Sports Talk: Terps' Young 'O' Is Quick, Reckless

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AT ITS BEST, THE MARYLAND TERRAPINS' OFFENSE is a blur. Up the court on a dead run — one pass, one shot, two points. Maybe three.

At its worst, it's still a blur. Full-speed chaos, punctuated with wild passes and unwise shots. For much of the season, the Terrapins have bounced unpredictably between aggressive and reckless.

Against Virginia Tech on Wednesday, Maryland built a 14-point lead by being aggressive, then blew the game by being reckless. Even with a double-digit advantage in the second half, the Terrapins rarely used the shot clock in their favor and the lead disappeared.

"You can't turn the ball over when you have a lead like that," coach Gary Williams said.

As the season winds down, possessions become more valuable and mistakes more costly. The ball and Maryland's fate most often are in the hands of excitable point guard Greivis Vasquez. The sophomore leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in assists at 6.7 per game. He also leads the league in turnovers.

Only three ACC players average more than three turnovers per game. Vasquez averages more than four. Against the Hokies this week, he committed six and found himself on the bench late in the game.

"He's a work in progress," Williams said. "But he's our guy. We're working with him every day."

Eleven times they've won despite committing more turnovers than their opponent.

"We just have to learn how to control the ball," sophomore Landon Milbourne said. "One or two turnovers can cost you the whole game. We have to learn to control the ball when the game's on the line."

» MISSING MOMENTUM
When Maryland lost to Virginia Tech, the Hokies were coming off a 39-point loss to UNC. Miami, which visits Maryland on Saturday, has a little more momentum. The Hurricanes (18-7, 5-6 ACC) upset No. 4 Duke on Wednesday for the first time in 45 years. "They should feel pretty good if they beat Duke," Terps coach Gary Williams said.

» RELATED: Swengali discusses which local team is better: Maryland or Georgetown.

Written by Express contributor Derek Turner
Photo by Preston Keres/The Washington Post