Maryland's Season Ends At The Hands Of Kansas

I didn’t see any MJ crying memes when I started writing this blog, kinda disappointing, but then again, that’s the theme of the Maryland basketball season, disappointment. Ranked in the top 5 for the majority of the season, but never even got close to playing up to their potential. Melo lost his shot halfway through the year, Diamond Stone showed huge flashes at time but was still an 18 year old freshman, Layman came on huge in the tournament after coasting most of the season, Sheed is awesome but also had bad stretches, and RCJ was very swingy, to say the least. Losing Wiley in the preseason stung, as their guard depth was very weak to say the least. The combination of not being able to play cohesively as a team for a full 40 minutes, questionable in-game coaching from Turgeon, lack of depth, and poor redounding ultimately did Maryland in. Yes, this team was packed with talent. Yes, they still made the Sweet 16, a place 99% of colleges would die to make. But this year had such high expectations. It really was Final 4 or Bust from the get-go, and they didn’t get it done. I love making Sweet 16s, don’t get me wrong. But this much talent should have been better. They never should have lost to Minnesota or Michigan. Never should have been blown out by Indiana.

The team just wasn’t the team we needed them to be, and it would be okay if the true stinger wasn’t the fact that Stone is likely going to the NBA, Layman and Sheed are graduating and going to the NBA,  and Robert Carter and Melo will test the NBA Draft waters. There’s a true chance none of the 5 starters will be back next year. That’s the true blower. That’s why this season was so important. That’s why despite going to the Sweet 16, we really needed more.

But hey, at least we still have the Caps.

 

PS: How did this Melo free throw not go in?