Defense, rebounds also worry new Terps coach There are some sore subjects these days with Maryland coach Mark Turgeon: defense, rebounding and, most of all, free throws.
The Terrapins are shooting 59.4 percent from the line, which ranks them 314th out of 345 teams in Division I. When asked about it Saturday, Turgeon dropped his head into the crook of his arm and said he wished no one had asked.
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“I think it’s a blip because we make them in practice,” Turgeon said. “We have good foul shooters.”
When Maryland (3-3) faces Notre Dame (5-3) on Sunday at Verizon Center, Turgeon hopes his shooters prove him right.
In Tuesday’s 71-62 loss to Illinois, foul shooting was the difference. While the Terps hit 15 of 25, the Illini made 18 of 20. To find a remedy, Turgeon has eliminated foul shooting drills from practice.
“Guys are still staying and doing [free throws],” Turgeon said. “But I’m just not talking about it.”
Another priority for the Terps on Sunday is rebounding. In the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, they were dominated on the boards 47-29 by Alabama and have been outrebounded in their last two games, even by lowly Florida Gulf Coast.
“Our rebounding is a joke,” Turgeon said.
Ashton Pankey (7.0 rebounds a game) leads the team, with James Padgett (5.8) next. Padgett has the unusual distinction of collecting 26 offensive rebounds and only nine defensive ones.
“It’s not really about height and strength,” Pankey said. “It’s about boxing out. [Turgeon] emphasizes that a lot. Whenever we don’t do it, he counts it, and we run sprints for that.”
Defense has been a priority for Turgeon since practice began Oct.?15. He has often questioned the Terps’ effort. But Turgeon said Saturday it’s an annual exercise for him and his teams.
“We could be 7-0, and I’d sit up here and say we’re not doing a lot of things right,” Turgeon said.
Opponents are hitting 45.3 percent of their shots, the worst mark in the ACC. One player Maryland will not have to defend Sunday is Notre Dame’s top scorer, forward Tim Abromaitis (14.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg), who is out for the year with a torn ACL.
“Defensively is probably where I’ve been the most disappointed,” Turgeon said. “My teams guard. They always have. Even my bad teams have guarded.”
On Sunday, the Terps hope to avenge their two BB&T losses to Notre Dame (2002, 2006) and improve their 14-11 record in the event. If so, they can help their coach get some rest.
“I ask them all the time, ‘Do you guys want to be good?’?” Turgeon said. “Cause I’m tired of not sleeping. If you don’t want to be good, then we’ll just enjoy the year. We’ll have a good time. We’ll practice for 30 minutes. We can go recruiting. I can have pizza with the family and all that stuff. And we won’t worry about this year. They keep telling me they want to be good.”
