Maryland Basketball: Tournament Chop

Maryland Terrapins (16-9, 6-6 ACC) at
Florida State Seminoles (16-7, 6-6 ACC)
Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center – Tallahassee, FL

I’ve got a confession to make. I’m actually watching quite a bit of the Olympics. I know, half of these events shouldn’t be sports and the other half should be outlawed because you have to have an IQ of 60 to allow yourself to go down an icy track on a tiny sled at over 80 miles per hour. Plus, there’s way too much spandex. Especially in the men’s events. But I love the ski jumping. I could watch that all day. First, it’s a sport that hasn’t been taken over, or even attempted, by Americans, so there’s actually a chance to see some competition. Second, these guys are falling some 300 feet vertically and however many meters horizontally. That’s insane. If you go off that jump too high, or the wind catches your skies at the wrong time, you’re going to be tumbling back to Earth at a velocity and an angle that would shatter both legs and most likely your spinal cord. As much as I want to see these guys stick the landings and all, there is always a chance to see some major wipeouts. I always get suckered into watching the high-speed events because there is always the possibility someone is going to get seriously hurt. I’m sitting there watching and saying to myself “Alright, I’m going to watch this guy from Switzerland go careening off the mountain, then I’m gonna go check out whatever college game is on ESPN.” Before I know it, I’m in a trance and I’ve watched two hours of sports that I know nothing about. Finally, NBC will rescue me by showing some sort of ice skating event and I’m able to wake up and change the channel.

Oh, that’s not why you came here, is it? I guess you don’t want to hear my inane ramblings on why I felt sorry for Lindsey Jacobellis because she’s kinda hot but I didn’t feel bad for the chubby Swede who wiped out because she is a person who shouldn’t be allowed to wear body tight suits. Ok, I dig. I’ll get to the basketball. I’ll do your dance. Let me just say, it’s your loss. I had a ton of material analyzing the men’s biathlon, but I guess you’ll just miss out on that.

One of the reasons I hate, and many ACC old-timers hate this 12-team conference is the unbalanced schedule. Case in point, Maryland’s game this week with Florida State. This will be the first meeting between the two teams, and it’s almost March. I can’t stand this. I’m actually starting to think that a round-robin schedule of 22 conference games is a good idea. Maryland shouldn’t be facing FSU for the first time this late in the season. If the ACC insists on this half-baked schedule, at least force all the teams to play against each other once before facing other teams for a second time. This is what the ACC used to do. Maryland never faced Wake Forest twice in January, only to play Virginia twice in the last two weeks of the season. Have every team play once, and then start the home-and-homes. And while we’re at it, let’s get rid of this “two guaranteed rival system.” It’s the ACC’s way of keeping some resemblance of tradition. In my opinion, any tradition the ACC had left went out the window the day Miami and Virginia Tech were let into the conference. So get rid of all the rivalry games, because too many teams are being put at disadvantages. That includes the guaranteed UNC-Duke home-and-home. Why should UNC be forced to play Duke and NC State twice a year when Florida State gets to play Miami and Georgia Tech? Have all the home-and-homes on the rotating basis. If that means that Duke and UNC don’t play each other twice a season, then that’s too bad. Unless you play a 22 game conference schedule, rotating all the home-and-homes is the only fair way for all 12 teams.

For Maryland, this game is basically their season. Their win over Tech was a disgrace. They won, which was much less embarrassing than losing to the worst ACC team this season. But they won by three, at home, in overtime. Not impressive. Florida State on the other hand, has a chance to pick up a quality home win and start the process of solidifying a tournament bid. Right now, only five ACC teams are going to qualify. After the three triangle teams and Boston College, Florida State is the only program with a decent overall and conference record. Miami has played a tough schedule, but they’re already saddled by double-digit losses. And they’re going to lose at least two more before the selection committee convenes. Virginia’s RPI is way too low. Clemson has faded after a strong start. The only two teams left competing for that final bid will square off at the Civic Center. This is going to be a tournament elimination game.

FSU suffers from a problem that few ACC teams have had the past 30 years. They are actually underexposed. One of the benefits from playing in a power conference is the overwhelming media coverage. But FSU hasn’t played any nationally televised games on ABC or CBS. They’ve only been on ESPN a couple of times. ESPN thinks so little about the Seminoles that they banished their ACC/Big 10 game to ESPN U. Other than a few games on the Jefferson Pilot networks, I haven’t had the opportunity to see many State games this season. And if I, living in the middle of ACC country haven’t seen many FSU games, then the rest of the country sure hasn’t either. So FSU does have that working against them.

The thing is, FSU really is a decent team this season. Al Thornton is the man the offense revolves around. Thornton is averaging 16 points and is shooting 54% from the field. Those numbers are even better in conference play. Alexander Johnson and Jason Rich have been nice role players with Thornton. The Noles would be much better if Isaiah Swann ever reached his potential. He continues to underachieve this season with barely 8 points a game. One player who will have a big game against Maryland will be Todd Galloway. Usually Galloway scores 8 points a game, but he shoots 45.5% from beyond the arc. Because Maryland can’t cover anyone more than 10 feet away from the basket, look for Galloway to at least double his season output.

If the ACC was as good as it usually is, FSU would basically have a tournament bid already wrapped up (of course, if the ACC was as good as it usually is, FSU would probably be 3-9 in conference play). But the low RPI number from playing in a weakened conference, and the lack of national attention is going to come back and hurt the Noles if they can’t win on Wednesday. This is a chance to impress the D.C. area media. This is a chance to beat a “big name” school. And Florida State has always given Maryland fits in Tallahassee. I think FSU finally starts getting the attention they deserve after a win here and win at Virginia Tech this weekend. Maryland fans should start booking train tickets to New York City.

Florida State 79
Maryland 72

Elsewhere in the ACC…

Another 4-1 weekend continues to improve the record, which now sits at 42-21.

Tuesday
Boston College at Virginia
By losing to FSU this weekend, Virginia lost any hope of being discussed by the selection committee. Don’t be surprised, however, if the Hoos managed to eek out a home win against BC, who continues to play with their opponents instead of putting them away.
Pick: Boston College 78, Virginia 75

Wednesday
Duke at Georgia Tech
Not enough points in a Bees uniform to hang with the Dookies
Pick: Duke 84, Georgia Tech 67

Virginia Tech at Miami
Again, I don’t like picking Big East games. Miami will probably make one last stab at a NCAA birth before quietly submitting to the NIT.
Pick: Miami 80, Virginia Tech 70

North Carolina at NC State
If Herb can’t win against Georgia Tech, I would expect Roy Williams to coach circles around His Baldness…even in Raleigh.
Pick: North Carolina 71, NC State 66

Clemson at Wake Forest
Clemson takes on New Clemson as the Deacs will probably pick up only their second conference victory.
Pick: Wake Forest 69, Clemson 63