Williams helps Terps get even

With the sold-out Comcast Center already rocking, the Terrapin men's basketball team prepared for the opening tip of Wednesday's game against No. 4 Duke.

Before stepping into the midcourt circle, forward Landon Milbourne, about to play his final home game, took a moment to offer some encouraging words to freshman forward Jordan Williams.

The youngster, who struggled in a Feb. 13 blowout road loss against the Blue Devils, quickly assured the Terps' co-captain that he was fully prepared for a physical battle on the boards.

"I'm going to get them all tonight," Williams replied.

Williams didn't get all the rebounds in the Terps' 79-72 upset win. But he got enough, especially at key junctures, to help lift the Terps into a first-place tie atop the ACC.

Less than three weeks after being dominated by Duke's 7-foot-1 center Brian Zoubek, Williams responded with 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 34 minutes. The 6-foot-10 forward provided tough inside play, several key second half baskets — including a put-back with less than two minutes left that gave the Terps the lead for good — and a highlight reel moment when he dunked over ACC Player of the Year candidate guard Jon Scheyer.

On a night when the pregame attention was focused on the three senior stars, the freshman's effort helped the Terps earn a shot to at least share the ACC regular season crown with a win at Virginia in tomorrow's regular season finale.

"That's a courageous performance from Jordan," coach Gary Williams said afterward. "He really got schooled down at Duke. They have a way of doing that with their size and everything. I thought Jordan really learned from that game."

Throughout the season, Jordan Williams has continued to surprise with his rapid improvement while facing some of the ACC's top competition. The reigning ACC Rookie of the Week has turned in some of his best performances in some of the Terps' biggest games. Four of his six career double-doubles have come in ACC play and another came in an early season loss to No. 9 Villanova.

More importantly, Williams showcased an ability to adapt after being limited to just six points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes in the first meeting with the Blue Devils.

Williams limited Zoubek's put-back opportunities Wednesday as his team earned a 36-35 edge on the boards. The Terps were outrebounded 44-37 in their Feb. 13 loss when they allowed 20 second-chance points.

He even showcased his athleticism on the first-half transition dunk that excited the crowd and earned Williams a spot in SportsCenter's "Top 10" Thursday morning.

"You don't mind if [freshmen] get beat early in their career, but you want them to learn," Gary Williams said. "You don't want them to get beat the same way. And he came out tonight, and I think he was determined to show that he could play with Duke's big guys."

Although Jordan Williams was not available for comment after the game, Gary Williams said film study played a large role in his young big man's success.

The 21st-year coach said intangibles are allowing Jordan Williams to succeed and adapt his game to the speed and physicality of the ACC.

That competitive spirit was evident in his contributions down the stretch Wednesday.
Although he has shot only 51 percent from the foul line in his freshman season, Williams hit all five of his second-half free throw attempts in a back-and-forth game.

Williams also kick-started the Terps' game-closing 8-3 run by following a Sean Mosley miss with the go-ahead layup with 1:37 to go.

After playing his final game at Comcast Center, guard Greivis Vasquez, who has the third-most points in Terps' history, volunteered his bold prediction that Williams is headed for an even more decorated college career than his own.

While it's unnecessary to project that far ahead before his freshman season closes, Vasquez and the Terps continue to rely on Williams' present production.

"Jordan was a man tonight," Milbourne said. "He came out there and played like a beast. That's what we needed."

edetweiler@umdbk.com