Williams has become a perfect fit

Early in the first half of the Terrapin men's basketball team's 81-59 win over Miami last night at Comcast Center, Terp center Jordan Williams trapped Hurricane forward Dwayne Collins on the baseline near the basket.

Collins had picked up his dribble, and as guard Greivis Vasquez came over to double-team him, Williams ripped the ball from Collins' hands to force a jump ball.

It would have been an impressive play no matter who was involved, but Collins is an athletic, physical, 6-foot-8, 241-pound senior.

He is the Hurricanes' leading scorer and rebounder, and he is second among active players on the ACC's career rebounding list.

Williams, a freshman, didn't care.

While he didn't pile up eye-popping statistics in a game in which several other players did, Williams played another excellent game for the Terps.

He continues to develop quicker than anticipated, and he is exceeding the expectations that were set for him before the season.

The Terps are led by their seniors, but Williams is a major reason why the Terps are playing so well right now, and his teammates are taking notice.

"This is what I've wanted since I was a freshman," Vasquez said. "Not to be disrespectful to [Bambale Osby] or James [Gist] or any of those guys that I've played with, but I like Jordan a lot, to the point I feel he's my favorite."

Vasquez's favorite big man he's played with? Already?

"Yeah."

It's pretty easy to understand why.

A reporter asked coach Gary Williams on Monday if Jordan Williams is the best four-year back-to-the-basket center the Terps have had since Lonnie Baxter played on the Terps' National Championship team in 2002.

Gary Williams agreed that Jordan Williams probably is.

Jordan Williams is so effective because he can do a lot of things well, yet he still knows his role and doesn't try to do too much.

While thinking about some of the players he's coached since Baxter, Gary Williams spoke of post players who liked shooting too many threes, or tried handling the ball too much.

But Jordan Williams just wants to be a center.

He usually gets himself in the right position, he uses his body well and he sets screens or throws a nice outlet pass when the Terps need him to.

His simple presence in the paint makes things easier offensively for the Terps' guards and for forward Landon Milbourne.

The Hurricanes played a 2-3 zone for stretches last night, and Vasquez and Eric Hayes were among the guards who were able to shoot over it.

Milbourne was often the Terps' best inside scorer last year, even though he is really a swingman.

Jordan Williams has taken control of the paint and opened things up for Milbourne this year, and Milbourne has scored double-digit points from all over the floor in nine consecutive games.

"He attracts a lot of attention, and that's always good for myself," Milbourne said. "When you can get the ball in the post and you have a real good threat like him, it opens guys up on the wing."

Even more importantly for a team that is not lacking for scorers, Jordan Williams has now repeatedly shown he can battle defensively with some of the tougher big men in the ACC.  His role in limiting Collins to five points last night is a testament to that.

Having forward Dino Gregory back in the lineup and playing well has certainly helped the Terps down low, and forwardJames Padgett can play some occasional quality minutes, but Jordan Williams is clearly the Terps' best big man.

At his very worst, Jordan Williams is going to give the Terps everything he has and limit his freshman mistakes.

At his best, he just might embarrass somebody like Collins.
And that's why he's Vasquez's — and should soon be everybody else's — favorite.

schimmel@umdbk.com