While many hoops fans are still trying to wrap their head around the abrupt ending to the college basketball season, none have lost more than the players and coaches that were set to compete in the NCAA’s postseason.
Certainly a team like No. 12 Maryland (24-7, 14-6 Big Ten), which ended the regular season with a share of the Big Ten championship, had high hopes for March Madness. But chances of a Big Ten Tournament title and national championship were suddenly stripped away when cancellations were announced last week due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the United States and around the world.
In order to start the healing process and go over some logistical details moving forward, the Terps held a team meeting March 13, which head coach Mark Turgeon said “really helped us move on” during a conference call with reporters March 16.
“A lot of things have transpired since we got the news last Thursday. I think No. 1 we had a great team meeting and we were able to — I don’t know if it was a celebration, a funeral, or however you want to say what it was, but we all talked, we all laughed, we all cried,” Turgeon said. “I think it was kind of like a healing deal for us and it really helped us move on. So I think that was really important.”
Turgeon added that the meeting helped put into perspective the accomplishments the Terps achieved this season despite not getting to compete in the postseason. Accomplishments such as winning a share of the Big Ten title on the last day of the regular season, on senior day, in front of the home crowd in College Park.
“Because we had a good year, we were able to talk about a lot of the good things and then how it ended with us cutting down the nets on senior day. Really a perfect ending to what I thought was a terrific regular season. I think that was good,” Turgeon said. “What’s crazy is that it was a logistics meeting. So we were just going to talk about school, online classes, when you’re going home, when you’re coming back. It was more about that and then I just started talking about the season and the good times and then we went through every player and then every player spoke. It was more just like talking about what a great year it was, thanking guys for being great kids.
“Egos never got in the way, guys sacrificed. That’s why we were champions. And it’s funny, when I went through every player in the room, I realized why we won a championship. Everybody in the room did everything they could to help us be successful. Sometimes when you’re right in the middle of it you don’t see that. And then guys spoke. It was emotional for some guys, but it was also a lot of thank yous and this and that, and we had just as many smiles and laughs as we did tears. So it was really a great meeting and I think a lot of people were able to say things they wanted to say, thank people, and some guys are moving on. So it was much-needed and I don’t know if it could have gone any better. I think it helped all of us move on from something we’ve never had to move on from before. So I think it was really important. Even though it was really tough and is still really tough, it was a great meeting.”
Although last week’s team meeting provided a lot of good for Turgeon and his squad, he admitted that the way the season ended is still a hard pill to swallow while also acknowledging that the NCAA did the right thing.
“There’s still part of you like [Sunday] night at 6 o’clock, you’re waiting for the selection show, that was hard,” Turgeon said. “We know we had a really good team. We know that we could have maybe done some things. We could have lost in the first round. We could have advanced to a Final Four. Who knows? We’ll never know. That makes it hard, but I will say every day gets a little bit easier, and as you see this Coronavirus grow, you know that the NCAA made the right decision. It was tough at the time, but it was the right thing to do.”
Turgeon said the hardest part for him so far has been not getting to see his players on a regular basis. He has been doing his best to keep in touch with all of them through phone calls and texts, but he feels for his guys who are unable to workout or shoot at Maryland’s facilities.
“Guys aren’t used to not lifting, guys aren’t used to not getting in the gym and shooting and they’re going to have to do that. So it’s a unique time,” Turgeon said. “It is what it is. I just hope everything gets back to normal sooner than later. I think that’s the big key. But it’s different. There’s no doubt about it.”
Perhaps the second hardest thing for Turgeon to cope with during this time is not being around basketball himself. For someone who is used to constantly staying busy, Turgeon admitted the next few weeks are going to take some adjusting on his part, but he’s working on ways to keep himself busy while also improving the future of this team.
“I’m going to spend more time with my kids, obviously. They’re in the house — forced learning from home. So I think that’s important. But we have to continue to work,” Turgeon said. “I’m probably going to do some things Xs and Os wise for next season already or for the summer. You know, recruiting is a big deal and there are a lot of things within your program that you want to make better. Obviously, the practice gym is something that we’ve started, we’ve announced it, but we still have a lot of work to do. I washed my hands of it during the season, so I’m sure we’ve fallen behind because I’m one of those guys that’s pretty relentless when I have the time. So that will be something that I work on moving forward. But it’s a really unique time. It’s really strange.”
