Terrapins must contend with Cougars’ fast pace
When he coached at Texas, Tom Penders coined his team’s frantic style “chuck-and-duck.” The same applies two decades later now that he’s with Houston.
And that’s what could make the 13th-seeded Cougars quite a challenge for fourth-seeded Maryland in a Midwest Region first-round game Friday night. The Terrapins (23-8) love to run, but Houston (19-15) never stops.
Maryland coach Gary Williams scoffed at the notion the winner would break triple digits but did say the Terps would not try to slow it down against the surprise Conference USA champs.
“Oh, yeah, we’ll play,” Williams said. “They’re a team that really shoots the 3, likes to run, very aggressive when they get a rebound and a little different lineup than we’re used to seeing. They play four guards much of the time.”
There won’t be any need to turn on the 35-second clock Friday night in Spokane, Wash. Houston shoots quickly and often, ranking 10th in the NCAA in 3-point attempts (794) and eighth in 3-pointers made (283).
“[Penders’] players play with a great deal of freedom. If they’re open, they’re supposed to shoot the basketball,” Williams said. “They have five or six guys who can take 3s.”
Possessions don’t last long for Houston’s opponents, either. The Cougars apply pressure and gamble for steals. Houston ranks first in the NCAA in turnover margin (plus-7.8) and No. 8 in steals (9.5).
With risk, however, comes reward. Dealing successfully with the Cougars’ pressure can result in layups. With little inside presence, Houston ranked No. 303 (out of 334 teams) in the NCAA in field goal defense at 46.0 percent.
“We’re playing as hard as we can in practice, so our conditioning will be at its best going into Friday’s game,” Maryland senior Eric Hayes said earlier this week. “We’re gonna have to bring our own energy and get each other going.”
Maryland will be mindful of Houston senior guard Aubrey Coleman (25.6 ppg), the nation’s leading scorer, but Williams stressed that all of the Cougars are threats in that offense.
“They put their best players on the floor regardless of position,” Williams said. “Houston’s a very difficult team to guard. You think of Coleman. You think of all the 3s that come from him. They don’t. They really come from five or six different guys, so [for us] it’s everybody playing good defense. It’s not stopping one guy. You have to stop a lot of their people.”
