Defensive pressure fueling Terps in early season contests

The Terrapin men’s basketball team missed five shots and turned the ball over twice in Tuesday’s win against Fairfield before guard Eric Hayes finally connected on a 3-pointer almost three minutes into the game.

The good news was the basket gave the Terps a lead because on the other side of the court, the home team created turnovers on five of the Stags’ first six possessions.

The No. 25 Terps (2-0) barely let up that defensive intensity for most of the night against Fairfield. They caused 25 turnovers and held the Stags to 28.6 percent shooting to help overcome a slow offensive start in the 71-42 win. It was the fewest points allowed in a game by the Terps since Jan. 6, 2004, when they pounded Maryland-Eastern Shore, 87-38.

After two blowout wins to start the season, the Terp defense has emerged as one of the brightest spots in a short stretch full of shining performances.

“You expect your defense to be there every night,” coach Gary Williams said. “Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. But a night like this, when you don’t shoot it, it better be there.”

Fairfield (2-1) came out with a bigger starting lineup than it used in its first two games, hoping to capitalize on the Terps’ lack of frontcourt depth. But with the Stags unable to even get into their offense on their first few possessions because of the Terps’ active defense, Fairfield coach Ed Cooley quickly subbed in another ball-handler.

Without frontcourt players Dino Gregory (suspension), Jin Soo Choi (ankle injury) and Steve Goins (knee injury), the Terps wore down the Stags with their press. It was effective enough that they even matched up fairly well on the defensive end when Williams went with a four-guard lineup for short stints.

“I think the energy was good,” forward Landon Milbourne said. “We were moving a lot well, talking pretty well, and that’s just what you need when you press. You need to run the floor and get a little wild with it.”

Guard Sean Mosley, who has become known for his defensive presence in his short time in College Park, led the surge with seven rebounds and a game-high four steals. The defensive pressure turned into 21 points off turnovers and 10 fastbreak points, including Mosley’s steal and layup to beat the halftime buzzer to push the lead up to eight entering intermission.

Guard Adrian Bowie, who collected two of the team’s 12 steals, said the Terps came into the game thinking they could fluster Fairfield with defense because the MAAC visitors didn’t have “one true ball-handler.” The Stags’ starting backcourt — a pair of true freshmen — accounted for 10 turnovers.

Although the team’s defense is well ahead of its offense at this point in the season, the Terps have made sure it doesn’t matter. In two runaway wins against small-conference opponents, the Terps have allowed an average of 46.5 points per game and recorded 27 total steals.

Mosley said it’s just a continuation of the same defensive toughness that spurred last season’s late surge to the NCAA Tournament.

“I definitely think the defense is around like when we made the tournament last year,” Mosley said. “If we continue to play that way, it’s going to be tough for teams to beat us.”

edetweiler@umdbk.com