Perhaps the first sign that Maryland was headed for a wayward basketball campaign was Buzz Williams’ season-opening press conference.
“We’re probably behind in understanding the Big Ten,” the new Terrapins coach said on Oct. 23. “We probably as a staff haven’t done a good job — I, for sure, haven’t done a good job — of understanding what’s upcoming.”
After four months of basketball and results, it can be argued that Williams and his staff never did.
Maryland finishes its regular season Sunday at home against No. 11 Illinois, one that even the most pessimistic observer couldn’t have predicted.
“I think from a difficulty standpoint, relative to the results, you always want to do better. And I don’t want it to be about me, but this hasn’t happened often in my career,” Williams said last month. “But I’ve also never coached a team with 15 new players, which is part of what this model has become.”
The Terrapins (11-19, 4-15 Big Ten) will miss the NCAA Tournament and would’ve missed the Big Ten Tournament, as well, save for the league changing the rules this season so that all 18 schools make next week’s gathering in Chicago. Maryland didn’t win a Big Ten game until mid-January, and by then — 11 different starting lineups later — the depths its season would sink to were apparent.
Five losses by at least 30 points, including the worst in Xfinity Center history on Feb. 1 to Purdue. Giving up 90 or more points six times. The fewest regular-season wins since 1988-89. And the most conference losses by any team in the 103-year history of Maryland basketball. All this season.
“Has every one of our practices been a 10 out of a 10? No. But it’s not because the intent of their heart is wrong. They’ve stayed together,” Williams said. “I’ve seen a lot of teams quit … We will be held accountable to the results, but their willingness to stay true to the process, I really appreciate.”
The loss of senior center Pharrel Payne, who only played in 10 games and was averaging 17.5 points per game, removed Maryland’s best chance of having a successful season. Payne left with apparent leg injuries against both Marquette Nov. 15 and Michigan Dec. 13, but due to Williams’ non-committal, persona-non-grata answers regarding medical information, the extent of Payne’s issues are unknown.
Graduate guard Diggy Coit provided some bright spots, including four games scoring 30 or more and falling a point shy of Maryland’s single-game record with 43 against Penn State Jan. 18. And freshman guard Andre Mills positioned himself to be a face of the program if he returns to Maryland, coming on strong by averaging 19 points per game in February.
But those blips couldn’t overcome an offense that never found an identity, one that’s mired with the worst scoring average, shooting percentage and assist to turnover ratio in the Big Ten.
“I’m more concerned about the effort,” senior forward Solomon Washington said after a 20-point loss to Ohio State on Feb. 5. “We always get discouraged anytime a team goes on a run. We’ve got to stop that. It’s basketball … We need to do a better job of playing off each other and being willing to play for one another.”
Normally, Williams would get some grace for having to compile a roster from scratch after his hurried hire in the wake of Kevin Willard’s scorched earth departure for Villanova last March.
But the quirky coach — he says he doesn’t use a computer or email, and has unique slang words for in-game team achievements, among other things — spent too much time imprinting his personality and ways on the Terrapin program and not enough connecting with his new home.
“I think Maryland’s a great job. I am completely aware — whatever was going on on the internet that said I didn’t want to talk to the media, I don’t know. I have not tried to dodge anything relative to the results,” Williams said. “I’ve coached 19 years as a head coach. I’m completely aware of how good Maryland is and how disappointing our season has been. Our staff is continuing to study and figure out ways for improvement, but our system, going forward will be more sustainable.”
“I apologize for those that don’t think they know me or whoever these fans are. I’m not hiding anything.”
The deficiency is all the more glaring when seeing his successor at Texas A&M, Bucky McMillan, lead the Aggies to a 20-win campaign and likely March Madness bid amid similar circumstances.
“There’s been a lot of guys in their first year [that have] done a great job … We have to do a better job in our decisions. We have to do a better job in our evaluations,” Williams said. “We can’t control the injuries. That’s not justification for our lack of success.”
Lack of familiar touchstones, including no native Marylanders on the roster for the first time this century, changes in a big way next year with 6-foot-10, five-star recruit Baba Oladotun of Silver Spring joining the program.
“We’re excited about a lot of the things that we’ve learned, and there’s not an excuse or justification for our lack of success,” Williams said, “other than we have to do better, and we will do better.”
Williams has not spent more than six seasons at any of his four previous stops. After this season, his potential shelf life in College Park is likely less than that benchmark.
• George Gerbo can be reached at ggerbo@washingtontimes.com.
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