The Terps Move to the Big Ten: Rivalries, Recruiting, Reaction

As a lifelong Terrapin fan, I have never even imagined the possibility that the Terrapins could ever switch conferences. While all the conference realignment took place, I felt comfortable that the Terrapins were firmly stationed in ACC territory. The ACC had gained Syracuse and Pittsburgh, pushing the ACC back to the top in terms of basketball talent. With the newcomers helping balance out the map, making Maryland more of a central location, the league was even getting away from their deep Carolina roots. Perhaps a ACC tournament at the Verizon Center was in the future?

Syracuse and Pittsburgh could have been new rivals. Both schools have taken to Maryland to gain recruits and Maryland was back on the rise as a national contender. Folks from Maryland already hate everything Pittsburgh, so the Panthers would have been an easy transition. It was upsetting that the Duke games may be limited to one a year, but new blood was lurking in the water. New rivalries in to go with Maryland's new outlook. Maryland was ready to make their jump back to perennial top 25 contender while the ACC was going to take back over the basketball world.

In the ACC, all will go on without the Terps. While Terrapin fans hated Duke, Duke still has North Carolina. The newcomers still have each other, and Virginia can now officially focus on Virginia Tech if they hadn't already. But for Maryland, they are heading into the Big Ten as the outcast, even though they are joined by Rutgers.

A Maryland/Rutgers rivalry would make some sense, but Rutgers just isn't on Maryland's level for basketball. Plus, Rutgers brought the Baltimore area Ray Rice and for that, plenty of Terps fans are grateful. Maryland and Rutgers are in this thing together, bringing their big markets and fertile basketball recruiting grounds closer to the Big Ten so the rest of the teams can receive more viability.

But Maryland fans need a team to hate. They need a Duke. As arguably the most vulgar fan base in the nation, there needs to be a villain. Michigan State knocked the Terrapins out of the NCAA tournament a few years back thanks to a Korie Lucious buzzer beater. And they've matched up a few times in the Big Ten challenge. With the Michigan/Ohio State rivalry, Michigan State is kind of like Maryland was looking on the outside of the UNC/Duke rivalry.

There is also Penn State, who makes the most geographical sense. Plenty of students make their final college decision choosing between Penn State and Maryland around the Baltimore area. At this point, Penn State fans have been way to outspoken over the past year and have hit a nerve with some people. But a basketball rivalry with Penn State? That isn't any fun.

Wisconsin has Iowa, Minnesota has Wisconsin, and Purdue has Indiana. Maryland is kind of left out in the cold. As one Terp graduate suggested to me, Maryland fans should just hate all of the Big Ten with an intense passion. At this point, I imagine everyone would be on board with that. Nobody is liking this move and of course, Terrapin fans don't need much reason to hate.

Thad Matta already spiced things up saying he wasn't even sure what conference Maryland is in. Good one Thad, too bad Gary Williams is the best coach to come from Ohio State.

If I had to choose, I want a rivalry with Indiana. They just lost out on their annual Kentucky game and they could have something against the Terps as well after they lost in the 2001 NCAA title game. Moving forward, Indiana and Maryland could have some epic recruiting battles. Indiana has recently invaded the DMV area after adding a Team Takeover coach to their staff.

Indiana fans may scuffle at the thought at first, but if Maryland's basketball program rises like it appears to be, the recruiting and actual games will come with much at stake.

The recruiting shake up is another thing. Indiana has shown that they can get DMV kids to consider the Big Ten recently. They got Victor Oladipo, Mo Creek, and had a shot at Beejay Anya. In 2014, Indiana has 4 Maryland kids showing consideration, two of them being top 60 players - Dwayne Morgan and Phil Booth. Both of whom have offers from Maryland as well. It should get even easier one Big Ten takes over the TV market. I don't see Maryland losing out on many DMV kids because of the move.

It will eliminate much of the south, however. For example, Maryland is listed as a possibility for 2015 recruit Daniel Giddens (ranked 16th on ESPN). All of his schools listed besides Maryland are south of Virginia and in the ACC or SEC. You can bet the Terps will no longer appeal to players like that.

The good thing that Rutgers will bring is a chance for Maryland to stay relevant in the northern market. That is big. It may actually even help Maryland with guys like Isaiah Whitehead. And of course, Maryland now has a better shot at players in the vast Middle America.

This is helpful for getting a guy like Rashad Vaughn from Minnesota. He's a top ten player, but even though Maryland has offered, seemed like a stretch for them to get. Now, as a member of the Big Ten, it makes this a little more reasonable.

The biggest adaptation may be playing style. Big Ten plays the most unique playing style from any of the other big 6 BCS conference, playing very physical and slower. Maryland's recent additions of players should actually welcome the physical play - Cleare, Mitchell, Howard, and Wells are all big bodies. And if Len stays, he joins a long line of great Big Ten centers.

Maryland vs Indiana. Len vs Zeller. Now I kind of wish this move had happened sooner!

NC State too much for the Nittany Lions

It was our first look at the Wolfpack's loaded team this year, a team suddenly in the national spotlight as the favorite to win the ACC. The Wolfpack have a roster loaded with talent including Rodney Purvis, Lorenzo Brown, CJ Leslie, TJ Warren, Tyler Lewis, Scott Wood, and Richard Howell. Ok, thats pretty much their whole roster, but thats what is so impressive - they have big names at every position.

The Wolfpack are certainly the most talented team in the ACC, but how is their leadership? How about their consistency? Their experience level? Their maturity? The ability to take care of the ball? Their ability to close out games? Who can honestly say they trust them to beat Duke in a do or die game?

Last year, they had Duke up against the ropes with a 16 point halftime lead. The wheels came off in the late stages though, and the Blue Devils won by 5. This NC State team is a year older at the core - CJ Leslie and Lorenzo Brown - but are they wiser? 

In the first test against, Penn State, Lorenzo Brown and CJ Leslie both showed plenty of talent but an unhealthy obsession with flash. Leslie is not the same careless player he was up until last year, but he still makes dumb mistakes and tries to do too much. And he settles too much for jumpers and continues to fail to box out consistently on defense.

For Brown, he makes hard plays look easy a lot of the times. Both guys are able to make some spectacular looking plays. Both also fail to make easy plays consistently. We saw it again tonight with Brown. Too many no-look passes and him trying to thread the needle in between multiple defenders. Too many times he tried to make a play out of nowhere instead of looking to set up sharpshooter Scott Wood with an easy jumpshot. The Wolfpack have one of the nation's deadliest shooters yet fail to utilize him consistently.

Brown got a chance to play off the ball some too, where he can be effective. Tyler Lewis though, looks like he will need some time before he adjusts to the college game. When the game is on the line, the ball will be in Lorenzo Brown's hand to make good decisions. NC State will be able to run plenty of teams off the court, but ultimately they will have to face the likes of Duke and beat them in close games while executing their halfcourt offense and managing the clock.

Gottfried was able to get Leslie to change his attitude when he took over the team, but he still has plenty of work to do with this team. I ranked Lorenzo Brown high on my PG rankings with the assumption that he will tone down his game in the NBA. It may be too big of an assumption to make at this point. He has first round talent, but does he have the mental capacity to run a pro team?

And does Leslie have it in him mentally to survive on his own in the NBA? He's a guy at this point who needs to find the right situation in the NBA. In a lot of places, he will fail.

On a more positive note, Rodney Purvis hit some jumpers and was able to create off the dribble. He can drive and kick as well as take it to the rim. The future of the shooting guard position is looking up with guys like Sulaimon, Goodwin, Purvis, Shabazz, and Smart. 

Other notes:

- Eric Bossi said TJ Warren has a bit of Antoine Walker in him. Interesting to say the least. Warren lit of the hoop with 22 points. 

- For Penn State, Tim Frazier is a solid player. He is a better pro prospect than Talor Battle, his incumbent was. Frazier operates out of the pick and roll most of the time and has a nice crossover. He can get into the mid-range area where he has a quick floater he can get off. He also knows how to change speeds and is a crafty finisher at the rim. Frazier had too much of a load to handle tonight though, and shot 6-20 from the field.

- For me, Richard Howell is nothing special. Some view him as an early second rounder, but I'd much rather have a guy like Jarnell Stokes. Howell has a solid mid-range jumper and rebounds well, but he's a guy who doesn't do anything well enough to find a spot in the league. He has carved out a nice role on NC State capitalizing on Leslie's arrant shots.