Herman Veal Chops

Welcome to my new blog covering the Terps Basketball Team. I am hoping to post after each game during the ACC Season. At this blog you can expect irreverant commentary and as much in-depth analysis that a six-foot, slow white guy who never played organized basketball can provide. Your comments are welcome and I hope that this becomes a destination site for Terp fans.

As Midnight Madness approaches, it's time to take a look at the 2004-05 Terrapin Men's Basketball Team. This year could be one of the most difficult seasons in recent memory to handicap. Will we see the team that had the miracle run in last year's ACC Tourney, or will we see the team that limped through February?

There are some big changes in the ACC this season. The league has added two perrennial doormats (VaTech and Miami) that will boost every team's record. How will this effect the conference's power rankings? Only time will tell.

Four Teams have found themselves ranked in the Top 10 to begin the season. It is clear that there are haves and have nots in the ACC this year and most likely for the forseeable future. Here are some thing to look for this year:

1. Home and home with UNC and Duke this year. This will be the last time we will see both of them at home in the same season for a while, so enjoy it!
2. Five guaranteed wins against Miami, VaTech, and Clemson. Can these teams ever compete in this league? These schools are strictly in this conference for football. By the way, who could have predicted this five years ago, but Maryland may prove to be the only school that is consistently competitive in both basketball and football. Thank God for the Fridge. If not for him, we would be subject to a Mark Duffner clone trying to reinstall the Run and Shoot.
3. The school will continue to shove women's basketball down our throats. News Flash: We are not Connecticut. We have other sports options in the Balt/DC area! I don't care that the women's team is ranked in the Top 15.

Now on to my season preview:

FRONT COURT

The team will actually miss Jamar Smith. For everything he did NOT bring to the table last year; including atrocious foul shooting and leading the NCAA in mental mistakes (He was the dumbest player to suit up since Mario Lucas). Replacing him at the pivot is the team's biggest obstacle this year. I am deeply concerned about where the Terps will go for inside scoring. Gilchrist will need to have a guy to dish off to when he drives to the hole. Look at the Terps' inside options going into this season:

• Hassan Fofana: He should be able to pick up the slack in the rebounding department, but does anyone see this guy making moves in the post? Fofana or as I like to call him, Manos de Piedra (hands of of stone) has some serious defiencies. He can't shoot free throws and everytime he touches the ball, there is a 50/50 chance he will travel.
• Will Bowers: He had a 'deer in the headlights' look all last season. I don't see him becoming a reliable inside threat until his senior year, if ever.
• James Gist: The freshman is frail at 215 pounds and I don't think the Terps will be cutting down the nets if he is our best option down low.
• Travis Garrison: I like him, but the guy is soft. He displayed some toughness at the end of the year, but his game is drawing interior defenders out of the paint and using his jump shot to shoot over the zone. He is crucial to the team's success this year, but he is not going to be reliable in the paint.
• Nik Caner-Medley: If I see him lower his head and drive to the basket and commit a charging foul one more time....
• Ekene Ibekwe: He is our best option. He has the length and athleticism to create his own shot down low. I haven't seen him since last season, but hopefully he added 15 pounds or so. We need him at 235, not 220. His development will be the key to entire season! Whether or not the Terps go to the Final Four will depend on this lanky sophomore. Please read that sentence again. By the way, am I the only one who thinks of Donald Igwebwekwe, the old Tampa Bay Bucs kicker, every time I here Ekene's name? We need to give him a nickname. Any suggestions? The Terps have enough bad memories with former Coke dealers that I don't need another reminder.

My gut tells me that Ekene will emerge as the man this year. That being said, his free throw shooting will probably cost us at least two games this year.

Look for PART 2 in the next couple of days, which will include my backcourt preview and season predictions.