For men's basketball, it’s then and now

The Terrapin men's basketball team doesn't want to be reminded of the last time it faced Boston College, when it fell apart in the final three minutes and handed away a game at home Dec. 12.

If nationally ranked Pittsburgh and Illinois hadn't already done so, the Eagles exposed the Terps' inexperience and inability to close tight games, two weaknesses that have plagued the team all year.

Now, as winners of five of their past six games, the Terps (16-8, 5-4 ACC) are ready to show just how far they've come since that early conference defeat with tomorrow's rematch in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

For the Terps, the game is not only a shot at redemption but also a crucial conference tilt that could loom large as the ACC's bubble teams jostle for postseason berths later this season.

"It's a huge game," forward Dino Gregory said. "Both of us are fighting for an NCAA spot. It's going to be a tough game for us."

The Terps are a half-game ahead of the Eagles (15-9, 5-5) entering tomorrow's contest and tied for fifth with Virginia Tech in the conference. Another loss tomorrow would further imperil their hopes of finishing fifth in the league, the benchmark coach Gary Williams said the Terps would need to reach the NCAA Tournament for a third straight year.

"We know it's not going to be a cakewalk," guard Sean Mosley said. "It's going to be tough competition. Everyone needs to give 110 percent effort."

When the Eagles arrived in College Park in early December, they faced an obviously disjointed Terp squad. The introduction of six newcomers and the departure of three starters caused early-season headaches for Williams.

The team, he knew, just needed time. But starting conference play nearly a month earlier than last year didn't afford him much at all.

Since the loss, Williams has tinkered with his starting lineup on a weekly basis, turning to freshman point guards Terrell Stoglin and Pe'Shon Howard while moving guard Adrian Bowie to the wing position and guard Cliff Tucker to the bench.

Each has found a niche role on a steadily improving team. Howard runs the offense, Stoglin can stroke the 3-pointer, Bowie has found new openings to drive and Tucker has quietly become the team's second-leading scorer off the bench.

Add in the recent emergence of freshman forward Haukur Palsson, who has scored a combined 22 points in his past two games, and the Terps sport a much different and more experienced rotation than two months ago.

"Back then, we were a totally different team," Gregory said. "We were really young and a lot of guys have really matured [since]. ... Everyone is playing well together."

While the Terps have shown a renewed focus in distributing the ball and finding the open man, they've also hit their shots. They hit a season-high 10 3-pointers against Longwood while sinking about 73 percent of their free throws in the past three games.

In the second half of their last meeting with Boston College, the Terps missed all four of their free throws and all six of their 3-pointers.

"We are trying to get on a roll now," Palsson said. "It's always good to keep improving this time of the season. We feel like we're going in the right direction."

But the past few weeks haven't been as kind to the Eagles, who have dropped four of their past five games. Their recent struggles — and the Terps' 3-1 road record this season — are encouraging signs for Williams, who knows the path back to the NCAA Tournament gets much more treacherous with a loss.

"We just hope we can come out and win," Stoglin said. "It will make or break us."

ceckard@umdbk.com