Former Maryland head coach Gary Williams picks Terps to reach Final Four

On Tuesday this week, former Maryland head coach and Hall of Famer Gary Williams was on ESPN 980's "The Drive" show, talking about the NCAA Tournament, his former team, and made his Final Four selections.

When Williams was asked about his thoughts on the Selection committee this year, Williams said:

"They should have turned their televisions on and watched some of the games in the conference tournaments."

After a lot of laughter, Williams continued:

"You know, the makeup of the committee is interesting. It's not many basketball people on the committee. And I mean, there's administrators, athletic directors that have no basketball background on that committee. You've got to get more basketball people on that committee because some of the decisions this year, just looking at it, forget the analytics and all that, just looking at it, you know the eye test, didn't make much sense."

When asked about Maryand's seeding, Willams said "I thought they definitely could have been a four. Five is okay, it's okay."

Williams was also asked about Maryland's inconsistent rebounding:

"Well, two things really. When the ball goes into the post, say Diamond Stone posts up, he gets the ball, too many guys stand on the three point line. You've got to attack the rim before Diamond Stone makes his move, because that moves the defense, first of all, where it's not as easy to double team, because you have to cover those guys. And then if Diamond Stone does take the shot right there, you're at the rim already as he shoots the ball and you kind of anticipate where it's coming off. And so I think that's important."

"The more you get the ball inside, the closer the ball comes off the rim when you miss a shot. If you take a three and miss, that ball is coming out 10 feet most of the time, there's no offensive rebound there where you can put it back in. If you get a power move going, and even if the player misses it, you know it's easy to tap that thing back in. I think we can do that, we're very capable of doing that. And that's not something that's a radical change. That's just being active, moving more, you know, all those things."

About Maryland's bracket:

"Well, I kind of like their bracket. There's no perfect situation, there never is. But you know that first game, they get to play, when you're a pretty high seed like a five and then you play a 12, that's the danger game. A lot of times that danger is because you don't know that team and you can't convince your players that those guys are good. Well Mayland saw that team play two games, so I like that., you know, that they've already seen South Dakota State play."

When asked about Maryland's chances:

"So, once again given that Maryland will play at a defensive level like they did against Michigan State and relax a little bit offensively, make the shots that they should make, I can see Maryland playing with Kansas. I don't see that as, in my mind and I'm bias, I admit it, but I don't see that as a major upset if Maryland would win that game. I think people forget that, I believe they won 25 games this year, there's a reason for that."

"Maryland got a lot of preseason attention. And as soon as you don't live up to that,  you know, there 's got to be something wrong. There's nothing wrong. It can be corrected just in terms of showing up.  If you can't show up for an NCAA Tournament game, then you deserve to lose. You go home. Because the other team is going to show up in most cases"

What is ailing Maryland:

"So what's wrong? I think, you hate to pin it on one guy, but let's get back Czabe, what you said about backcourts,Melo Trimble has got to play and if he is what he's suppose to be, this NBA First round pick and all of that, you want that responsibility as a guard. And in other words, I guarantee you Parante at Virginia, he wants that responsibility, to run that team and do eveything eith the team. AndI think if Melo is just is a point guard, in other words is not worried about anything else except who's open, you know, can I get him the ball. Oh, okay everyone is sagged on Diamond Stone, now I'm open, I'll just shoot it. And that's how he was so good last year. He just did whatever was there. And SO you hate to pin it on one guy, but it's really important that a point guard plays well in the NCAA Tournament."

His Final Four selection from the South:

"Well, I'm going to go with Maryland. Oh Yes I am. I'm a homer, I don't care. 2002, 2016, it's time. It's time, Al. I really like the idea of them going West, getting out of here. You know, getting away from all these people that said what's wrong, how come you're not playing up to your level, you know. You shut all of that down, you get out there, you just have a good time those first couple of times. And then you go to Louisville and you get Kansas. And Louisville is close enough for a lot of the Terp Nation to get to Louisville, You know so if we can get through the first weekend, here we go."

What does Maryland need to do to be successful in the NCAAT?

"Well, you never like to do this as a coach, but you put it on your point guard; Melo Trimble has to play well. And he should really want that on him because if you're going to be a point guard in the NBA, then you have to be a Chris Paul, you have to be able to play at that level, you know, to be an effective point guard when you're that size.

"I guarantee you if Melo plays well, the Terps will play great, they really will." - Hall of Fame coach Gary Williams.

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