Coach to make debut with Terps on Sunday It was only an exhibition game, but after Maryland’s 89-84 victory over Northwood (Fla.), there was no disguising the angst of Terrapins coach Mark Turgeon.
As he talked of his team’s performance, words flowed out in a stream of consciousness. Turgeon went beyond what questions were asked. Assessments of his players were frank, sometimes brutally so.
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“We don’t know how to win. … We’ve got so many holes. … We’re just not very good with the basketball. … Guys aren’t very good in decision-making. … Our turnovers were just ridiculous. … At some point, I was like, ‘I can’t help you guys. I can’t dribble for you. I can’t catch it for you.’?”
| Up Next |
| UNC Wilmington at Maryland |
| When » Sunday, 8 p.m. |
| Where » Comcast Center |
| Radio » 980 AM |
| UNCW of the CAA went 13-18 last year. Top scorer Chad Tomko has graduated, but five of the next six leading scorers return, including gifted wing Keith Rendleman (11.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg) and 7-foot junior Matt Wilson. Maryland has won both meetings. One of the Terps most dramatic NCAA tournament finishes was provided by Drew Nicholas when his desperation 3-pointer beat UNCW in the opening round in 2003. |
Turgeon also was just as quick to offer praise. But for a coach often portrayed as soft-spoken, it was clear that Turgeon has much more in common with his predecessor Gary Williams.
On Sunday night, when the Turgeon Era begins with a game at Comcast Center against UNC Wilmington, there will be no fanfare entrance, no fist pump to the crowd, no sweat-through-the-Armani fashion faux pas. But there will be plenty of Williams-like fire as Turgeon tries to coach-up his undermanned Terps.
“If you mess up more than once, he’s in you,” senior guard Sean Mosley said. “You see a different side of him.”
In one of Maryland’s first practices, Turgeon showed the Terps that other side.
“We were just doing fundamentals, coming off the inside foot. A lot of guys were coming off the outside foot,” Mosley said. “He just zapped out, I was like, wow. I didn’t know he had that deep down inside him.”
As a feisty point guard at the University of Kansas and later as an assistant, Turgeon learned at the feet of Larry Brown, one of the most demanding coaches in the sport. Even as a player — and at the expense of some friendships — Turgeon followed Brown’s lead to demand the most from his teammates.
“One of the things that’s made Mark so successful is that he doesn’t really care what people think of him,” said Ben Meseke, Turgeon’s coach at Hayden High in Wichita. “When it comes to basketball, winning is all that’s ever mattered to him.”
Consistent with his character is Turgeon’s preference for honesty, a trait not exactly bred by his profession. As tough as Williams was with his players, he was a zealous defender of them in public. Turgeon will not be so guarded. Consider it likely that Turgeon will create some angst both inside and outside the Maryland basketball community this year.
For instance, take this gem from Media Day last month: “My bigs aren’t as bad as everybody thought, and my guards aren’t as good as everyone thought.”
Turgeon’s honesty will eliminate some potential recruits, according to his brother, Jim, women’s basketball coach at Iowa Western Community College.
“I probably shouldn’t say this, but there are definitely some players that Mark won’t be able to recruit or won’t want to recruit,” Jim Turgeon said. “Mark can figure out pretty quickly whether he likes you or not. There’s never any gray area.”
But Turgeon’s honesty likely will win over others. So far, his approach has worked well on the recruiting trail. On signing day Wednesday, Turgeon landed three promising players, including Shaquille Cleare, a 6-foot-9 center from Houston, and Jake Layman, a 6-8 forward from Massachusetts, both four-star recruits (Rivals).
Turgeon probably wishes they could join the Terps immediately. Until 7-1 center Alex Len (eligibility issues) and point guard Pe’Shon Howard (broken foot) come back, Maryland will have to get by with seven scholarship players.
As bad as it might get for the Terps, especially if they encounter more injuries, one thing fans can count on from Turgeon — he will never candy-coat anything.
“He’s a straight-shooter,” sophomore guard Terrell Stoglin said. “Never any doubt what he’s thinking.”
