Bob Haynie: Time For The Terps To Make Their Move
When a team goes 24-7 overall and 12-6 in their league, often times, they are congratulated for their success. For the Maryland Terrapins, that record is not really earning them a lot of praise.
As a matter of fact, as Maryland gets ready to play their first game of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday night in Indianapolis, they are considered to be one of the more vulnerable teams in country. Losing four of your last six regular season games will put you in the crosshairs of critics.
Expectations were through the roof heading into the 2015-16 season for Head Coach Mark Turgeon and the Terps. They were in everyone's Top Five and were one of the favorites to win the National Championship.
With March Madness now upon us, Maryland is no longer viewed as a viable threat to win it all. ESPN polled over 75 coaches and asked them what team they did not want to play in the NCAA tourney. Not one chose Maryland. Two chose Syracuse and they might not even make The Big Dance.
If the Terps are to reestablish themselves as a team to be feared, they need to start getting it done in the Big Ten Tournament. A strong run in Indy can restore some of the confidence that seems to have been shaken during their late-season fade.
A run in Indy would also improve Maryland's seed in the NCAA tourney. ESPN's Joe Lunardi currently has them as a #5 seed, while CBSSports.com's Jerry Palm has them as a #4.
Can Maryland finally start living up to all of those early expectations in the closing weeks of the season?
That question will start to get answered this weekend in Indianapolis.
