Maryland men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon rarely looked up from the podium during his press conference after his team’s 83-69 disaster against Iowa on Saturday.
Perhaps the final statistics resting on the podium were really interesting. Or Turgeon had a stiff neck and couldn’t stand up straight. Probably not, though.
It’s more likely the Terps’ third straight loss had taken such a toll on the sixth-year leader that it hurt to make eye contact with reporters as he answered questions about shooting slumps and defensive shortcomings and rebounding woes and his players’ spiraling confidence.
“Everybody in here has got to have more positive energy moving forward,” Turgeon said of his message to the team after its fifth defeat in seven tries. “Starting with me all the way down to our last manager. So, if we do that, we’ll be fine. We’ve proven we can win, and we just haven’t done it this last week.”
The on-court mishaps came in the form of 11-for-34 shooting from three-point range. They allowed two Hawkeyes freshmen to surpass 20 points.
With each of Maryland’s errant attempts and Iowa’s ensuing swishes, memories of the eight-point win on the Hawkeyes’ court on Jan. 19 — plus the swagger, pomp and success the Terps’ January road tear created — seemed more and more distant.
Maybe those happier times were what Turgeon was searching for while he struggled to pull his gaze away from the ground.
Guad Melo Trimble: D
If the junior is going to hoist nine three-point tries, he needs to make more than one. He managed 10 points, five rebounds and four assists, but the production didn’t amend his three turnovers and poor defensive showing. Maryland ending its slide before the postseason starts in two contests starts with Trimble channeling more of the Big-Ten-Player-of-the-Week vibes he touted last week and less of the inconsistency he’s shown since returning home.
Guard Kevin Huerter: B
With about 11 minutes left in the first half, the rookie stole the ball and took off down the court. He crossed through the paint and slammed a one-handed dunk to the roar of the flash-mob-ready student section. It highlighted Huerter’s productive day: He totaled a team-high 13 points to complement four boards and five feeds. Perhaps more important than his on-court flash was the poise he showed after the game, maintaining the team hadn’t lost its morale or fortitude despite the skid.
Guard Anthony Cowan: B-
Of the Terps who lofted at least four attempts, Cowan had the highest shooting percentage. He finished 4-for-6 for 10 points in his most efficient outing in recent weeks. But his defensive performance didn’t match. He shadowed Iowa guard Jordan Bohannon for most of the evening and allowed him to score 24 points, including eight of 10 three-pointers. While Cowan’s future foes aren’t likely to feature such a rhythm from deep, it’s paramount the freshman, the Terps’ top defender, shore up his defending entering a must-win stretch.
Forward Justin Jackson: C-
Jackson had eight points and converted each of his long balls with about seven minutes left in the opening period. He recorded one point during the final 26 minutes. The Terps’ need Jackson’s scoring prowess with few offensive options in the frontcourt, and his disappearance commenced as Iowa began to widen its advantage. Perhaps the Terps could’ve kept pace if Jackson’s other contributions shined as they did when he had nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks and six steals in the teams’ first meeting. Instead, he had two dimes, four boards, a steal and four turnovers in the defeat.
Forward Damonte Dodd: C
Two minutes into the game, Dodd had two blocks. Then, the Terps’ inside presence fizzled. Dodd collected four of Maryland’s six offensive rebounds, but he and the other big men failed to stop the Hawkeyes, who totaled 30 second-chance points, in the paint. The senior battled foul trouble throughout the contest, often abandoning the Terps with no answer at center.
