Terrapins handle Miami to win Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament
“We’re really not worried about signature wins or where we are,” Willard said. “I think we still have a long way to go. We’re good. We have great players. But they’re still trying to learn this system.
“We’re still trying to get comfortable. We’re having turnovers (18 in this game) not because of the players but more because it’s my fault. I’m putting them in situations where I’m calling plays that we hadn’t gone over a thousand times. We beat a good Saint Louis team and a good Miami team, and that’s great. But I still think we have a long way to go.”
How far the Terrapins (5-0) go may depend in large part on whether players such as Donta Scott, Don Carey and Julian Reese perform as they did in this tournament. Scott scored a game-high 24 points, while Reese (17), Hakim Hart (14), Jahmir Young (13) and Carey (12) also scored in double figures.
Miami (4-1) was led by Wong (22 points), Jordan Miller (18) and Norchad Omier (14). But Pack, who averaged 17.4 points last season at Kansas State, was held to seven.
“If [Pack] wants to do that all night long [and shoot 3 for 10], that’s fine with me and with Coach Willard,” Carey said.
Miami Coach Jim Larrañaga had his own take on why Maryland was so proficient.
“The one clear statistic that shows why they won is they had 39 rebounds to our 20,” he said. “If we’re not doing a good job rebounding as a team, we’re going to get hurt.”
Maryland was challenged more than in Saturday’s semifinal victory over Saint Louis, during which the Terps led by 24 at halftime — but not much more.
The Hurricanes led 15-14 when Maryland went on an 11-0 run, with Carey burying a pair of three-pointers for a 25-15 lead.
With Wong and Omier leading the way, Miami cut its deficit to 28-24, but then Scott went on a tear and scored 10 points in the final 7:39 of the half. When Ian Martinez drained a pair of free throws with 6.6 seconds left, Maryland went to the locker room with a 47-34 lead.
It was more of the same in the second half as Maryland raced to a 64-46 lead with Reese scoring eight points. Miami chipped away and eventually pulled within 73-63 with 6:30 remaining. But Young took the wind out of the Hurricanes by converting a three-point play.
The rest was left up to Carey, Reese, Hart and Scott, who scored a combined 12 points in the last 4:01.
“Coach stresses moving the ball side to side,” Carey said. “When we move the ball side to side, we pretty much get anything we want. We can be a tough team.”
Moving the ball side to side, as opposed to playing a stationary offense, was a major reason the Terps shot a blistering 60 percent (30 for 50) from the field.
“I think we have the best backcourt in the country right now,” Willard said. “I thought my guard play was outstanding.”
Scott became the 17th Terps player since 1995 to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. After Sunday’s game, he has 1,010 and 527 in his career. In the two games this weekend, the senior forward had 49 points and 13 rebounds. He was named to the all-tournament team with Hart.
Willard’s fast start continues
Willard became the first Maryland coach to begin his career in College Park with a 5-0 record.
