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Kevin Willard, Jahmir Young made eye-opening comments after Maryland basketball's 65-53 loss to Indiana – 247Sports

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12 months ago

December 3, 2023

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A stone-faced Kevin Willard took questions for two minutes after Maryland basketball’s ugly 65-52 loss at Indiana on Friday night, most of them short, stock answers about the other team playing well and all. But one comment stood out.
“I just think right now we have one or two guys that are going into the game or that are in the game at some point that are really causing some major breakdowns. I gotta try to figure it out,” he said after his team dropped to 3-4, continuing to watch its high preseason hopes fade into the distance.
That wasn’t just an unusual comment by Willard, it was an unusual one from any coach, essentially saying one or two of his players are dragging down the team. It doesn’t require much detective work to gather that one could be Donta Scott, who shot 1 for 8 and suffered some of the same bad decisions that have become familiar. At one point, after a bunch of Indiana offensive rebounds, an angry Julian Reese screamed at him to box out.
It’s unclear who the other player might be — or if there is one — or what options he has to correct the issues. When you’re struggling as badly as Maryland, it’s never just one player. And the coach is also responsible for the team’s success or failures.
Jahmir Young’s post-game comment, though, also seemed to hint at an issue with some players’ effort.
“Individually, it’s there for some of us, but then some of us as a unit, it’s not coming together. So I’m not sure if it’s a lack of urgency. I’m not sure really what’s going on, but we have to turn that around quick,” he said, via the Washington Post.
Willard didn’t seem to like a question about why Maryland struggled to guard 7-foot center Kel’el Ware (18 points, 12 rebounds).
“He went 8 for 12,” he said, staring at the reporter.
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He was also asked about Maryland’s eight turnovers and 12 assists.
“We missed 14 threes. So that’s 14 possessions you don’t have an opportunity to get an assist,” he said.
On Maryland not being comfortable defensively against Ware: “I don’t think we were comfortable with anybody.”
Maryland was 2 for 16 from 3-point range, remaining last nationally among power conference teams from behind the arc. Was it Maryland’s shooting or Indiana’s defense?
“A little bit their defense. They’re a very good defensive team on the three-point shot,” he said. “Get back to work on Sunday. We’re off tomorrow, get back on Sunday … This is our second true road game. This is a must better environment than the last one we played at. “