Maryland men’s basketball left the 2023 Asheville Championship winless, with losses to Davidson and UAB.
The Terps were stunned by Davidson on Nov. 10 in the first round, losing 64-61 after allowing a go-ahead three in the final seconds. They drew UAB on Nov. 12 and fell apart in the second half to lose 66-63. The two games presented major challenges for Maryland, but fans shouldn’t panic just yet.
Here are four takeaways from the Terps’ performance in the Asheville Championship. Maryland is next in action at Villanova on Nov. 17.
1. Outside shooting is a real concern.
The Terps didn’t shoot the ball well in either game during the tournament. Maryland didn’t shoot particularly well from three last season, making it mildly concerning that the same issue persists.
Maryland shot 21.7 percent (5-for-23) from three against Davidson, while the Wildcats shot an efficient 53.3 percent (8-for-15). Head coach Kevin Willard was looking for a spark in the outside shooting department and opted to start sophomore guard Noah Batchelor in the second game against UAB.
Batchelor is regarded as one of the best shooters on the team even though he hasn’t shot well from 3-point range in two years as a Terp. He was 0-for-2 from three with three turnovers against UAB. As a team, Maryland shot 26.1 percent (6-for-23).
The Terps shot a combined 23.9 percent (11-for-46) from three during the tournament.
2. Sloppy play is holding the Terps back.
Maryland turned the ball over a combined 28 times in both matchups, leading to 38 points. Primary ball-handlers Jahmir Young (6), DeShawn Harris-Smith (5) and Jahari Long (4) all contributed.
The turnovers allowed Davidson and UAB to string together long runs and remain in the game despite the Terps going on runs of their own.
“I actually think the [turnovers] in the first half really changed the momentum of the game,” Willard said following the UAB loss. “I thought we were dominating, really playing well defensively and we had … three turnovers that led to six points and just kind of kept them hanging around the game.”
Maryland has also had problems with its spacing and finding an overall offensive identity. Willard had previously said he wanted to run the offense through junior forward Julian Reese for entire games, but Reese was neutralized against UAB.
He finished with a stat line of five points and four rebounds and he fouled out with three minutes left in the game. The Terps lacked an inside presence against UAB, especially with outside shots not falling.
3. Defense has a chance to be a strength for Maryland.
Maryland struggled at times with its transition defense and rotations, but the Terps did more than enough on the defensive side of the ball to win both games. The unit’s aggressive pursuit of the ball has carried over from last season.
The Terps forced 29 turnovers during the weekend. The full-court press regularly forced miscues from opposing teams. Inefficiencies on offense prevented Maryland from taking full advantage of its athleticism on defense. The Terps forced 14 turnovers against UAB but only recorded 12 points off of them.
Still, UAB was 0-for-6 and didn’t make a shot from the floor for the final 6:39.
Maryland ranks No. 25 in adjusted defensive efficiency through three games, according to KenPom, a college hoops analytics site.
4. Have patience with the offense.
Although Maryland has struggled offensively with inefficiency and turning the ball over, Terps fans shouldn’t panic just yet. It’s still early, and it’s clear Willard’s rotations are still a work in progress.
Big men Calelum Swanton-Rodger and Mady Traore didn’t receive any playing time against Davidson after playing a combined 21 minutes against Mount St. Mary’s. Instead, the Terps elected to play small ball. That largely continued against UAB, with Swanton-Rodger playing nine minutes and Traore not playing at all.
Inserting freshmen Jamie Kaiser Jr. and Harris-Smith into the mix changes the dynamic of the offense and it will take time for everything to mesh. After all, Willard warned fans to be patient with the offense. Just three games into the season, it will be something to monitor.
“I think I’m seeing guys get a little more comfortable out there,” Willard said. “But still I think [it’s] a major work in progress.”
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