Maryland still looking for right mix in backcourt with Minnesota on deck
The absence of starting point guard Eric Ayala, who was sidelined for a couple of games due to a groin injury, seemed to lead to a revelation of sorts for Maryland and head coach Mark Turgeon: Hakim Hart is proving to be more than capable of being the Terps’ primary ball handler.
Starting at the point in the Terps’ upset win at Illinois, Hart scored nine points, pulled down five rebounds and dished out a pair of assists. The following game versus Wingate, Hart scored 11 points while dishing out a career-high six assists in 23 minutes of action, mostly at lead guard.
With Ayala, the Terps’ leading scorer, back in the lineup last time out versus Michigan, Hart struggled, scoring just four points, his lowest total since a four-point outing Christmas Day versus Purdue.
Splitting time both on and off the ball is nothing new for Ayala, but this season has felt different than previous years.
“When Hakim is in the game, Eric will be off the ball. Not entirely, but most of the time,” said Turgeon. “When Hakim’s out, Eric will be on the ball. I think that’s kind of what we’ve done in the past with Anthony [Cowan] and we did it with Melo [Trimble] as he got older and now we’re doing it with Eric.
“Everyone is getting a little more comfortable, that was the first game back for Eric. He scored the ball well. I think everybody is getting more comfortable with what we are doing. We’ve actually been doing this for five or six games before he got hurt. We feel like this gives us the best chance.
“Now we want Hakim to get shots, too. Hakim’s a good shooter, he’s 40 percent from three. So we’re trying to get him more shots in the game too and he’s got to be a little more aggressive with his shots. But that’s where we are.”
Having had the chance to watch Hart from the sideline for a couple of games, Ayala was impressed with his ability to play the point.
“More so than anything, just not turning the ball over and how comfortable he looked,” Ayala said of Hart. “He didn’t look rattled and he stayed composed, for his size, I think that’s a unique spot for him, being as tall as he is. His eye for the game is special. He can see the game from different levels and I trust him a lot with the ball in his hands.”
The key moving forward will be how well Ayala and Hart are able to play along side one another. The hope is that it can free up Ayala to possibly score more while also helping Hart get more involved.
"I don't know yet, because he scored better at the point the other night and didn't score as much at the two," Turgeon said when asked if the move is helping Ayala offensively. "I think in time, yes. Right now, we're still a work in process."
Defensively, the Terps will have their hands full Saturday with Minnesota leading scorer Marcus Carr, as well as 7-footer Liam Robbins.
Robbins in particular could prove to be a major problem for the Terps. He is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per game, while he leads the team in rebounding (7.3 rpg). But perhaps most impressive about Robbins is his ability to shoot from beyond the arc as he has made more than 40 percent of his attempts from long range.
“What makes it difficult is Marcus Carr coming off those ball screens,” Turgeon said. “We’re going to have to mix our defenses and our coverages and all that kind of stuff as the game goes on. He’s good on the low block, too. He’s so long and so big. He’s a heck of a player, I can’t imagine how good he was at Drake. He’s a tough matchup. He reminds me of the Wisconsin guys with Reuvers and Potter who can pick and pop. So we’ll see, but I think we’ll have to change our coverages as the game goes along and hopefully that will help us keep them a little bit off balance and we’ll be able to get to them from the three-point line.
The Terps and Golden Gophers are set to tip-off in Minneapolis at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on BTN and broadcast on the Maryland Sports Radio Network.