D1scourse.com

Game 19: Maryland receives a much-needed senior moment against Clemson

The collective career arc of Maryland's three-man senior class is not comfortable.

It is not a smooth curve.

It is not predictable.

So really isn't an unexpected development there would be a few hurdles, a few less-than-ideal conditions as they navigate their way through their final season.

In a span of less than 48 hours, Adrian Bowie, Dino Gregory and Cliff Tucker spanned the topsy-turvy nature of their careers. After participating in Maryland's worst margin of defeat in Comcast Center, they combined for 36 points as the Terrapins outlasted Clemson 79-77 on Saturday.

Despite earnest proclamations of what they might have said between games, what they actually did carried much more heft.

Bowie scored six of the first 11 points to ensure the Terps managed a credible start; by the time Clemson got its 12th point, Maryland had 13 rather than zero like two nights earlier.

And in the middle of the second half, it was the three veterans who combined to score 11 straight points for the Terps, keeping their team afloat while Clemson attempted to rally.

"This is a sign we really do have great seniors and great leaders," forward Jordan Williams said. "Sometimes, we have to slap them in the face if we have to. But they're great players. They're good players and we love them to death. They work hard."

So was this a bit of a slap?

"They just needed a little bit of motivation," Williams said. "That's all it was. They definitely answered the test tonight."

No, this isn't a serene ride for coach Gary Williams and Maryland fans, but it's no shock. Neither Bowie nor Gregory nor Tucker averaged 25 minutes in a season before this year, and their individual career paths each possessed an element of unpredictability.

Bowie, primarily a starter as a sophomore, came off the bench last season and had his stats slashed accordingly. Gregory, once a Baltimore player of the year, earned more notice for an early-season suspension as a junior than anything else in his career. And Tucker was maddeningly inconsistent, a variable impossible to account for three years.

All three, of course, knew they'd be judged for their final flourish. They followed an incremental path, going from either benchwarmer status (Gregory) or tertiary support (Bowie and Tucker) to complementary pieces and finally a starring role.

Maryland (12-7, 2-3 ACC) played everyone tough until Thursday's no-show, a 10-kinds-of-terrible outing  that could be looked upon as both an aberration and as a warning.

At the least, there was some self-reflection to be done.

"It was a lot," Gregory said. "The way we played against Virginia Tech is not the way we play basketball here at Maryland. We wanted to come out and show everyone we're a different team than that and a better team than that."

The 74-57 setback was eerily familiar for Bowie, who lived through consecutive losses to Ohio and American as a freshman and found himself part of a fridgid week-long NIT tour of Minneapolis and Syracuse after the Terps collapsed in the final weeks of the regular season.

Maryland earned NCAA tournament invitations the last two seasons, allowing Bowie to temporarily banish such memories to the recesses of his mind. When they bubbled up again, it only increased his resolution to try to solve matters this year to avoid a repeat.

"We just told them and told them about our experience of being in the NIT our freshman year and how that next year, our sophomore year, we worked harder than anybody because we didn't want to go back again," Bowie said. "Losing to Virginia Tech, that was an experience and a feeling that we might be heading back if we didn't win this game."

And so Maryland did. Gregory had nine points in the second half. So did Tucker. Bowie made some free throws down the stretch. And even though Bowie and Tucker have shuttled in and out of the lineup, both were on the floor in the closing moments.

Naturally, there was tension and an unexpected development; as ordered, Tucker intentionally missed a free throw with 1.6 seconds left, only to have it go out of bounds. But the Terps escaped after Demontez Stitt's halfcourt miss, their hopes revived and the daunting possibility of facing a 1-4 hole in league play eradicated.

"We've been waiting for this chance," said Tucker, who is averaging 12.9 points over his last eight games. "I've been anxious since I got here to finally get to lead a team and play well. Dino and Adrian have, too, and we're finally getting a chance to. We did a great job today and hopefully coach realized that when us three were on the court, we did a great job."

Gary Williams is clearly rooting for them, for a variety of reasons. Bowie, Gregory and Tucker are the survivors of a star-crossed five-man class, and they toiled in the shadows of more accomplished players throughout their careers.It's a likable group despite its flaws.

But he also has to, because Maryland won't go far without them. The Terps are 9-1 when they get at least 30 points from their seniors, a meager 3-6 when they don't. Now more than ever, Williams needs his three veterans.

More outings like Saturday's lend hope Maryland could make a postseason push. Perhaps that, to channel Jordan Williams, was the last slap in the face Bowie and Gregory and Tucker required for the second half of their final year.

"They were great today," Gary Williams said. "They have to grab control. I think that's one of the big themes of this year's team, is to grab control of the team. This is your team, your senior year. You're remembered for what you did this year, there's no doubt about it. I want those guys to go out with a great senior year. Today was a big step for them."

Tucker the rare king of minutes off Terps' bench

PHILADELPHIA --- Tipoff nears at Wells Fargo Center, and Cliff Tucker will come off the bench for the sixth straight game for Maryland

On Wednesday, it didn't stop him from leading the Terrapins in minutes.

It was only the eighth time since 1998-99 (and just the second time in six seasons) a Maryland reserve led the team in minutes.

Two of those instances were on senior night and are easily explained away. As for the others, take a peek ...

 

1998-99

Feb. 24: Steve Francis (32 minutes, 32 points) vs. Clemson (senior night)

1999-2000

Nov. 22: Drew Nicholas (28 minutes, 27 points) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson

2000-01

Dec. 23: Drew Nicholas (26 minutes, 7 points) vs. Norfolk State ... Terence Morris also played 26 minutes
March 3: Lonny Baxter (28 minutes, 15 points) vs. Virginia (senior night) ... Terence Morris also played 28 minutes 

2003-04

March 12: D.J. Strawberry (30 minutes, 9 points) vs. Wake Forest ... Nik Caner-Medley and Chris McCray also played 30 minutes

2004-05

March 16: Chris McCray (32 minutes, 7 points) vs. Oral Roberts

2009-10

Jan. 3: Adrian Bowie (27 minutes, 11 points) at UNC Greensboro

2010-11

Jan. 12: Cliff Tucker (26 minutes, 21 points) at Wake Forest

Game 16: Tucker's birthday present is game to his liking

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. --- Fitting into a well-constructed system didn't exactly come easy to Cliff Tucker.

Oh, he's tried, particularly in the latter half his Maryland basketball career. Certainly moreso than his few couple years, when he would be the first to admit immaturity helped limit his time on the court and ability to thrive.

He's a senior now, coming off the bench for five games running for the Terrapins. He's grown up, too, hitting his 22nd birthday on Wednesday as Maryland rolled into Joel Coliseum.

And for his good behavior and attitude, perhaps he received a particularly gratifying gift as the Terps cruised to a 74-55 victory ---  a game to his liking.

"It's a great birthday present," Tucker said. "Not only did I play good, I was real aggressive. Most importantly, we got a big road win."

Tucker scored a season-high 21 points (while adding eight rebounds, four assists and two steals) as Maryland (11-5, 1-2 ACC) snagged its first conference victory of the season. It was Tucker's best scoring output since dropping a career-high 22 points on North Carolina in 2009.

That is not a difficult game to remember. Greivis Vasquez authored a triple-double, and Maryland grabbed the sort of signature victory it so badly needed (and then needed to replicate a few weeks later against Wake Forest) to make the NCAA tournament.

It was a free-flowing affair, the sort North Carolina happily engages in under Roy Williams. Want to run? Fine. Good luck keeping up.

That isn't a particular common attitude in college basketball, particularly of late in the ACC. Carolina was eager to accept an invitation toan up-and-down game, establishing the sort of tempo Tucker thrives in, because it possessed the talent to win under uncontrollable conditions most of the time. Most ACC coaches, either through wisdom, personal preference or both, won't permit games to become so unsettled.

No doubt, Wake Forest coach Jeff Bzdelik would rather his team not commit 18 turnovers, 11 in the first half. His Demon Deacons (7-10, 0-2) simply couldn't impose any sort of will on the course of events because of their own sloppiness, and Tucker giddily took advantage.

"I think he made it," coach Gary Williams said. "Cliff's an energy guy. When he gets in the game, sometimes you're afraid to look, but something's going to happen. He goes."

It started modestly enough, with a fastbreak layup in the middle of the first half to continue an evening-long trend for the Terps to exploit their transition opportunities. Then came a couple 3-pointers. Then a few more layups. A couple of free throws before the break gave him 14 at the half.

The rest of his evening was filled with timely moments. A tip-in with 13:54 left pushed Maryland's lead back to three his possessions. His free throws less than three minutes later extended the Terps' advantage to double digits for good.

"I felt that style of play helped me," Tucker said. "They were a fast-paced team and we're really good and fast-paced, too. I think we're a great transition team."

Tucker's best outing of the season extended a surge that coincided with Williams' decision to bring the veteran off the bench beginning Dec. 22. In five games since, Tucker is averaging 14.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 50 percent overall (25-for-50) and from the 3-point line (9-for-18).

He also played 29 minutes for the second straight game; against Wake Forest, that was enough to lead the Terps, even though he wasn't on the court at the start of either half.

"Players look at who starts, parents of players look at who starts, but basketball people look at who plays well," Williams said. "Cliff is really playing well, and tonight he was really big for us coming off the bench in both halves. He's a starter. He's not starting games, but in my mind he's a starter. Don't be surprised if he starts somewhere along the way here."

Tucker's ability to handle the change a third of the way through his senior year and immediately thrive speaks a bit to his growth as a person as well as a player.

The El Paso, Texas, native said and did all the right things over the last three weeks. But he's also retained a healthy level of candidness that Williams can hardly argue with a little honesty so long as Tucker is contributing so much.

"Every senior wants to start," Tucker said. "Of course, I want to start. Coach knows I want to start, too. I'm not going to pout about it. Whenever I get in the game, I want to do whatever it takes to help this team win. These last five games, I've been coming off the bench and doing a good job, so maybe it is working."

Regardless of what role Tucker occupies, he remains crucial to Maryland's long-term prospects. Jordan Williams is the nexus of the Terps' offense, and rightfully so. But there needs to be some sort of reliable perimeter option, someone to keep defenses honest from the outside.

All along, Tucker was the most likely candidate. And after a month-long funk, it's finally starting to unfold to his and the Terps' liking.

"This is his last year, his senior year, and it's a big year for him, and he knows that," Jordan Williams said. "We all know that. The more he starts to realize it, the better he plays. The one word for Cliff Tucker this year is hungry."

On Wednesday, the word was also happy. He celebrated his birthday in style, with a tempo to his favor, a game to his coach's liking and an outcome that was precisely what Maryland required.

No, Cliff Tucker is not starting, but he's doing everything he can to make it difficult for Williams to drag him off the floor once he steps foot on the court. His is the unusual bench spot --- knowing he'll be in within five minutes, after which point it's all on him to remain in the mix.

"It helps a lot," Tucker said. "I'm hoping and wishing. I don't know. But he knows when to get me in there, and he's doing a great job of knowing when to get me off the bench and I'm doing a good job of contributing. So hopefully, I can keep it up."

Terps' Tucker settling into role as sixth man

Maryland just played its fourth game after  shuffling its lineup. Two freshmen have split one starting spot, while Cliff Tucker has come off the bench after starting the first 11 games.

While both Terrell Stoglin and Pe'Shon Howard have mixed solid moments with some freshman-like episodes, Tucker's play has picked up as well.

Yes, three of those games came against NJIT, North Florida and Colgate. But three of the final five games Tucker started came against Elon, UNC Greensboro and a terrible-on-that-night Penn State bunch. So while his numbers as a reserve warrant a bit of scrutiny based on level of competition, it doesn't entirely explain the split in his last five games as a starter and his first four as a reserve:

Stretch	Pts.	Reb.	Ast.	TO	FG	3FG	FT	Min
Nov. 26-Dec. 12	5.8	3.6	3.0	2.0	11/36 (.306)	4/17 (.235)	3/6 (.500)	24.8
Dec. 22-Jan. 9	12.8	4.0	3.5	1.5	19/37 (.514)	7/13 (.538)	6/8 (.750)	23.8

That constitutes improvement pretty much everywhere, even if his playing time dipped a bit. Then again, if Maryland was actually in tight games against NJIT or Colgate, chances are Tucker would have found an extra four minutes somewhere along the way to even up the average in that category.

"He knows he's going to be in, and I think he played 30 minutes at Duke? 29," coach Gary Williams said. "He's going to play starter minutes. He knows that. He'd rather start, like most players would. I don't think there's any doubt about it. But he has played well in his role."

Tucker matched career highs with seven rebounds and two blocks in Sunday's 71-64 loss at Duke, and he was 2-for-4 from the 3-point line --- with both of the misses rimming out.

For as much as Maryland could use a consistent scoring complement to Jordan Williams from the opening tip, having one come off the bench is particularly valuable as well.

"It really helps us when we have a guy like Cliff coming into the game," Gary Williams said. "That's really big when you can look at the bench and have a guy that good coming in. That's what he's given us. When Terrell starts or Pe'Shon comes in, you don't know how they're going to play because they're freshmen. So having a guy there who has senior experience is good. I wouldn't rule out him starting in the future."

Game 12: The one with the lineup shuffle

There are only so many ways to infuse any sort of interest or great meaning into a 39-point rout.

Granted there are plenty of unusual things that can happen.

But for the most part, there are three things that could occur.

One, a player has a ridiculous individual feat --- such as 35 points or a triple-double --- against an inferior opponent.

Two, a crucial player gets hurt.

Three, and more commonly than anything, there's a lineup change.

That's the route Maryland took Wednesday, inserting Pe'Shon Howard into the starting lineup and bringing Cliff Tucker off the bench in an 89-50 pummeling of NJIT at Comcast Center.

Howard played 17 minutes and came in averaging 18.2. Tucker logged 24 minutes after averaging 26.3 in the first 11 games. The difference in court time was ultimately negligible, particularly considering the course of the game.

Coach Gary Williams said the move had as much to do with practice as anything. Howard, he said, practiced well during exams and in three days since the semester ended. He hoped Tucker would take advantage of the chance to see the game develop and be more comfortable once he was in.

"You never know how that's going to work," Williams said. "The reason you hesitate when changing the lineups is sometimes you can lose the player in that situation. You have to be very careful. I know a lot of people thought we should have changed our lineup for a long time. There has to be reasons that are more than just 'Make a change.' There has to be a reason to do something. I really thought as time went on, that would help Cliff. That was the main reason."

Indeed, Tucker looked more at ease when he shot. And Howard was steady, collecting four assists while running the point from the opening tip as Adrian Bowie shifted to the off guard.

It wasn't going to matter against the Highlanders (2-7) who started, at least not in terms of the final outcome. The Terrapins (8-4) slogged along for 10 minutes before closing out the half on a 34-5 run. NJIT had as many points as turnovers (18) at the break.

And so naturally, Williams was asked more about the lineup tweak than anything else.

"Every team is the same," Williams said. "I don't get that this is a big deal. Every team has the same thing. Last year, we had our five. It wasn't too hard to put the old lineup hard up in the dugout. It was pretty easy. This year is a little different."

Well, he's right. It's not a big deal. It's just, well, what the heck else happened?

Jordan Williams rattled off his sixth straight double-double. Dino Gregory was his usual solid self. Six players overall reached double figures, including James Padgett for the first time this season.

It was business as usual for a generally forgettable late December game, and certainly didn't create much of a ripple with the Terps.

"Not at all," Bowie said. "Cliff came off the bench. I've come off the bench before. It's nothing new."

Ultimately, the one new thing is just the hint of a question. Maryland had such stability a year ago, when the same starting five was used for all but three games. Gregory started twice over Jordan Williams when he returned from suspension before Williams took over the rest of the year. Bowie got a nod when Greivis Vasquez was late for a shootaround. And Tucker started over Sean Mosley when the Baltimore native was hurt.

That was it.

So in that light, it is something a little new for the Terps, at least in a small time period. And it might not even have any great meaning.

After all, it was something curious in the midst of a 39-point rout --- and those aren't always easy to come by, even if this change won't necessarily be permanent.

"It's fluid," Williams said. "Everything's depending on practice this year. That's what we're trying to do. Like I said, that's why Pe'Shon was out there tonight."

And it's why an 89-50 victory managed to possess a sliver of interest for the long term.

An end-of-the-week read on Cliff Tucker

Maryland's ACC opener looms on Sunday. And as mentioned extensively after Wednesday's defeat of UNC Greensboro, Cliff Tucker shook off three shaky games to piece together an all-around performance against the Spartans.

Now comes the tough part: Carrying it into conference play.

Jordan Williams' play is almost a given, but Tucker --- given his skillset and athletic gifts --- might just be the determining factor for how far Maryland can really go.

For more on that, click on my piece over at CSNWashington.com. It appears there will be more frequent (but not full-time) contributions over there, and the more clicks they get, the more likely some more work will be thrown my way.

Or so I hope.

Game 10: Bowie, Tucker recover against overmatched UNC Greensboro

Adrian Bowie and Cliff Tucker have endured plenty in their Maryland careers, reserves for much of their first three seasons who popped up at times for crucial moments but more often were relegated to complementary and tertiary roles.

Suddenly, it was their time to thrive as seniors, the talented veterans who blocked their way to playing time off enjoying professional careers.

And then ... a false start. Bowie struggled with turnovers. Tucker struggled with streakiness. Both were apparitions on the floor Sunday in the BB&T Classic against Temple.

With Terrell Stoglin scoring with frequency and Pe'Shon Howard playing solidly, the concept of the senior starter in College Park was on the precipice to earning a place on the endangered species list.

Or not.

Both Bowie and Tucker started in Wednesday's 99-56 rout of UNC Greensboro. Both reached double figures in points, had more than twice as many assists and turnovers and connected on a couple 3-pointers.

Basically, they did their jobs for Maryland (7-3).

"I really believe in them," coach Gary Williams said. "They've been loyal, four-year players. That means a lot to me. I don't know if it means a lot to everyone else, but it means a lot to me. I'll kind of go to the wall for guys like that who have stuck with the program and played behind some good players and now it's their turn. They struggled in a couple games, but that doesn't mean they can't be outstanding players for us this year."

Any analysis of Bowie (16 points, 4-for-5 shooting) and Tucker (13 points, 5-for-10 shooting) starts with the opposition. In terms of overall talent, the Spartans (0-8) are spartan. They're one of nine Division I teams who entered the night without a victory, had just played two days earlier and have won a combined 13 games the last two seasons.

So the numbers only mean so much. The intangible value, however, could be significant for a pair of players who were on the spot after an early yanking in the second half against Temple.

"We're the seniors and we need to lead the team and we didn't do that on Sunday," Bowie said. "We deserved everything that happened to us. Me and Cliff definitely talked about it and we started to start off stronger and we did that this game."

Bowie was perhaps in the tougher spot, what with Stoglin's instant offense a call-to-arms for Maryland's fandom. Stoglin entered the night averaging two more points in nearly 10 fewer minutes.

Stoglin collected 15 points in the opener, Bowie seven turnovers. Despite some solid days interspersed since, murmurs about a potential point guard change never ceased.

"I never thought I was playing for my starting position, but I was worried about my play and how it was affecting the team," Bowie said.

Tucker, unsurprisingly, was the more befuddling of the two. Statistically, Bowie is essentially the same player he was a year ago; his shaky early 3-point shooting counteracted to some degree by free throw shooting well above his career norms.

Tucker, meanwhile, stuck to a career trend as well --- the hot and cold spells, one on top of each other. He was sound early on, then frazzled in three games since Thanksgiving.

With Tucker, the opponent sometimes doesn't much matter. He can play poorly against a chump just as easily as he dominates a champ. And so a balanced night --- five rebounds, five assists and a couple steals to go with the scoring --- only helps the perception Tucker's trouble are (for now, anyway) at bay.

"It's a real significant game," Tucker said. "Probably the last three  games I haven't been playing up to my potential. This game, I just stopped thinking about everything and I just wanted to wanted to come out and be much more aggressive."

Nothing bodes better for Tucker than a willingness to take an open shot. He meekly navigated the past few weeks, pausing after receiving passes on the perimeter before scoring chances dissipated in front o him. That worked well with Greivis Vasquez around; with the absence of an obvious outside shooter, it doesn't.

It's no surprise forward Jordan Williams spent time Wednesday encouraging Tucker to shoot more often. Williams will carry Maryland as far as it will go this year, but Tucker remains the guy who can do the most to make the big fella's life easier. Get hot from the outside, and Williams can finish off opponents in the paint.

"It's crazy, because at practice Cliff shoots that thing like you'd never believe and he makes them all the time," Williams said. "I told him 'Just shoot the ball, man, just shoot. That's your game.'"

For a few days, anyway, Tucker's game won't be scrutinized heavily. Nor will Bowie's. That's not to say a change won't happen at some point. It just isn't occurring now.

Gary Williams praised his team for blocking such speculation, such distractions. Yet at the same time, the thought of a lineup adjustment was there, one he dismissed after analyzing video and weighing the veterans' overall body of work.

"A lot of times, it's a gut feeling," Williams said. "I've been doing it for a while, and you get a feel for your team. You hope you don't hurt anyone. You don't want to make an unfair choice. So I think it worked out well tonight."

Indeed it did, strong outings from the senior guards begetting more opportunities in the future. Bowie and Tucker are no longer spare parts, no longer capable of existing in the shadows. The senior starter is thriving and in no danger in College Park, at least for a little while longer.

Tucker's time begins to arrive

When Cliff Tucker presumably takes the floor at the start of Tuesday's game against Delaware State, the senior swingman with tie his career-high for starts in a season with six.

That isn't the only number that's ballooned for Maryland's No. 2 scorer.

He's averaging 14.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 28.2 minutes --- all easily well ahead of anything he'd previously done.

It all speaks to Tucker receiving far more opportunity to play his way through a few mistakes than ever before.

"It changes a lot for me," Tucker said. "I didn't have that leeway last year. If I made one or two mistakes, I was out and the other  guys were in. This year, I'm a little more comfortable. I can kind of play my game a little more. I'm not worried if I make a mistake. If I make a mistake, I know coach will leave me in the game. I've got to play a lot of minutes this year. It's just more comfortable for me and I think I play better that way. I think I'm doing good so far."

After playing well for much of his first four games and the first half against Illinois, Tucker struggled after the break and was benched shortly after he made a no-look pass in transition that resulted in a fastbreak for the Illini.

Tucker appeared briefly at the end of the game, but did not complain when asked about the situation on Monday.

"Coach had his  guys he wanted in and I was just there supporting my team and let those guys know they were doing a good job," Tucker said.

Consider that a sign of maturity from Tucker, who has extra responsibility this season. Teammates raved in the preseason about a transformation in the Texas native, who can accurately be described as one of the goofier personalties on Maryland's roster.

Nonetheless, he isn't quite as consistent as coach Gary Williams would like. Williams acknowledged the extra playing time is helping Tucker improve.

"I think it's helping him, but he's also got to play all the time," Williams said. "It has to be a consistent performance on both ends of the court. Just being honest, the things we miss --- Eric Hayes, Greivis Vasquez and Landon Milbourne, as a group you would say that they showed up every game. They tried to win every game. They would play defense if that's what it took. They would try to rebound if that's what it took. You've got to have players out there like that."

Tucker, with his 6-foot-6 frame, slick passing and ability to run the court as well as anyone on Maryland's roster, is one of the guys Maryland needs out there. He's arguably the Terrapins' most effective perimeter shooter, and his do-it-all game means he seamlessly fits in with any combination.

That said, he's adjusting like much of the roster is in the early stages of the season.

"I think I'm fine," Tucker said. "I'm still learning a little bit. I obviously have a bigger role this year. I'm still working on defense, scoring and stuff like that, and trying to be a better leader for this team. I'm feeling pretty good right now. I wish I could have played a little better against Illinois."

Williams presumably feels the same way. As promising as Tucker's play for much of the early-season stretch is for Maryland, it would be particularly welcome if it continues against teams with lesser profiles than Pittsburgh and Illinois.

"Cliff has a great of potential," Williams said. "He's got the athletic ability that allows him to play  at a very high level. Very few guys have that. He's got to use that to help him play well, and obviously he's one of our key players this year."

Game 4: Foul line follies doom Maryland

NEW YORK --- Back in College Park on Sunday, Jordan Williams' first reaction when he entered the media room was to grab a box score. The Maryland sophomore soon pumped his first, plopped down and gave a reporter a knowing grin.

Williams was 8-for-10 at the foul line, and it was the first number his eyes fixated on that afternoon, the one he knows will go a long way to determining how successful he and the Terrapins will fare this season.

He didn't need the final statsheet to know Thursday night at Madison Square Garden there was less reason to be happy. Maryland shot 14-for-30 at the foul line, the second time in three games they were below 50 percent on free throws. Williams was 2-for-7.

And in a related note, Maryland was left with a 79-70 setback to No. 4 Pittsburgh and a date in Friday's consolation game in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

There is little consolation to be taken, of course, that the Terps (3-1) on occasion will give Clemson a run for its money as the shakiest foul shooting team in the ACC. And the truth is, even a Purnellian performance at the charity stripe --- say, 63 percent, which is now Maryland's mark for the season --- would have resulted in five more points and an entirely different end-game.

That was as frustrating as anything against the Panthers (4-0), who may well have won if Maryland's free throws fell. It just might have required some antacid.

"It's hard to explain," said Williams, who is 17-for-31 (54.8 percent) from the line this season. "They feel fine. They feel good. I'm just not making them."

It is worth mentioning Williams was 10-for-25 at the foul line when the Terps returned from their ACC/Big Ten Challenge game at Indiana last year. He was 54-for-96 (56 percent) the rest of the way --- better, but not much better than his current rate.

But this isn't all about Williams, who had 14 points and eight rebounds despite early foul trouble. His teammates were 12-for-23 at the line.

"That killed us today," guard Cliff Tucker said.

And yet there was every reason to believe the Terps belonged on the same floor. They shot well from the floor against a strong defensive team, doing much of their damage in the paint. They committed only nine turnovers, including none by the frontcourt.

It was a mixed bag, a positive for development that won't mean much in resume-building.

"This is good and bad," Tucker said. "They were the No. 4 team in the country, and I think we came out and proved to everybody that watched the game that we can play with the best teams in the country. We were right there. A couple fouls, missed free throws, and I think we actually could have won that game."

It keeps coming back to that. Coach Gary Williams has fielded more questions in two weeks about free throws than he typically hears in a season. There's only so many things he can say, and he's growing weary of the issue --- both the results on the floor and the attempts by others to ask him why Maryland is struggling with such a fundamental issue.

"Nah, it doesn't mean anything," Williams said. "Of course it's a concern. If we'd made our free throws the first half, we'd probably have had the lead. We have to make our free throws. What do you do? I've been doing this a long time. The guy who came out with a book who could teach people how to shoot free throws, he wouldn't be coaching. He'd be on some island out in the Caribbean. That's the way it goes. We work hard at our free throws. We shot 80 percent in a game this year at the line. We were horrible tonight."

Indeed the Terps were. From the 0-for-7 first half (Maryland trailed by four at the break) to its inability to connect on a complete set of free throws until the 10:45 mark of the second half, not much went right.

Some of it will get better. Odds are, Sean Mosley (81 percent last year) and Tucker (73 percent last season) will have the ball in their hands in crucial situations, and Williams' stroke isn't a disjointed mess; as he alluded to, it looks like he should be doing better.

But if Maryland can't erase its foul shooting lulls, a recurring problem will prove costly against teams far lesser than the well-regarded Panthers.

"I know we shot bad free throws the game before, but it's kind of shocking to see it happen again today," Tucker said. "We don't know what to do about that. Hopefully tomorrow, we'll hit out free throws."

Tucker the last line of defense against Charleston star

Andrew Goudelock had gone off against Maryland, and Cliff Tucker had watched more than enough.

The College of Charleston star had 27 points --- including 14 in the first dozen minutes of the second half --- and was well on his way to sinking an ACC team for the second time in less than year.

Tucker had none of it, shutting down the Cougars guard down the stretch in Maryland's 75-74 victory at Comcast Center.

Goudelock didn't score in the final 8:35, missing his final four shots as Tucker showed off some defensive chops that could prove valuable in the months to come.

"I just wanted to guard him," Tucker said. "I have a mentality, I was tired of seeing him score. I wasn't supposed to be guarding him all game and I just told coach I wanted to guard him. I did the same thing last year toward the end of games where I decided to guard the best player and I felt like when I play my best defense, I can stop anybody."

Tucker's chance to face Goudelock emerged only after Sean Mosley struggled for much of the night. The junior had a lethargic performance for reasons unknown, and Tucker took over the duties to contain Goudelock shortly after Mosley sat for a two-minute spell.

"We can't have Sean tired," coach Gary Williams said. "Cliff did a very good job. Cliff's as good an athlete as there is in the ACC. He should be a good defensive player. I think you'll see more of that this year when he steps up."

Mosley wasn't the only Terp who also took a turn on Goudelock. Freshman Pe'Shon Howard --- like Mosley, another physical guard ---  gave it a try as well.

Both were of similar height to the 6-foot-2 Goudelock, whose shooting lifted Charleston past North Carolina in January. Tucker, at 6-foot-6, provided a different look.

"He said 'Switch with me' and I said 'OK, you wanted it,'" Howard said. "And he locked him down."

Tucker's plan was basic --- never let Goudelock get out of reach. Even when Goudelock took a shot in the final minutes, Tucker was nearby harassing him in the process.

"You can't help off him," Tucker said. "Every time he scored at the beginning of the game, he hit 3s because people were helping off him. He would just spot up and shoot. My main thing was just to stay on him and don't help off anybody."