Archive for March, 2011

March 30th, 2011 | 09:29 pm

Women’s Basketball: Tchatchouang out indefinitely

While the Terps’ egos were certainly damaged for the foreseeable future after their second round loss to Georgetown in the NCAA Tournament, they’ve learned that there will be more extended consequences.

The Diamondback has learned that forward Diandra Tchatchouang tore her ACL when she went down in the first half of the March 22 loss.

Coach Brenda Frese said Tchatchouang won’t be fully recovered for at least a year, and that her recovery could easily take 18 months.

While Frese would not commit to the possibility of Tchatchouang missing next season as a medical redshirt, she also did not dispel it as an option.

Tchatchouang was the team’s third-leading scorer this season, and her presence on the wing will be sorely missed if she were to miss next season.

The combination of versatile forward Alyssa Thomas, forward Whitney Bays and guard/forward Laurin Mincy would be the likely candidates to take the burden of any missing production from Tchatchouang.

March 29th, 2011 | 09:01 pm

Williams to test NBA Draft waters

Terrapin men’s basketball forward Jordan Williams has filed paperwork to enter the 2011 NBA Draft, coach Gary Williams confirmed yesterday, a development that could severely hurt the team’s chances to return to the NCAA Tournament next season.

The sophomore All-ACC selection, who averaged a team-leading 16.9 points and 11.8 rebounds this season, does not plan on hiring an agent and has the option to return to campus for his junior season, the team said in a release.

“I’m excited about testing the waters and seeing where I would be,” Williams said in the release. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play at the next level.”

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March 29th, 2011 | 05:41 pm

Gary Williams’ comments on Jordan Williams

With the news of Terrapin men’s basketball forward Jordan Williams declaring himself eligible for the NBA Draft, coach Gary Williams went on Comcast SportsNet’s Washington Post Live earlier this afternoon and spoke about the situation.

Here’s what he had to say regarding his star sophomore:

“We talked to him today, talked to his dad also. He’s testing the waters like good players do today and just finding out where he is in terms of the NBA Draft. This is a bit of an unusual year with a possibly lockout ahead. He has to be sure. The only people that really know at this time of year is the NBA. All these draft boards and things like that are nice, but the NBA and as we get closer to when he has to make a decision we’ll certainly be talking to a lot of NBA people.

On what he needs to improve:

He’s a power player. In college you get away with some things. In the pro’s you either have to go over people or be quick enough to get around people, or when they drop off of you be able to hit a shot. Those are all areas that Jordan can get better at. He’s a good kid He understands that he still has to work. Like all kids they want to know where they stand. It’s pretty cool getting to go into the NBA Draft. Reality hopefully is out there and we’ll get a good idea of what that is.

On how the situation compares to Greivis Vasquez in 2009:

What I think Greivis did his junior year, was that he impressed people in the workouts but not enough that they would guarantee being a first round draft pick. It’s really important that you have that insurance. Greivis did not get that insurance and that’s why he came back.

Chris Eckard is the Diamondback’s Terrapin men’s basketball beat reporter. Reach him at ceckard@umdbk.com and follow him on Twitter.com/ceckard.

March 29th, 2011 | 04:17 pm

Men’s Basketball: Williams declares for NBA Draft, hasn’t signed with agent

Some breaking news in Terrapin men’s basketball. Read on for the full release from the team:

Sophomore Jordan Williams has filed paperwork to enter his name into the NBA Draft, Maryland head coach Gary Williams announced Tuesday.

Williams, a 6-foot-10 center from Torrington, Conn., averaged 16.9 points and 11.8 rebounds per game for the Terrapins this season. He does not plan to hire an agent and will leave open the option of returning to campus for his junior year.

“We support Jordan in his efforts to see where he stands in regards to the NBA Draft,” said Gary Williams.

The deadline for collegiate underclassmen to withdraw their name from the draft and preserve eligibility is May 8.

“I’m excited about testing the waters and seeing where I would be,” said Jordan Williams. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play at the next level. This will give me an opportunity to get feedback from some NBA coaches and scouts on what parts of my game need improvement in order to be successful.”

Check back here for more information as we hear about it.

Jonas Shaffer is The Diamondback’s sports editor. You can reach him at shaffer@umdbk.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/jonas_shaffer.

March 29th, 2011 | 03:45 pm

Softball: Carroll’s Four Home Runs Lead to POTW Honors

Coming off a weekend where she hit four home runs in a doubleheader against Virginia, infielder Lexi Carroll was named the ACC Player of the Week. The Terrapin softball team white-washed Virginia by a combined score of 20-0 on Saturday before Sunday’s game was whited-out due to snow.

Carroll went 4-for-8 in the two games, with all of her hits clearing the wall. She tallied eight RBI on those home runs, and now has six on the year. Carroll’s six homers tie her for the team lead with fellow infielder Bree Hanafin.

On the year, Carroll is now hitting .357, third on the team, and slugging .714 which leads the team. Her on-base percentage of .479 also leads the team. During the current 13-game win streak, Carroll has hit .516 with five home runs and 15 RBI.

Carroll is the second Terps player to garner honors from the ACC, as Kerry Hickey was named Co-Pitcher of the Week for her efforts against Fordham and in the Maryland Round Robin Tournament.

March 29th, 2011 | 03:27 pm

Softball: Terps Receiving Votes in NFCA Top 25, Showing Strong in RPI

The Terrapin softball team is receiving votes for the first time this year in the NFCA Top 25, an acknowledgment of the team’s current 13-game winning streak. The Terps received one vote in the most recent edition of the poll, and are one of three ACC teams to receive votes. Georgia Tech is currently ranked No. 25 and North Carolina received four votes.

The Terps are currently 0-3 against teams either ranked in the Top 25 or receiving votes, as they fell to No. 2 Georgia, No. 13 Nebraska and Notre Dame, which received one vote as well. The team has an opportunity to build on this record this weekend with a three-game set against Georgia Tech.

While the team seems to be flying under the radar in the NFCA Top 25, the team’s RPI, which plays a large role in the tournament selection process, tells a very different story. At the end of last season, the Terps’ NCAA Tournament appearance since 1999, the team ranked No. 46.

Through March 20, the Terps are sitting at No. 29 in the rankings, the second highest ranking out of the ACC behind Georgia Tech at No. 15. The Terps are 2-3 against teams ranked above them, with the same losses as in the NFCA Top 25 and two wins over Fordham, which sits at No. 28.

Additionally, the computers rate the Terps favorably to some of the schools ahead of them in the NFCA Top 25. No. 7 UCLA clocks in at No. 34 in the RPI, while No. 18 Louisiana-Lafayette (No. 56 RPI), No. 20 Hawaii (No. 45), No. 21 Texas A&M (No. 44) and No. 23 Texas Tech (No. 32) all rank below the Terps in the computer rankings. San Diego St. and North Carolina have both received more votes than the Terps, but sit at No. 55 and No. 36, respectively.

With this computer profile, it looks like the Terps have extremely good standing to make the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years for the first time ever, but the team needs to continue its success. The best thing it could do would be to score wins over a high-profile opponent in Georgia Tech this weekend, possibly boosting the team’s profile for the NFCA Top 25. Coaches everywhere would be hard-pressed to not give some votes to a team on a 16-game win streak, including a three-game sweep over the No. 25 team in the nation. But time will tell.

March 29th, 2011 | 10:23 am

Jordan Williams testing NBA Draft waters

According to NBADraft.net, Terrapin men’s basketball forward Jordan Williams is entering his name in the 2011 NBA Draft, forgoing his final two years of eligibility.

If he doesn’t hire an agent, Williams is free to return to the Terps next season if he pulls his name out by May 8.

NBADraft.net’s Rodney Halprin spoke with Williams’ father, Leon Williams, on Monday.

“Jordan is testing the waters,” Leon Williams said. “But nothing is official, he is considering it but no decision has been made on him staying in the draft.”

According to Twitter, the Terps had a team meeting yesterday afternoon and it seemed that Williams was not in attendance. NBADraft.net has Williams as a fringe first round draft pick at this time.

Look back for much more in the coming hours and days regarding this issue and what it means for the Terps next year.

But for now, here are some important dates to keep in mind regarding Williams’ draft status:

- April 24: Last day for underclassmen to declare

- May 8: Last day to withdraw as an underclassmen

- June 23: NBA Draft

Also ESPN’s Chad Ford updated Williams’ profile on March 11 with information regarding his status:

“The word around the league is that Williams is flirting with declaring for the draft. The overwhelming consensus among scouts was that he needed to return to school for his junior year at Maryland. If he works on the weaknesses in his game, they believe he could easily be a first round pick in 2012 based on his size and rebound ability. If he declares now, he’s a likely second round pick.”

By not hiring an agent, Williams would be able to return to school next season much like what Greivis Vasquez did two years ago.

Chris Eckard is the Diamondback’s Terrapin men’s basketball beat reporter. Reach him at ceckard@umdbk.com

March 28th, 2011 | 03:40 pm

Jordan Williams AP All-America Honorable Mention

Terrapin men’s basketball forward Jordan Willams, who enjoyed one of the finest seasons by any Terp in program history, earned honorable mention AP All-America honors. He’s one of 45 players with the distinction this season.

Williams averaged 16.9 points and 11.8 rebounds per game for the Terps, who did not make the postseason for the first in 17 years. The sophomore broke the program’s record for double-doubles in a season and finished with 24 total. He routinely carried the Terps in games and was one of the only consistent players on the roster.

There has been no official news, though, on whether Williams will opt for this year’s NBA Draft. Comcast SportsNet’s Chick Hernandez reported that Williams is “seriously considering” entering his name. But coach Gary Williams told the Washington Post on Friday that no decision had been made.

We’ll keep you updated on any developments regarding him and any other Terps in the coming weeks. But here’s the full AP All-America list:

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March 26th, 2011 | 11:32 pm

Softball: Terps Outscore Cavs 20-0 in Sweep

The Terrapin softball team pushed its winning streak to 13 today by sweeping a doubleheader against Virginia with scores of 13-0 and 7-0 in Charlottesville, Va. The 13 runs scored in the first game today is the second highest total the Terps have scored this year. The team put up 16 on Longwood in a March 5 matchup.

While pitching has been the story all year for the Terps (22-9, 2-0 ACC), today was the offense’s day. The team recorded eight home runs, with infielder Lexi Carroll notching four, two in each game. On the day, Carroll had eight RBI off of her home runs. Outfielder Nikki Maier added two more longballs for the team, as she finished the day 5-for-8 with two home runs, three runs scored and four RBI. Infielders Bree Hanafin and Candice Beards rounded off the homer-hitting for the Terps.

In the circle, Kerry Hickey and Kendra Knight combined to allow five hits and seven walks over 12.0 innings while striking out 17 Cavaliers. Hickey has improved her record to 9-5 on the season after a 3-5 start while Knight’s record is now 5-3.

The Terps finish off the series tomorrow at noon.

March 26th, 2011 | 11:37 am

Men’s Lacrosse: UNC Pregame

Today’s game against North Carolina starts a very difficult four-game stretch for the Terrapin men’s lacrosse team.

After facing-off against the No. 8 Tar Heels today, the Terps play No. 2 Virginia, Navy and No. 12 Johns Hopkins in consecutive weeks. The four-game stretch presents some of the No. 5 Terps’ toughest tests this year, and each one carries heavy postseason implications.

But before looking ahead the Terps have to deal with the resurgent Tar Heels (6-2). After losing their second game of the season to Ohio State, 13-8, North Carolina has beat Navy, UMBC, then-No. 9 Penn and then-No.7 Princeton, among others.

The Tar Heels are led by attackmen Billy Bitter and Nicky Galasso and midfielder Marcus Holman, who converted from attack earlier this year after injuries depleted North Carolina’s midfield units. The lethal trio has combined for 70 points this season. Compare that to the Terps’ top-three point scorers — Grant Catalino, Ryan Young and Joe Cummings — who have combined to record 57 points.

Look for Brett Schmidt to match up with Bitter and long poles Brian Farrell and Jesse Bernhardt to apply constant pressure on Holman.

And while both of these teams boast two of the nation’s top offenses, the Terps have a clear advantage in goal. Freshman Niko Amato has impressed so far, recording 62 saves and a 5.53 goals against average in seven games.

The Tar Heels, meanwhile, are in transition at the goalie position. Steven Rastivo (7.0 GAA) replaced senior Chris Madalon (9.43 GAA) after North Carolina lost to Duke, 14-9, on March 17. Rastivo will get his second straight start today.

Today’s game provides a crucial opportunity for both teams to claim an elusive conference victory. Both the Terps and Tar Heels lost to Duke earlier this year and boast an 0-1 record in the ACC. With only one more game remaining in ACC play for both teams, a win today could make the difference between a No. 2 or 4 seed in the ACC Tournament.

Here are today’s starting lineups:

MARYLAND

Attack — Grant Catalino, Ryan Young, Owen Blye (starting for the third straight game in place of the injured Travis Reed)

Midfield — Jake Bernhardt, Drew Snider, John Haus

Defense — Max Schmidt, Brett Schmidt, Ryder Bohlander

Goalie — Niko Amato

Face-off unit — Curtis Holmes, Scott Larue, Brian Farrell

NORTH CAROLINA

Attack — Billy Bitter, Nicky Galasso, Pat Foster

Midfield — Marcus Holman, Jimmy Dunster, Duncan Hutchins

Defense — Kevin Piegare, Ryan Flanagan, Charlie McComas

Goalie — Steven Rastivo

Face-off man — R.G. Keenan

Make sure to check out The Diamondback on Monday for a full recap for today’s action and follow me on Twitter for live, in-game updates.

Jakob Engelke is The Diamondback’s Terrapin men’s lacrosse beat reporter. He can be reached at jengelke@umdbk.com. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Jakob_Engelke.