But too little, too late for embattled Terps?
With freshman Terrell Stoglin solidifying the point guard spot, the Maryland offense has taken a significant leap forward. But has it come far enough to deliver the Terps from their current dire straits to a berth in the NCAA tournament?
Maryland (17-10, 6-6) begins to answer the question Wednesday night at Comcast Center when it faces Florida State (19-7, 9-3).
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With the nation’s best field goal defense (35.7 percent), the Seminoles will present a formidable challenge for the suddenly efficient Maryland offense. The Terps have hit 50.8 percent of their shots and have averaged 87 points over their last four games.
“They’re tough to play against, not just because of their size, but because of their length,” Maryland coach Gary Williams said of Florida State. “Hopefully we can figure out some ways to score against their defense, but that’s not easy.”
| Up next |
| FSU at Maryland |
| When » Wednesday, 9 p.m. |
| Where » Comcast Center, College Park |
| Radio » 570 AM |
| Maryland has beaten FSU seven straight times in College Park. The Seminoles’ last win at Maryland was in 2001. |
Even without its top defensive player, scorer and rebounder — 6-foot-9 Chris Singleton is out after breaking a bone in his foot — Florida State creates difficult matchups with a nine-man rotation that includes seven players between 6-foot-5 and 7-foot.
“Their big people are quick. They have three guys over 6-10 that they just wheel in there,” Williams said. “But hopefully we’ll cause them matchup problems.”
Enter Stoglin. The ultra-quick, 6-foot-1 freshman has scored a career-high 25 points in back-to-back games. In his last five games, Stoglin has shown improved shot selection (hitting 28 of 46 from the floor) and decision-making (6.2 apg vs. 2.2 turnovers).
“He’s definitely given us confidence in that position,” Jordan Williams said. “It’s good to have a guard where you know what he can bring to the table. He does things you can’t really teach, like being aggressive.”
Forward Dino Gregory is one of Maryland’s players who has benefited from Stoglin’s emergence. With all the attention defenses are paying to Jordan Williams (17.4 ppg), Gregory often is open on the baseline. Stoglin and his teammates are finding him. In his last four games, Gregory has averaged 14.7 points, hitting 21 of 36 shots.
“I think our guys are more patient, trusting the offense,” Gregory said. “We’re passing the ball more. Guys are getting open shots and we’re knocking them down.”
It’s been a difficult transition for Stoglin, going from his role as a high-scoring point guard at Santa Rita High in Tuscon to running Maryland’s low-post-oriented flex offense. But quickly, he’s finding the balance.
“He’s had his ups and downs. It hasn’t been completely smooth. I’m sure there will be more, but he’s really made great strides,” Gary Williams said. “What freshmen are playing better than he is right now? He’s doing a pretty good job for us.”
