WOW

This is the first post of the solely basketball season year, and well, it's quite the note to start on...Terps 82, Tar Heels 80.

I said at the beginning of the season that this is the type of team that will beat a Duke or UNC but won't do well in the long run--so far so good on that one. My reasoning was (and still is) that they are just that young. I said it on air on Saturday, they are too young to really be intimidated by top tier teams. They get pumped up for those games so they play well. Unfortunately for them, they are also too young to realize that the name on the front of their jersey no longer gets them wins against lower level teams, and the names on the backs of the jerseys aren't good enough to run away with games. So if they can't motivate themselves....uh oh.

They went into Chapel Hill and played to the absolutely best of their ability...and the players know it. They all said after the game that if they play that way all season they will make a serious run...Hell, if they play half that well for the rest of the season, they will give teams like VCU, American and Ohio a run for their money.

And there enlies the teams problem. With the youth comes a cockiness that has hurt them-badly. They have talent (Vasquez, Gist, Hayes, Milbourne and Tucker) but they don't have the smarts. Part of that problem is one of their leaders (Vasquez) is only a sophomore and lacks the smart as well.

So, the team played out of their mind and now sees the potential. And the momentum will carry into next weekend against Duke. Will I be surprised if they lose? Absolutely not. And if they win?  Still not surprised. This game isn't telling, so don't drink the cool aide, and don't drink it if they lose. Wait until they start playing the teams of their level on a consistent basis and see how they perform.  

This team does has potential, and can be very good if it wants to. But if the Terps keep playing to the level of their opponent they'll have some exciting wins--and a lot more devastating losses.