The Maryland men?s basketball team might want to take a lesson from the second installment of the Mad Max film series since it will be forced into a “road warrior” role over the next five games.
The Terps (15-3 overall, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) play at Virginia (9-6, 1-2) tonight before heading to Virginia Tech Sunday. Maryland returns home Jan. 24 against Georgia Tech but hits the road again for games at Florida State (Jan. 30) and Wake Forest (Feb. 3).
The road trip, spread out over two-and-a-half weeks, is an arduous one, but it will be a learning experience for the younger players, according to senior forward Ekene Ibekwe.
“They are really going to see how it is on the road in the ACC,” Ibekwe said. “They got a little taste against Boston College [Dec. 10].”
Ibekwe expects freshmen like Eric Hayes and Greivis Vasquez and transfer Bambale Osby will make some mistakes, but, as a senior, he plans to step in and help.
“As seniors and juniors, we have to let them know we have got their back.,” Ibekwe said. “We have only got each other, and that is what we have got to think.”
Playing in front of a rowdy crowd at Illinois earlier this season, Maryland got a peek at what to expect playing in an opposing ACC arena.
“It was hostile. The fans were all jumping and stuff, and it was a good environment for [the freshmen] to be a part of early in the season,” Ibekwe said.
Playing in those types of situations is what coach Gary Williams believes is forming a solid foundation for the team?s future with Hayes and Vasquez.
“They are gaining the confidence you gain by doing something,” Williams said. “It is one thing to talk about doing something. They have established themselves that they can play.”
In his 18th year as the Terps? coach, Williams knows that the focus should not be on the four upcoming road games, but on the immediate task: Beating Virginia.
“Too many young people now are always thinking about what is next instead of today,” Williams said. “We are practicing to play Virginia on the road. I am worried about Virginia. You don?t look past one game.”
