Maryland dropped a Quad Three game on Tuesday night after falling to Rutgers at home, 56-53, in what’s likely the nail in the coffin for postseason aspirations in Kevin Willard’s second season as head coach.
Everything that Willard and Jahmir Young said following the loss
Willard on Maryland’s performance vs. Rutgers
“That’s a great question. Coming off the effort we had at Michigan State, we really struggled coming out starting the game. We just, we didn’t have a whole lot of energy with that starting group that’s been really, really good for us. They were good defensively but offensively we were just, we don’t have the same sense of urgency on offense that we did on defense. I think it was 6-4, 6-6 with the under-12 [timeout]. I mean, you’re at home. You gotta score the basketball.”
Willard on what Rutgers did defensively on Jahmir Young
“Jahmir has been so, so good. It’s tough to really critique anything that he’s done, but he has struggled a little bit at home. [He’s] been phenomenal on the road. He struggled a little bit at home. We missed some shots early and he’s one of those kids that’s just…he’s gonna try to correct things and I think they did a good job getting in gaps, playing off Jordan [Geronimo] a little bit. And then we were struggling to score. He tried to force things a little bit too much and that’s been, in our losses, we’ve kind of, when we struggled to get off to good starts, he’s kind of struggled because he’s tried to push the tempo a little bit. But I mean, I can’t, it’s not a negative. He’s trying.”
Young on what Rutgers did to limit him
“I mean, it’s tough definitely with Cliff [Omoruyi] at the rim just as athletic he is and then one of the best defensive teams in the conference so hats off to them, but they were just heavy in the gaps, nowhere to really drive. They just have really talented defenders. They did a good job on me tonight.”
Willard on whether Maryland did enough with turnovers generated vs. Rutgers
“When you force as many turnovers as we did, we’re really struggling capitalizing off our defensive intensity. And these guys are given unbelievable defensive intensity, but I thought we missed a couple of early good looks from three. [Julian Reese] missed two free throws and it was kind of like, it’s almost like we get a little tight on the offensive end. And then we kind of force things a little bit. That was the Michigan State game at home and that was tonight.”
Young on the current culture within the locker room
“I mean, the team’s turned into to the leaders on his team, which is me, Donta [Scott] and Ju to really be the vocal voice for our group in. It’s always tough losing, especially at home. We just have to go bounce back and try to steal a win at Ohio State.
Willard on the final play resulting in a 35-foot three from Donta Scott
“They went zone. We were going to try for a quick two on a backdoor and Jahmir saw a zone so he kind of broke it off and then they did a good job trapper. It was good defense.”
Willard on what needs to change to instill a sense of urgency within the team
“I’m a little perplexed that we would come out at home and we have some older guys that just seem not to be, not that they weren’t ready to play because again, defensively, they gave great effort. It’s just offensively, we were so lackadaisical on the offensive end. They’re really playing hard on the defensive and we’re just, I think we’re almost a little casual on the offensive end, which really hurts us.”
Willard on the upcoming Quad One game vs. Ohio State
“We’re off tomorrow, which is nice because again, it’s a Saturday traveling…I’ve got to figure a little bit better way in this conference. We’ve had a home game, we come back. And then we’ve traveled and we’ve come back and we travel and we come back. I got to figure a little better way to travel. I don’t know if it’s spending the nights or leaving later, but we haven’t really come back. We didn’t get back that late at night. I didn’t think that was going to be a huge. I think we got back at 1 [AM]. The other night we got back at 7. The other night before that we got back at 4. One o’clock is not that bad, to be honest with you. I didn’t think we’d be that tired, but I think some of the travel has kind of worn us out a little bit.”
Willard on whether Maryland’s offensive issues build on each other
“Their addition of Jeremiah Williams totally changes their team. When I say drastic, it’s drastically different watching them before and then now. They added a piece, you add a piece 19 games in that’s a veteran guard that can score, that can defend. That’s a different basketball team from the first 19 games ‘cause they didn’t have Jeremiah Williams. They would’ve went to the NCAA Tournament last year if [Mawot] Mag doesn’t get hurt. He’s probably the best college defender I’ve seen in a long, long time. I mean, he covers. He blitzes pick and rolls. He switches out on pick and rolls. If you get beat, he just he’s there. He is really, I mean, Steve’s always been a great defensive coach and he is a phenomenal defensive coach. But that defense is Mag and Mag alone. I mean, that dude is he’s special.”
Willard on how Williams scored against Maryland in the game-sealing layup
“We didn’t do everything right. We let them drive right down the lane and score a layup so I think that was a major breakdown. He also hit a tough step back three and he had a great pass on the back door. That last play, I mean, we defended really well, but you can’t let a guy that’s shooting 28% drive right down the lane and get a layup so that was a major breakdown.”
Willard on Maryland’s combo of good defense and horrendous offense
“It’s frustrating because you know, you’ve got the sixth-best defense in the country and I think, after tonight, who knows where we rank offensively, but, it’s frustrating, to be honest.”
Young on whether he noticed a lack of urgency from Maryland
“I mean quick turnaround. So, I mean, we’d didn’t have too much of a scout. It’s tough when you [have a] quick turnaround, but, to be honest with you, yeah there’s a lack of urgency all around. On the bench and from the starters. That’s unacceptable with where we’re at in the season and what we have to do so. This is a tough one.”
Young on Maryland finishing 3-of-18 from three
“I think it was their defense. We’ve been shooting the ball well recently at home so I feel like it’s just maybe rushing shots or shooting shots, shooting tough ones was the big thing.”
Young on reaching 1,000 career points at Maryland
“It’s great to be in a company with those guys, especially being third fastest. It just shows the hard work that I’ve put in, but really cancels out with the [loss] so I’m not really worried about it. I’m just trying to figure out how we can win some games.”
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