| | Despite a slow start to the season, Maryland head coach Gary Williams isn't panicking just yet.
During his weekly chat with ESPN.com users, Williams talked about early-season losses to Illinois and Dayton and what he hopes his team learned from the defeats.
He also revealed his plans this season for some of the younger players on the team and offered his thoughts on the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
If you missed his Nov. 27 chat, an edited transcript follows.
| |  | | Williams is a three-time national coach of the year finalist. |
Marty: While I am certain you (and the team) are disappointed with your start, what are you pleased
about?
Gary Williams: We had a good win against Louisville, but then we found out that we weren't a very good
rebounding team against Illinois and Dayton. This time of year, the key thing is to get better. We
saw some things that we need to work on, especially our rebounding. And if we're a good
team, we'll become a better rebounding team.
Kevin: Do you think the ACC/Big Ten challenge will show what conference is better and what to expect
in the NCAA Tournament?
Gary Williams:
Last year in the tournament between the ACC and Big Ten, the ACC managed to win five
games, but managed to only get three teams in the NCAA Tournament. What the matchup
shows is where you are right now, and what you need to work on for the future. It should
always be competitive between two good basketball conferences like the Big Ten and the
ACC.
Gus: Do you agree that it's better for a team to have it struggles early in the season rather
than in February so that they have time to iron out the wrinkles and improve steadily?
Gary Williams: When you play good teams early in the year, you find out things that you need to work on,
whether you win or lose. The key is to improve in the areas that you are weak in, and then
those games mean something as the season goes on. But just to recognize a weakness and not
do anything about it means that those games were not worth playing.
Jimmy: As a season ticket holder, I have mixed emotions about the new arena. How do you feel about it
and did you have any input as to what things would go where - locker rooms , your office etc.?
Gary Williams: Cole Field House has been a great arena and probably has been as historic an arena as there is on any college campus. However, the Comcast Center brings us a new, modern arena that can be used for many different things and it will still provide a great facility to play basketball, and with the proper seating arrangement, we will not lose our homecourt edge. Plus, in the recruiting battles, a new arena certainly gives you a new advantage.
Trueterpfan: Having just lost to Illinois and then Dayton, I have been forced to listen to other "Maryland"
fans already begin to complain. How do you react to the constant criticism of you and your
team by people who feel that seven straight NCAA's is not enough?
|
WILLIAM'S FILE
|
|
Williams, inducted into the Maryland athletic hall of fame in 1999, has achieved a school-record seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and the Terps' 53 wins in the last two seasons are bettered by only six schools nationally. The decade of the 1990's was certainly a decade of resurgence for the Maryland basketball team. Included among the many superior accomplishments during the decade and counting the 2000 season were: the school-record seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances (1994-00), four "Sweet 16" appearances, seven consecutive upper division finishes in the ACC including runner-up distinction in 1999 and 2000, a school-record 28 victories during the 1998-99 season, four NBA lottery picks, one national Player of the Year and one ACC Player of the Year. So far this season the Terps are just 1-2 after losing their second straight to Dayton 77-71 Wednesday at the Maui Invitational. Maryland is ranked No. 6 in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. For more information on Maryland basketball, visit the Maryland Athletic Department's website.
|
Gary Williams: Expectations were very high at the start of the season. When you lose, people are going to complain, however, the key thing at this time of year is to get better. If we improve as a basketball team, the two losses in Maui won't mean anything at the end of the year. Other teams that lost in Maui have gone on to very successful seasons. We plan on doing the very same thing.
MdTwerp: Do you think being ranked high in the preseason put too much pressure on our guys to perform
well in Maui?
Gary Williams: There is added pressure on being ranked high in the preseason. However, it shouldn't affect the way you play. You should take pride in having a high preseason ranking, and use it to go out on the court and play against Illinois and Dayton. Not liking pressure means that you shouldn't be playing on a team that is ranked high.
Mike: How good do you think Dayton really is? Will they come back to earth or are they a legitimate
top 25 team?
Gary Williams:
The way Dayton played against UConn and ourselves, certainly shows that Dayton is a very
good basketball team. They play with great intensity, and are a very veteran team. Oliver
Purnell has done a great job with the players that he has.
BigJK: Effort and intensity is a trademark in your teams.Can we expect to see plenty of both
against Wisconsin Wednesday?
Gary Williams:
All good teams play with effort and intensity. That has to be a given when you play at the level
that we play at. When you don't have those two things, you lose to good teams, no matter how
much talent you may have.
Christine: My two favorite teams are Ohio State and Syracuse. Please give me your opinion as to which
team will make it into the NCAA Tournament.
Gary Williams:
Both Ohio State and Syracuse have already proven they're good teams. But it is still early, and
a lot goes on before you get into position about worrying which teams will get into the NCAA
Tournament. This is the time of year that you're really worrying about seeing your team improve
and not stay the same.
BigJK: Drew Nicholas seems much more confident a player this year. Has his time at the point given him added
confidence?
Gary Williams: Drew has worked hard in the offseason on his ballhandling and it seems like that has
helped the rest of his game. He was one of our better players in Maui and I expect him to
continue to improve as the year goes on.
Pat: Do you feel the pressure to make it to the Final Four is causing this team problems so early in the
season?
Gary Williams:
There is no pressure to get to the Final Four. The pressure is developing the team good enough
to make the NCAA Tournament and then, hopefully being in a position to get to the Final Four.
Ken Kensicki: What roles do you look Chris Wilcox, Byron Mouton and Tahj Holden to play this year,
and how much do you think they can contribute?
Gary Williams: Chris Wilcox, Byron Mouton and Tahj Holden are very important parts of our team. They
certainly will play a great deal. They can be very important in terms of our aggressiveness and
our ability to rebound if they produce in those areas. They should also make practices very
competitive because they have the skills necessary to play against the players from last year.
TTKeith: Do you or the players pay any attention to the Internet sites that follow UMD basketball?
Gary Williams:
Most of our players are skilled on the computer and I'm sure they checkout some Internet sites
in regard to college basketball. There are some Internet sites that are very factual and some that
live in a fantasy-world. Hopefully our players are intelligent enough to separate fact from fiction.
Thanks again, everyone, for your time and your questions. I will chat with you again next week
on Dec. 4 after our games in the BB&T Classic at the MCI Center. | |
|
