Five games to go. Three wins are probably needed to make the NCAA Tournament. Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez doesn’t want a dirty split to make it to the postseason, though. He’s thinking five more wins beginning tonight versus Virginia Tech at Comcast Center.
“I don’t want to just win three games to make it,” Vasquez said. “We’re not trying to win 20 games when we can win 25 [including the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament].”
The Terrapins (17-9, 7-4 ACC) have been one of the nation’s hotter teams after an excruciating 6-6 start. Aside a pair of losses to Duke, Maryland has won its last eight games to reach a tie for third in the ACC. It’s hard to believe after consecutive losses to Ohio and American in December.
Vasquez’s turnaround has been paramount to the Terps’ resurgence. The sophomore leads Maryland with 17.9 points per game — fourth in the ACC — and 6.8 assists. He has scored at least 20 points in five of the last eight games to fuel the offense.
The Terps are more than just Vasquez, but the real truth is they’re nowhere without him.
“I recognize that I have a lot of responsibility,” he said. “I think about that every night. I know the team’s going to go the way I go.”
Vasquez can be maddening. He turns the ball over too often, including eight in the last outing. Vasquez watches tape and wonders who that crazy guy on the court is only to notice his own number. Then again, he can slice through a zone and throw in a seemingly impossible shot. The groans turn to cheers quite often.
“I just have to calm down sometimes,” Vasquez said. “Some people don’t trust me. Some people question me. At the end … I don’t care what anybody says. I know what I’m capable of.”
Coach Gary Williams knows what Vasquez is capable of, too. The Venezuelan is so competitive he wants to play in the daily late-practice scrimmages meant for reserves who need conditioning. Vasquez has missed only 11 minutes in the last four games combined. Williams wants the guard to rest during practice, but the latter simply won’t relax.
“He lives the game,” Williams said. “He shows it when he plays.”
That urgency to excell is sometimes painful. The turnovers could be trimmed by making one more pass, waiting one more moment. That will come with time for Vasquez.
“I think he tries some very difficult plays,” Williams said. “He’s learning to sometimes pass to the next guy.”
Taking the final five games is doable. After all, winning at then-No. 1 North Carolina last month means Maryland won’t be intimidated by Virginia Tech, Miami, Wake Forest, Clemson and Virginia. Only Clemson (7-4) and Wake Forest (6-5) have winning conference marks.
It just requires a little more patience, one more extra pass. Vasquez says he’s ready. The last month agrees.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
