Gary Williams’ customary fist pump had something extra behind it on Saturday night.
The embattled coach who is known for using pessimism as a motivator threw all his weight into his right fist, sparking raucous applause from the student section as he led his team on to the court at Comcast Center.
When: Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Where: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.
TV/Radio: WNUV/105.7 FM or DC: WDCA/106.7 FM
“The energy it gave us, it was unbelievable,” junior guard Greivis Vasquez said. “That got me fired up. Plus, besides basketball, he’s a great person. The fact that he’s my coach, my friend, my father, he’s always got my support. It’s amazing. It’s such a privilege for me to have that type of coach.”
Vasquez and the Terrapins made sure the applause continued by winning for just the second time in six games with a 73-68 victory over Miami.
Williams, whose job security was brought into question last week with a public display of disconnect with the athletic department, refused to let headlines and Internet message boards impact preparations against the Hurricanes, who defeated Maryland (14-7 overall, 3-4 ACC) last month.
“I just told them I was going to coach like I always coach,” Williams said. “I’ve done this too long to let anything effect the way I coach. I made them promise that they would practice the same way.”
After the game, Williams used the success of his previous teams to show his current group that by working through tough stretches, they can attain greatness.
“He went back in the past with the teams that he had, and they went through the same struggles,” freshman guard Sean Mosley said. “They still were successful, making the Sweet 16 and winning a national championship. He said we have to take it one game at a time and just keep working.”
Not only did the win boost Maryland’s morale, it came at a critical time. The Terrapins needed to move back toward .500 with a critical stretch of games ahead, beginning on Tuesday, with a visit to fifth-ranked North Carolina (19-2, 5-2). The Terrapins upset North Carolina in Chapel Hill last year.
“It’s a huge relief,” Maryland senior forward Dave Neal said. “The atmosphere in here after a loss is brutal. On Saturday, it was alive, it’s happy. When you’re at home, you have to get those wins. I think it’s only the second time we beat Miami since they’ve come into the ACC. This is a great win for us, and now we’ve got memories, flashbacks of last year in Chapel Hill. Now we’ve got momentum, and we’re going to go down there, play hard, and hopefully have the same outcome as last year.”
