It’s not exactly David and Goliath, but it’ll do.
The Maryland Terrapins square off against the Memphis Tigers, a team with 30-plus wins on its resume.
The Terps, a team that was viewed as underachievers for most of the season, has all of a sudden become the proverbial “dark horse” of the Big Dance. The Tigers, a team that lost last year’s national championship game in overtime, all of a sudden runs into a worthy opponent from the ACC.
Something’s gotta give.
THE MATCH UPS
Backcourt
Maryland’s guard play is the only reason that they’ve advanced into the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Greivis Vasquez is one of the better guards in the county, and many times he’s been hindered by a lack of talent surrounding him. However, Maryland is coming off of a victory in which they held the nation’s best three-point shooting team in check. Memphis’ Tyreke Evans and Antonio Anderson are very solid, however, with Eric Hayes and Cliff Tucker off the bench, Maryland is deeper at the position. EDGE- Maryland
Frontcourt
Plain and simple, Maryland doesn’t have Memphis’ type of size. With that being said, Memphis isn’t chock full of giants. Shawn Taggart and Robert Dozier makeup a solid tandem on the boards and will need to take advantage of Maryland’s small lineup. This is perhaps the key match up of the game, for it’s the only clear edge that Memphis has over Maryland. If the Tigers cannot create a severe mismatch, they’ll have a hard time winning the game. EDGE- Memphis
Bench
Both teams have some depth. Moreover, both teams have proved that they have the type of personnel that can step up in big situations. Maryland’s Cliff Tucker and Memphis’ Roburt Salley have both done their parts respectively. If there is an edge on either side, it would have to be Maryland’s Eric Hayes, who is a pure shooter and regularly sees starter-like minutes. However, Memphis has more size. EDGE- Even
Coaching
Two legends square off in this match up. Maryland’s Gary Williams and Memphis’ John Calipari are no strangers to one another. Calipari played the Terps several times when he coached at UMass. Don’t expect one to out-coach the other, both will be up for the challenge. EDGE- Even
Intangibles
It’s a mystery how the Terps made it to this point. In January, the Terps looked NIT bound. Today, they’re on the verge of an appearance in the Sweet 16. Memphis, a team with heightened expectations will take this opportunity one of two ways. The Tigers will either play with a big chip on their collective shoulders, or they will be flat. After surviving a first-round upset bid from Cal State Northridge, it’s probable that the Terps will not be able to sneak up on Memphis. But, still, Memphis is playing with everything to lose—conversely, Maryland has absolutely nothing to lose. The Terps would have the clear advantage here, but Greivis Vasquez's inability to wait to do his talking on the court could give Memphis bulletin board material. EDGE- Even
Memphis wins if… They can control the boards and limit Greivis Vasquez’s ability to make plays. In addition, if the Tigers can find a way to guard the perimeter, forcing Maryland to drive and post-up, the undersized Terps will struggle.
Maryland wins if… They can limit second-chance shots. In Maryland’s losses, the glaring statistic is typically the opposing team’s number of offensive rebounds. In addition, Greivis Vasquez will get plenty of defensive attention; Eric Hayes, who is a hot and cold shooter needs to be hot today.
Prediction
Maryland has the ability to pull big upsets. They’re battle-tested. Memphis isn’t. Moreover, they haven’t lost in three months. Maryland, a nine-point underdog, has its hands full, but simply matches up too well.
MARYLAND 66
MEMPHIS 61
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