If you’ve been watching these Terps all season you undoubtedly realize that this team isn’t the biggest or most offensively-gifted squad that has ever graced the Comcast Center floor. What these Terps have to excel at in order to get back into the NCAA tournament come March are the not so obvious things- hustle plays and defense.

That’s exactly what the Terps did in tonight’s win against Elon (4-5), their tenth victory of the season, a mark they didn’t reach until Jan. 8 last year. While their offensive execution was suspect at times- the Terps missed a number of close-range floaters, lay-ups and routine jumpers- their hustle and pressure caused 18 Elon turnovers. The Phoenix shot a paltry 29.3 percent from the field.

Obviously Elon is not an ACC caliber team, and the Terps did get carved up for 81 and 75 points against No. 16 Gonzaga and No. 11 Georgetown, respectively, but they have to be at least slightly encouraged by the overall defensive effort they have given this season.

“I’m very happy with our defense,” forward Dave Neal said. “When you hold any opponent under 50 points, it’s a great accomplishment, not many teams can do that. With our team, we’re undersized, so we gotta be kind of scrappy out there and rotate and we gotta move.”

Guard Greivis Vasquez led all players with 17 points and added eight assists. Forward Landon Milbourne continued his recent run of good play with 14 points in 26 minutes.

Next up is Charlotte (5-6) on Saturday. You can usually rely on the 49ers to provide a good mid-major test. They did lose a tight one to Clemson earlier this season, 71-70 on Nov. 22.

akrautdbk@gmail.com

The fans who showed up in Boise have been treated to a crazy start.

Adrian Cannon and Morgan Green have scored long touchdowns so far, and Torrey Smith became the ACC’s all-time single season kick-off return yards record holder on a 99-yard return for a touchdown.

The Terp defense has given up a 68-yard completion and two touchdowns.

Kicker Obi Egekeze has had a rough day, missing his first career extra point and drilling a kick-off at Nevada’s up-man when the ball fell off the tee as he tried to kick it.

Nevada’s driving again early in the second quarter trailing 20-14.

You can’t make this stuff up.

edetweilerdbk@gmail.com

The Terps passed another decent non-conference test when they outlasted previously unbeaten Mississippi State 80-73 today in the final of the Terrapin Classic at the Comcast Center.

The Terps jumped out to a 43-28 halftime lead thanks to a terrific 13 point, 5 assist performance from point guard Kristi Toliver, who finished the game with 24 and 8. Forward Dee Liles, who has been the team’s most consistent performer, had another terrific all-around game with 16 points and 8 rebounds.

Despite minimal contributions from forward Marissa Coleman and center Lynetta Kizer and a hot-shooting Mississippi State team in the second half, the Terps managed to hold on for their eleventh win. The Bulldogs (11-1) got as close as five points, but a rare 3-pointer from Terp forward Drey Mingo with a little over four minutes remaining got the Terps started again.

Mingo had her best performance of the season, contributing a needed nine points with Kizer saddled in foul trouble and Coleman on the bench virtually the entire second half. Frese said she wasn’t happy with Coleman’s effort.

“It was just a great win against a talented SEC team,” coach Brenda Frese. “The way we’re playing, the unselfishness that we’re playing with, looking for each other against a very very athletic team. These are the kind of teams we’re gonna be playing in the ACC.”

“I definitely think I was ready to play from not playing yesterday,” Toliver said, referring to her benching in Monday’s win against UNC-Asheville because of a violation of team rules. “I definitely had a sense of urgency from the beginning, and I knew that this Mississippi State team was a really good team from a really good conference.”

Next up- at Richmond on Saturday.

akrautdbk@gmail.com

It’s about 30 minutes until kickoff here at Bronco Stadium, and the blue field is definitely as advertised. Nevada’s dark blue uniforms and pants provide an interesting contrast to the bright-Boise State blue field.

As for the stadium, there are still a lot of empty seats. There is definitely as much Boise State-orange as there is Terp red. It’s about 2 p.m. local time, so it’s reasonable to believe people will slide in after lunch. Here’s hoping that some people fill in all the metal-gray in the upper deck of this 32,000-seat stadium.

The Terps were on the field, and it didn’t look like anybody significant was missing or limited in warm-ups. Now both bands are getting ready to take the field.

Also the view of the mountains from the press box six stories above the field is pretty amazing. Unfortunately, the mountains look closer than the field. If I was a duck from up here, I’d probably try to plop down for a swim on the field, even though Boise officials claim that doesn’t happen.

I think after three days in Boise, it’s time for this game to start.

edetweilerdbk@gmail.com

When the Terps take the field in a few hours, they will be closing a chapter in Humanitarian Bowl history.

The 12th annual game will be the sixth and final time an ACC team participates. The Humanitarian Bowl has signed a one-year contract to be the fourth bowl to select from the Mountain West Conference next year. It is seeking a long-term agreement with a west-based conference, according to bowl Executive Director Kevin McDonald.

After seven trips to Boise, the ACC has already assured its legacy in the bowl game will be a winning one. Right now, the ACC leads the WAC 4-2. But after Fresno State’s win against Georgia Tech last season, the Terps will try to avoid ending the ACC’s Humanitarian Bowl history on a losing streak.

McDonald described the situation as “gaining something and losing something.” The Humanitarian Bowl will miss bringing unique match-ups to Bronco Stadium’s blue turf, powered by East Coast teams that rarely venture to this part of the country. Fans have been treated to powerhouses like Miami, Clemson and Boston College in recent years.

But bringing in more local teams provides an opportunity to fill Bronco Stadium and promote more fans traveling into Boise. The honus has been on local fans to fill the stadium in the current set-up. More attractive regional match-ups could boost local sponsorship and corporate support.

The game has gotten a reputation as a consolation prize in the ACC because it is a cold weather site while most of the other ACC bowls involve more desirable tourist destinations. But the Humanitarian Bowl and the Boise-area have developed a reputation for being very hospitable and giving the teams a good experience, despite the lack of home-town fans coming to the game.

McDonald said he doesn’t see the partnership reuniting any time soon, but he has only fond memories of the ACC’s time at his bowl.

“I think we have a good relationship with the ACC and the bowl,” McDonald said. “They’ve come here seven years, and I think teams have come and had a great time. That’s going to be missed, but we’d love to have them back again sometime.”

edetweilerdbk@gmail.com

Hey folks, I have a brief interruption of Eric Detweiler’s tales from blue-turfed Boise with a recap of today’s women’s basketball game against UNC-Asheville.

It wasn’t the Terps’ best effort, but it was more than good enough. The No. 14 Terps looked sluggish through most of the first half and were without starting point guard and leading scorer Kristi Toliver, who sat on the bench in warm up clothes because she violated an unspecified team rule.

The Terps weren’t hitting open jump shots, players missed layups and despite having a significant size advantage at almost every position, they were actually trailing the Bulldogs (3-7) 21-20 with 6:32 remaining. After a timeout by coach Brenda Frese, they went on a 13-0 run and took a 39-28 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Terps started much sharper in the second half, hitting two 3-pointers in an opening 8-0 run to take command. Guard Marah Strickland led the team in scoring with a career-high 21 points, and center Lynetta Kizer contributed 18 points and nine rebounds in the Terps’ first game since beating James Madison on Dec. 21.

“I think you’ve got to get yourself in a little bit of rhythm,” Frese said. “That’s the biggest thing, is we just needed to settle down and get into a rhythm. But I think the break is actually great- you’re tired, you’re coming off of finals, you mentally and physically need a break and I really think the last five minutes of the first half and the final 20 we were back to ourselves.”

Tomorrow’s game against Mississippi State (Game 2 for the Terps in the “Terrapin Classic”) won’t be as easy. These Bulldogs sport an 11-0 record and, judging from their win against Marshall in Game 1 of today’s action, they also have the size and athleticism to match up well with the Terps. Toliver will be back for tomorrow’s game, according to Frese.

akrautdbk@gmail.com

I know what you’re thinking…

It’s just blue turf.

Heck, even Terp coach Ralph Friedgen was thinking it after his first team’s first practice on the surface this afternoon.

“It’s just FieldTurf,” the eighth-year coach said of the field where the 12th annual Humanitarian Bowl will be played Tuesday. “It’s the same stuff we got. It’s painted blue.”

But just maybe it’s a little bit more.

Senior defensive end Jeremy Navarre said he’s never played on anything but green. Senior center Edwin Williams worried that if the Terps wore red, it would clash with the blue.

“I would’ve never thought I’d be playing on it,” said cornerback Jamari McCollough, who had become familiar with Bronco Stadium’s SmurfTurf during Boise State’s recent surge to prominence. “Now I’m going to get an opportunity.”

There’s a display inside the bowels of the stadium that has all the answers.

According to the display, which features swatches of the original blue AstroTurf all the way to the state of the art surface installed this summer, the surface was devised as a celebration of Boise State’s “blue-collar” work ethic.

Legend has it that the NCAA banned all color turf except for green in the wake of Boise State’s statement. According to the display, that is false. Some say that ducks and geese land on the field frequently thinking that it is a lake at the foot of the mountains surrounding the town. But that too is a lie.

It makes for one of the most talked about fields in all of college football. Friedgen said he’s even had requests to turn the Byrd Stadium sod into a Terp red if and when the Terps go to FieldTurf.

That’s not going to happen, but after Tuesday, the Terps will be able to tell their own blue turf tales.

“I’m anticipating Nevada is going to come out dressed in all blue, so that may add a problem or two” Friedgen said. “But we’re dressing in white, so if it snows again, we’ll be in good shape.”

edetweilerdbk@gmail.com