Dec. 3, 2011
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Quotes from Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon in advance on Sunday's game against Notre Dame as part of the BB&T Classic.
On what adjustments they're making in practice:
"We've added some things and we continue to get better in practice. In practice we share the ball, we're screening better, we're executing better, our guys are making plays. You can see it coming. Defensively is probably where I've been the most disappointed because my teams guard, they always have; even my bad teams have guarded. It's hard for this team to improve three things on offense and three things on defense. It's almost like you have to choose one thing and try to get that done here and then choose one thing and try to get that done here. It might take a week with us, it might take a day depending on what it is. That's what I've learned working with them for six weeks or whatever it is. I have to handle it that way. I'm becoming a better coach for this team as I'm around them more and most coaches are like that.
"I believe in what we've been doing. I believe in our guys. No one is going to vote us No. 1; no one is going to vote us in the top 25 but I don't know why we can't just keep improving and getting better and I'm optimistic. Alex [Len] is practicing well and he's going to join us, gives us another body. There's a lot to look forward to with this season. I know Maryland basketball is thought of at a high level and 3-3 is not a high level. I know 19-14 is not a high level; no postseason is not a high level. I've never been at Maryland before; I've been at Kansas, I've been at Wichita State, I've been at Oregon. I've never been at Maryland. I know what they expect but I came in where we are.
"I'm proud of what we're doing. I would love to have beaten Illinois but we didn't play well enough. I'm proud of what we've started and we're getting better and I know we're on the right track. That's the way I view it. I don't view it as `it's a lost year for Maryland basketball.' I don't view it that way because it's not. It's a huge year for Maryland basketball. It's huge. Implementing everything we need to implement, being out recruiting, meeting the right people, it's just a huge year for us. I think we're doing a lot of things right. It may not show up in the win column but I think we're doing a lot of things right. We're developing great relationships with these players."
On how Notre Dame is different without Tim Abromaitis:
"They can play a smaller lineup. Mike [Brey] is a good coach so obviously he's trying different things. He played his backup point, from what I could see, who is 6-foot-7, at the four the other day. That kids not playing backup point he's playing the four, it might be the three it all depends on who you're talking to. He's got eight or nine good players still and he's just kind of mixing and matching them.
On if that makes it harder to prepare for them:
"No because it's been two games [since Abromaitis' injury]. I think they'll make changes between now and since they played Gonzaga because they've had four days. But I think they're going to play man-to-man, I think they're going to play zone, run their three-quarters court press. I think they're going to run a ball-screen offense and a motion. I don't think all that's going to change it's just what the guys do in the system. I don't see it changing. They might add a play or two but most teams do. You just have to adjust during the game. It doesn't hurt our preparation at all."
