickinson was obtrusive Sunday, because the Virginia native had one other big recreation in a shameful loss for the Terps.

Dickinson is an ideal 5-0 in his profession in opposition to Maryland.

Maryland’s DNA was clear throughout its 8-0 begin. What’s it now?

Throughout Maryland’s early-season success, its depth was as clear as day. The Terps performed laborious for 40 minutes straight, and all anybody may speak about was the group’s buy-in below Willard in 12 months one.

Willard set the tone within the preseason that his group would play not solely laborious however quick, and his signature press early on helped mould that identification.

All of the sudden, it looks like that has dissipated.

On Nov. 20, following Maryland’s 88-70 drubbing of now-No. 14 Miami, Willard defined his offensive philosophy.

“I’ve a simple rule. I’m a reasonably simple coach to play for,” Willard stated following the Miami recreation. “For those who play actually laborious, I’ll allow you to take any shot you need just about, and I’ll allow you to do. It’s the one factor I ask is that you just come out and also you play laborious, you play collectively. And I’ll allow you to type of do what you wish to do. So I feel these guys perceive that. I additionally assume it’s their personalities. Once more, now we have unbelievably excessive character youngsters who wish to win, they usually perceive what it takes to win they usually’re bringing it each evening they usually’re getting rewarded. They’re getting rewarded for his or her laborious work and their effort they’re placing in and that’s what issues to me.”

Whereas critics will rapidly level to Willard publicly saying he’ll let his group do no matter it needs on offense, it’s powerful to think about that’s actually the case. However with a efficiency like Sunday, and a few of Maryland’s latest ones as nicely, it raises questions.

“I don’t know, I would tear everyone down after this,” Willard stated. “You simply can’t come out and play like that. As a participant, we didn’t do something toughness, we didn’t something with something that was … it baffles my thoughts. Even when one thing’s not going proper, we didn’t dive on the unfastened balls, they received each unfastened ball.”

Taking part in laborious and enjoying competent offensive basketball are actually not mutually unique, as each will shift and have an effect on one another within the regular move of a recreation. Nevertheless, it feels just like the DNA of this group has shifted.

Sunday’s efficiency in opposition to Michigan felt eerily much like Maryland’s first half in opposition to Tennessee on Dec. 11 in addition to its efficiency in opposition to UCLA on Dec. 14. The Terps had careless turnovers, they have been getting outhustled and failed to answer any of the punches thrown their manner.

“The one factor concerning the character of this group is that they’re so quiet, they’re so quiet,” Willard stated. “And once we can’t rating and we will’t get going into stuff, it simply, that’s the place we’ve actually simply been — particularly in opposition to greater groups — we received to determine the best way to rating in opposition to greater groups.”

Issues are going to have to vary quick if the once-ranked-No. 13 group within the nation goes to have a fruitful common season and an NCAA Match look. It begins with getting again to that identification. With 17 video games remaining earlier than the Massive Ten Match, Willard and his crew have time, however fear has bubbled.

“That is on me,” Willard stated. “This has nothing to do with the gamers. That is completely on me, and I’ll get it proper.”