Based on his scouting of GW, perhaps Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez has a future as an analyst when his career is done on the court.
The standout guard’s forecast of Sunday’s match-up proved prophetic in a 76-53 Terrapin victory that saw its outcome take shape early and hold steady through the final buzzer.
“I think our offense will kill them,” he told the Washington Post last week. “They are all over the place on defense. The way we pass the ball, I think we have a pretty good chance to beat these guys pretty bad.”
Maryland wasted no time backing up Vasquez’s words, asserting control via an unanswered trio of three-pointers to open up a nine-point lead in the game’s opening five minutes. The Terrapins swung the ball around the perimeter, taking their choice of open shots as GW defenders appeared to have trouble keeping pace with the ball movement.
Junior Damian Hollis broke Maryland’s run with a three of his own only to see Maryland’s Landon Milbourne return the favor and keep the momentum on his team’s side.
From there, GW was left playing a futile game of catch-up, having trouble establishing a rhythm on offense as Maryland built its lead to 19 heading into halftime. GW head coach Karl Hobbs employed multiple personnel looks throughout the game, bringing all three of the team’s seniors off the bench and giving junior Hermann Opoku the most extensive playing time – 23 minutes – of his collegiate career.
“We just felt we wanted to play guys who were working harder in practice,” Hobbs said. “Last year I probably had the most change in starting lineups of any team in the country and this year we may head toward that same direction.”
With junior Johnny Lee’s return from the wrist injury that had kept him out of the season’s first four contests, the Colonials were able to employ two point guards on the court simultaneously for much of the contest. But even with Lee providing an extra ball-handler in the rotation to flank freshman Tony Taylor and sophomore Travis King, GW tallied twice as many turnovers (16) as assists (eight).
“We’re just trying to prepare for the future,” Hobbs said. “We’ve got to get (King) and Tony (Taylor) playing together because that’s what I envision for the future.”
Hobbs stopped short of blaming rust after his team’s 10-day layoff since its last game, instead praising his opponent’s performance in the annual charity event.
“They are coming off a great win, they are a terrific basketball team and they also have great size and great physicality,” he said. “I think today’s game was a question of a team that really understood the importance of today’s game.”
The extended break between games was spent focusing on the team’s rebounding and free-throw shooting deficiencies, Hobbs said last week, but the familiar culprits showed themselves again. After beginning the game with a 15-3 advantage on the glass, GW ended the game in a rebounding deficit while converting just nine of their 16 attempts from the line.
GW will have five days to work out the kinks before their next game, a Dec. 13 home date with Harvard. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
