Ready? Set? No.

A day before the Terrapins men's basketball team opened its season with an exhibition Nov. 4 against Northwood, first-year coach Mark Turgeon made a candid admission rarely uttered by a coach.

"We're nowhere near ready for a game," Turgeon said, "but we're going to play one anyway."

The Terps snuck past Northwood that night, and though they played better in a season-opening win over UNC-Wilmington on Sunday, Turgeon's sentiment remains.

Because when the Terps take the court against No. 16 Alabama tonight in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, it's important that Terps fans temper any expectations they may have.

Quite frankly, the Terps are probably going to get smacked around tonight. Alabama is noticeably better across the board, and with a Terps offense that has struggled to find any rhythm — especially against the zone — to this point, it's unlikely the Terps will be able to pull off an upset in Turgeon's first true test. It probably won't even be close.

With two more games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Friday and Sunday, the Terps could very easily return back home with a sour taste in their mouths.

"This is going to be hard on us," Turgeon said. "We're going to play four games in eight days. It's not very smart scheduling on our part."

The important thing about tonight and this weekend, though, is not the result. These games give the Terps a chance to see just how far they still need to go before they enter their conference slate in January.

It should also give Terps fans a chance to ponder what the future might bring. It's obvious at this point that Turgeon demands defensive effort — likely the root of his decision not to start lauded guard Terrell Stoglin in the team's season-opener — and these Terps, in particular, already seem to have bought into a defense-first mantra.

It's also an important step for talented freshman guard Nick Faust, who will get his first opportunity against an elite opponent.

So if you're watching tonight, don't let it frustrate you. The Terps aren't there yet. Not even close. They'll have just eight scholarship players in uniform for the foreseeable future.

Turgeon's going to turn things around, though. A future with Faust, Stoglin, unavailable sophomore guard Pe'Shon Howard (injury) and freshman center Alex Len (suspension) and a loaded 2012 recruiting class is a bright one.

It would be a storybook start to Turgeon's tenure in College Park if he can lead the Terps to a signature win over the Crimson Tide in Puerto Rico.

But even if the Terps get throttled by Alabama and slog though the rest of the tournament, though, this weekend should be considered nothing more than a building block.

Win or lose, this game is about a lot more.

"You get better in games like that," Turgeon said. "Sometimes it takes games to get better, and [with] three games in four days, I expect us to improve a tremendous amount down in Puerto Rico. I can't promise results, but we're going to get a lot better."

Take that to heart today, because better days are on the horizon.

They're just not here yet.

cwalsh@umdbk.com