Thursday, October 17, 2002
College Basketball Notebook
Maryland, Williams work on extension
The Associated Press
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Gary Williams, who guided Maryland to its first national basketball championship in April, may soon have another cause for celebration.
Maryland and representatives for the Terrapins' coach are moving closer to an agreement on a contract extension and pay raise for Williams, who is already signed through the 2007-08 season.
Williams signed a seven-year extension in May 2001, shortly after taking the Terrapins to their first Final Four appearance. The current pact pays him $1 million a year plus incentives.
Maryland athletic director Debbie Yow, while declining to discuss specifics of the new deal, said it would include an extension and a significant increase in total compensation.
“Certainly, we want to do something to recognize the spectacular job Gary did in 2002,” Yow said. “Gary belongs at Maryland until he chooses to retire. That is our goal.”
Williams, 57, is entering his 14th season at Maryland. He is the first coach since 1974 to guide his alma mater to a national title, and the only active coach to take his alma mater to consecutive Final Four appearances.
He has a record of 274-143 at Maryland and has taken the Terrapins to the NCAA tournament in nine straight seasons.
ARIZONA: With everybody back, and an outstanding group of freshmen, this Arizona team might be coach Lute Olson's best.
The Wildcats are so deep in talent, that Olson plans to do something he's always wanted to do in his three decades as a major college basketball coach - clamp on a pressing defense for every minute of every game.
“We've never had the depth of athleticism that we have on this team,” the 68-year-old coach said at the team's media day.
There is the leadership of seniors Luke Walton, Jason Gardner and Rick Anderson. Five sophomores who filled big roles last year return - Channing Frye, Salim Stoudamire, Isaiah Fox, Dennis Latimore and Will Bynum. And there are four of the country's top freshmen - Hassan Adams, Andre Iguodala, Chris Rodgers and Chris Dunn.
“I think our teams have always been fun to watch, but this year we'll try to create even more havoc on the defensive end of the court,” Olson said. “I think we go deep enough that we can do that at every position.”
OHIO STATE: For the first time in his five years as Buckeyes coach, Jim O'Brien believes his team has the weapons to overpower people underneath the basket.
Or is it that the Buckeyes just don't have as many weapons outside?
“Our frontcourt is going to be better than it was a year ago,” O'Brien said on the eve of preseason workouts last week. “But the question mark has got to be on the perimeter.”
Gone is Brian Brown, the heart and soul of the Buckeyes for the past four years. Physical swingman Boban Savovic also graduated, along with big men Tim Martin and Will Dudley.
Their absence spotlights sophomore Terence Dials as the Buckeyes' go-to guy. The 6-foot-9, 250-pounder had a superlative year as a freshman, supplying points, rebounds and muscle underneath.
A year older and stronger, Dials will be one of the Buckeyes' first options on offense.
“I'm a lot more confident,” he said. “I've worked on all my low post moves to be a more effective scorer and I think I got that accomplished.”
Joining Dials up front is three-year starter Zach Williams, dependable on defense, on the boards.
“I worked on my game this summer and got comfortable at around 15 feet,” he said. “With the confidence that that throws me, it should give me my chances.”
It's not as if the Buckeyes (24-8, 11-5 Big Ten) don't have anyone to turn to other than Dials and Williams.
Swapping the point- and shooting-guard spots with Brown, Brent Darby scored 12.8 points a game to lead all returning scorers. He'll likely be paired with 3-point shooter Sean Connolly and Brandon Fuss-Cheatham (who shot 22 percent from the field as a freshman) in the Buckeyes' three-guard rotation.
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College Basketball Notebook: Maryland, Williams work on extension