Rebuilding Terps, Yellow Jackets have improved lately Maryland and Georgia Tech entered this season with new coaches who accepted rebuilding jobs and low expectations, at least in their first year. Two months later, both programs appear ahead of schedule.
When the teams meet Sunday afternoon, they will try to keep their positive momentum going. Mark Turgeon’s Terrapins (11-4, 1-1 ACC) have won eight of their last nine, fueled in part by the addition of center Alex Len (suspension) and point guard Pe’Shon Howard (broken foot).
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The improved play of Brian Gregory’s Yellow Jackets (8-8, 1-1) has coincided with the start of conference play. Georgia Tech made Duke sweat in an 81-74 loss at home. Then on the road Wednesday, Georgia Tech toppled N.C. State 82-71, a team the Terps lost to in Raleigh a week ago.
“I think it’s great for us that they beat North Carolina State because that gets my guys’ attention,” Turgeon said. “We were down 14. They had North Carolina State down by 14.”
The catalysts for the Georgia Tech surge have been junior guards Glen Rice Jr., who has hit 17 of 27 shots and averaged 25 points the last two games, and Mfon Udofia, who has hit 11 of 17 shots and averaged 18 points. The duo has connected on 12 of 19 shots from beyond the arc.
Maryland counters with improved perimeter defense. Howard had much to do with limiting Wake Forest’s top scorer entering the game, C.J. Harris, to 10 points in a win Wednesday, and likely will guard Udofia. Nick Faust, a 6-foot-6 freshman, and Mychal Parker, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, have provided length on the outside. Expect to see them take turns on Rice.
“I tell those two all the time they can be great defensively because of their length,” Turgeon said. “They get through screens. They’re fast, and they have good feet. I feel very confident when they’re guarding guys as long as they’re making good decisions.”
Since Georgia Tech went to the national championship game in 2003-04, Maryland has beaten the Yellow Jackets five straight times at Comcast Center and 10 of the last 11 overall.
