Here, as Comcast Center is slowly filling up, it’s safe to say one of the most interesting storylines of the night will be the Terp debuts of freshman forwards James Padgett and Jordan Williams.
After last season when the Terps struggled to create any front court depth, fans anxiously awaited this pair of big bodies. Dave Neal is gone and there are some minutes to go around in the front court, if they earn them. With forward Dino Gregory out due to a violation of team rules for tonight’s contest, chances are we’ll see even more of Williams and Padgett.
Yesterday, coach Gary Williams reminisced back to his days as a Terp in the ’60s when freshmen had their own teams and weren’t eligible to suit up.
“It’s great that if you’re good enough you can move right in and play as freshmen,” Williams said. “It’s a great opportunity for them to play tomorrow night.”
The 21st-year coach said he’ll be paying extra close attention for how the pair handle their first time under the Comcast Center lights before the red-clad Terp contingent.
“Just the idea that they’re freshman, first-time,” Williams said. “Even though it is an exhibition game, you still have the uniforms on. That’s always fun for freshmen.”
Eric Detweiler is The Diamondback’s Terrapin Men’s Basketball Team beat writer. He can be reached at edetweilerdbk@gmail.com. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/edetweiler.