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Washington Wizards vs. the Golden State Warriors men's basketball

Can Randy Wittman fix the broken Washington Wizards? - The Washington Post

The <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wizards/" title="www.washingtonpost.com">Washington Wizards</a> have 24 games remaining in the regular season, and they seem utterly incapable of winning any of them. Their strong start a distant memory, the Wizards are lost, and Coach Randy Wittman appears to be asleep at the wheel.

When a team that was on a fast track to joining the Eastern Conference's elite can't get anything right for months, the person in charge should come under the microscope. The debate about Wittman's job performance figures only to intensify after the Wizards flopped again in <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/2015/02/25/eac6dfd0-bd40-11e4-8668-4e7ba8439ca6_story.html" title="www.washingtonpost.com">Wednesday's 97-77 road loss to the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves</a>.

<a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/nba/playerstats.asp?id=5009&amp;team=" title="stats.washingtonpost.com">Bradley Beal</a> still is sidelined, <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/nba/playerstats.asp?id=3253" title="stats.washingtonpost.com">Paul Pierce</a> sat out because of an injury and the Wizards were playing for the second time in as many nights. Regardless, being embarrassed by the Timberwolves — they have the league's second-worst record — was another big setback for a franchise that was supposed to be way beyond this.

The Wizards have lost five straight and 10 of 12. After their 22-8 opening act, they’re 11-17 in their last 28 games. That’s a bad look.

Too often on offense, the Wizards fail to move the ball well. Defensively, Washington has been even worse. Watching opponents score on uncontested shots is not the best way to play.

What’s most disturbing, however, is that the Wizards have shown so little fight. The one-time scrappy bunch no longer displays a sense of urgency about, well, trying to win. Wittman has acknowledged the problem.

In the first game after the all-star break, the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/wizards-suffer-worst-loss-of-season-against-cavaliers/2015/02/20/a832c4aa-b94d-11e4-aa05-1ce812b3fdd2_story.html">Cleveland Cavaliers stomped the Wizards by 38</a>. With plenty of time to prepare for Cleveland, Washington appeared totally unprepared.

“We’ve lost that edge of nastiness that we played with,” Wittman said after the game. “We came out and felt, again, we’re going to warm our way into this. They had other ideas. They hit us in the mouth right from the jump ball and we couldn’t recover from it.”

One of the things I like about Wittman is that, throughout the Wizards’ arduous climb from laughable to respectable, he has mostly told it like it is. Wittman hasn’t revealed as much as Washington Redskins Coach Jay Gruden (who does?), but he speaks his mind. By criticizing the team’s approach after the Cleveland debacle, Wittman pointed the finger at himself.

Although the Cavaliers are surging — they’ve won 17 of 19 — it was inexcusable for the Wizards to be dismantled on their home court emerging from the break. They weren’t ready to play; that’s on Wittman.

The basketball lifer knows how it works: When things break, coaches must fix them. The Wizards are in pieces.

During an 82-game <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/nba/teamstats.asp?type=schedule&amp;teamno=27">schedule</a>, even good teams hit rough patches. The Wizards, however, aren't merely in a slump. When things go this long, this is who you are.

For the Wizards to get it back together, Wittman must consider a lineup shakeup. Roles need to be redefined. The return of <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wizards-insider/wp/2015/02/26/bradley-beal-hopes-to-play-friday-against-76ers/">Beal, who is expected back soon</a>, will give Wittman more lineup flexibility. And although tinkering always can be done with X's and O's, getting the Wizards' heads right will be Wittman's biggest challenge.

He has to persuade them to recommit to what worked: playing sound defense, sharing the ball and being tough. He’ll have to rely on his motivational skills.

Of course, the players have to expect more from themselves, too. Washington is a veteran team with a roster full of self-starters, though recent weeks have offered little evidence of that.

Perhaps management should have been more active at the trade deadline — the Wizards could have used help at wing forward, and <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/nba/playerstats.asp?id=4333" title="stats.washingtonpost.com">Ramon Sessions</a> wasn't considered the best available backup point guard — but the team can play much better. The Wizards have proven that, though they won't be all they can be unless Beal gets going.

Even when Beal has played, it was clear he hadn’t fully adjusted to being in a lineup with Pierce. Wing forward Trevor Ariza, who joined the Houston Rockets after being a key part of the Wizards’ success last season, is a defensive specialist and three-point shooter. Ariza can be effective without touching the ball a lot. Pierce needs it.

There are more than enough shots for Beal and Pierce. The problem is that Beal, while sidelined the first nine games, watched as the rest of the team learned how to work alongside Pierce. Over the past seven games, Beal has missed more time to rediscover his groove. You just can’t add a future Hall of Famer, albeit one nearing the end of his career, and expect everything to run smoothly.

Recently, things have been bumpy for the reserves as well. Outstanding through the first 30 games, the reserves have slowed down. <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/nba/playerstats.asp?id=3831" title="stats.washingtonpost.com">Power forward Kris Humphries</a> has been consistently good, but because opponents have stuck with <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/nba/playerstats.asp?id=3650&amp;team=" title="stats.washingtonpost.com">swingman Rasual Butler</a> near the three-point arc, he hasn't been as effective. And 38-year-old point guard Andre Miller showed his age while declining rapidly, prompting the Wizards to trade him for Sessions. The situation is as bad as it seems.

For the Wizards and their fans, the only encouraging news is that there still is time for a turnaround. But it’s running out, and Wittman has a lot of work to do.

For more by Jason Reid, visit <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/people/jason-reid">washingtonpost.com/reid</a>.

Jason Reid

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The Washington Post Sports section provides sports news, video, scores, analysis and updates about high school, college, and pro sports teams, including the Capitals, Nationals, Redskins, United and Wizards. Post Sports also offers blogs and discussions about the latest sports news.

The Wisconsin Badgers play the the Maryland Terrapins in mens basketball

Maryland’s win over Wisconsin shows Terps can make NCAA tournament run - The Washington Post

In its first year in the Big Ten, the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/">Maryland men's basketball team</a> has far exceeded expectations. With March around the corner, it's time to revise them.

Recent signs indicate the Terrapins possess what it takes to have some fun in the NCAA tournament, and the biggest one occurred Tuesday night during a stirring <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/cbk/boxscore.asp?gamecode=201502240343&amp;home=343&amp;vis=657&amp;final=true">59-53 victory</a> over formidable Wisconsin.

Energized by a raucous, sellout crowd at Xfinity Center, No. 14 Maryland showed how good it can be while <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/maryland-knocks-off-no-5-wisconsin-behind-26-points-from-dez-wells/2015/02/24/6c7e10e0-bc72-11e4-8668-4e7ba8439ca6_story.html">winning its fourth straight</a> and ending No. 5 Wisconsin's streak at 10 games. Dez Wells provided the opening act, and Melo Trimble closed the show.

“Dez Wells wouldn’t let us lose,” Coach Mark Turgeon said. “Melo was Melo.”

Aggressive on offense from start to finish, Wells scored a game-high 26 points. Then Trimble, who contributed 16, applied the finishing touches, including making two clutch shots late in the game to help hold off the Badgers.

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While controlling the tempo in the first half, the Terrapins played with the most passion they’ve displayed since defeating Michigan State on Jan. 17. It was obvious Wells was locked in.

He attacked, scoring 14 points to lead Maryland to an 11-point halftime lead. Saluted with a thunderous ovation, the Terrapins raced into the locker room on a high. “I told my guys pregame: Follow my lead,” Wells said. They listened.

Although Wisconsin leads second-place Maryland by two games in the conference standings, the victory meant a lot to Turgeon’s team. The Terrapins (23-5, 11-4 Big Ten) are sprinting to the finish, which doesn’t surprise Turgeon.

Maryland is highly capable, Turgeon has maintained for some time. It took a while, but the rest of the conference finally believes him.

“They’ve got players,” Badgers Coach Bo Ryan said. “That’s what impresses me about teams — when they can get things done.”

Picked 10th in the conference preseason poll, Maryland steadily has gained supporters. It’s easy to like an up-and-comer that seemed to come from nowhere. Guess who was ahead of the pack.

“I’ve got really good players,” Turgeon said. “You don’t get to 23-5 if you don’t have really good players. I don’t know how many more times I can brag about Melo. . . . He’s got a lot of confidence. He can do things. I thought he did a good job of getting to the rim and settling for some jump shots. He just didn’t do all jump shots or all getting to the rim.

“And then Dez . . . Dez is special. I’ve been saying that. I think Dez is a pro. I think he’ll make somebody’s roster [in the NBA] because of the way he competes. Good players. And then the rest of them just fill in. Pieces fit.”

To hold off Wisconsin (25-3, 13-2), they had to. The victory was the Terrapins’ best of the season by far, especially considering they’re trying to get to where the Badgers have been for years.

Despite the loss, Wisconsin still is in excellent position to win the Big Ten title, which would be Ryan’s fourth in 14 seasons at the school. In a few weeks, the Badgers will appear in their 17th consecutive NCAA tournament, quite possibly as a No. 1 seed.

Ryan has built a consistently strong program with a clear identity. When the Badgers come to mind, you think of an efficient, well-disciplined bunch. There’s no doubt Ryan is a top-notch coach. Just ask Turgeon.

“You have to have a ton of respect for Bo Ryan and what he’s been able to do,” Turgeon said. “As coaches, so much of what you do is to try to get your kids to play consistently.

“This could be Bo’s best team, which is really saying something because he’s had some great teams. So when you look at it, yeah, you look at it like a yardstick. You look at it as an opportunity to show you can play with them.”

And not only Wisconsin. Once the NCAA tournament begins, the Terrapins figure to face a difficult opponent, regardless of their opening matchup. By defeating Wisconsin late in the regular season, Maryland can draw on that experience for the hard road ahead.

“We’re really becoming pretty gritty,” Turgeon said. “We’re going to be really prepared for whatever [is] ahead because of everything we’ve been through.

“It’s pretty safe to say there’s no doubt they’re an NCAA tournament team. You need to get ready for those teams.”

Recently, the Terrapins haven’t had to worry about it. They last played in the tournament during the 2009-10 season. Largely because of Trimble, they’re finally headed back.

Trimble, who scored 26 points in Maryland’s previous victory, has been a major catalyst for change at College Park. On Tuesday night, he was characteristically cool again at the end.

“I had confidence,” Trimble said. “Coach Turgeon wanted me to be aggressive and attack the glass. So did my teammates.”

For the Terrapins to begin a new period of sustained success, it would help if the fantastic freshman stuck around to become a super sophomore. But that’s a matter for another time. Maryland is on a roll, potentially headed toward something special, and most people would tell you that was unexpected.

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Cleveland Cavaliers vs Washington Wizards

Jason Reid: LeBron James’s Cavaliers look like team to beat in East - The Washington Post

Let’s not fool ourselves about what’s happening in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. The feel-good stories of the regular season won’t matter during the playoffs, which is LeBron James’s time.

History tells us it takes star power to win championships, and no one possesses more than the game’s best player. With the long all-star break over, James is back at work and focused on playing in the NBA Finals for the fifth consecutive season. It appears the Cleveland Cavaliers can help him get there.

Their slow start a distant memory, the surging Cavaliers rolled again Friday night, dismantling the listless Wizards, 127-89.

While dominating Washington and moving ahead of it in the conference standings, Cleveland won for the 15th time in 17 games. It was a familiar story, James shining as the catalyst and producing 28 points, five rebounds and six assists. The Cavaliers led by as many as 40 points, overwhelming the Wizards in another sharp performance.

Although Washington still was without injured guard Bradley Beal, you got the sense that Cleveland, which only would be seeded fourth if the playoffs began today, is the team to beat in the East. There’s much to like about the Cavaliers.

Everything revolves around James, who, in his 12th season, is as great as ever. But the four-time NBA most valuable player also was outstanding while the team struggled early in his return to Cleveland after a four-year run with the Miami Heat. What’s different now? A lot.

Increasingly, guard Kyrie Irving and power forward Kevin Love — the other members of the Cavaliers’ Big Three — have become more comfortable playing alongside James. It was silly to think that the all-stars would immediately click after James and Love arrived in the offseason. This isn’t fantasy basketball. The awkwardness apparently behind them, though, the high-profile co-workers are getting it figured out.

On Friday, Irving supported James with a 25-point, seven-assist effort. Love contributed eight points, six rebounds and toughness. The Wizards could have used some of that.

“We’ve lost that edge of nastiness that we played with,” Wizards Coach Randy Wittman said. “We came out and felt, again, we’re going to warm our way into this game. They had other ideas. They hit us in the mouth right from the jump ball, and we couldn’t recover from it.”

For Cleveland, James, Irving and Love, as expected, have provided the foundation to potentially build something great this season. Cleveland’s in-season remodeling has paid off, too.

Many teams were busy making deals before Thursday’s trading deadline. However, the Cavaliers had already completed their tinkering, reshaping their roster beginning last month.

They addressed their chemistry problems, sending Dion Waiters to Oklahoma City and acquiring J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert in a three-team trade. Then, Cleveland acquired productive big man Timofey Mozgov.

The result is a roster with more offensive punch and a better low-post presence than the Cavaliers had to start the season. And James is as physically sound as he has been in some time. Add it all up, and you understand why the Cavaliers aren’t concerned about the standings. In the East, the Atlanta Hawks have been atop it for some time.

Lacking superstars, the Hawks epitomize the team concept. They’re a bunch of grinders who share the ball, shoot well and play with an all-for-one attitude. The Hawks were in the spotlight before the all-star break — and deservedly so. Throughout the regular season, they’ve been great.

Playoff basketball, though, is very different. Defense is tighter, the pressure is higher and, often, superstars provide all of the heavy lifting. When it comes to the postseason, James says, good health is the key.

“Health. Health is way more important than seeding,” the two-time Finals MVP said. “Seeding is, obviously, a huge thing. Sure, you want to try to get home court. But if you don’t have your guns going into the playoffs, you’re not going to be able to compete for the long haul, for the whole playoffs.”

The Cavaliers’ remaining schedule figures to help them develop a playoff mind-set. With 16 of their final 27 games after the break on the road, they have to be focused. From what Coach David Blatt has seen recently, the Cavaliers will be.

“It’s obviously not easy . . . but we’ve got to meet the challenge,” said Blatt, in his first season leading an NBA team. “That’s a very good way to get ready for the playoffs. It should help you get playoff-tough.”

Having James to reinforce the message won’t hurt, either.

“We’re rounding third base right now, going into the final stretch of the regular season,” James said. “That should be enough of an edge, understanding how important every game is for us, every step is for us, to get better going into the postseason.”

James is leading the charge. He has done it before.

For more by Jason Reid, visit washingtonpost.com/reid.

Bosh could miss rest of season with blood clot

Maryland plays Nebraska in mens basketball

Mark Turgeon turns it around with Maryland - The Washington Post

From the rubble of the offseason, the <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/cbk/teamstats.asp?team=0343&amp;report=teamhome">Maryland men's basketball team</a> emerged stronger than it has been in years. Coach Mark Turgeon deserves the credit.

The Terrapins’ inspiring comeback story includes a rock-bottom beginning and a steady climb to second place in the Big Ten. During the storm, Turgeon stayed the course, believing he was rebuilding the program the right way. Now he has proof.

There's no arguing with the results, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/melo-trimble-scores-26-to-lift-no-16-maryland-past-nebraska-69-65/2015/02/19/99761cf2-b87e-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html">which were good again for Maryland</a> in Thursday's <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/cbk/boxscore.asp?gamecode=201502190343&amp;home=343&amp;vis=400&amp;final=true">69-65 conference victory </a>over Nebraska.

The <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/cbk/teamstats.asp?team=343&amp;report=schedule">No. 16 Terrapins won their third in a row</a> and improved to 16-1 at Xfinity Center. Maryland inched closer to playing in its first NCAA tournament under Turgeon, which, considering how bleak things looked only nine months ago, would be quite an accomplishment. And for his efforts, Turgeon should win the Big Ten coach-of-the-year award. He has earned it.

Although it’s easy to forget amid the fun they’re having in College Park these days, Turgeon was feeling some heat. In his first three seasons, the Terrapins faced a long list of questions about where they were headed.

With the program Turgeon inherited, no reasonable Terrapins fan could have expected a run of Final Four appearances anytime soon. But after Maryland went 17-15 in 2013-14 and failed to receive a postseason invitation for the second time in three seasons, it was fair to wonder whether Turgeon had a plan. The concern only grew in the offseason following a   spate of transfers.

It seemed that Turgeon recruited the wrong players or handled them incorrectly after they arrived on campus. From the outside, the program appeared to be in disarray. The view from inside, Turgeon acknowledged, wasn’t rosy, either.

During a candid phone conversation in early May, Turgeon told me he understood things looked bad. The coaching veteran knew there was no sugarcoating the fact that four scholarship players were granted their release in a span of a month.

“But I believe in the guys who stayed. I believe in the guys we have coming in,” Turgeon said, confidence evident in his voice. “I know what type of kids we have. Eventually, I think people will understand what I’m talking about.”

In the Big Ten preseason poll, Maryland was picked 10th. Despite having a promising freshman class led by guard <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/cbk/players.asp?id=126256&amp;team=343">Melo Trimble</a>, a mass exodus tends to be a buzz killer.

While guiding Maryland (22-5, 10-4 Big Ten) to an outstanding regular season, Turgeon overcame the negative perception and built a solid team. That’s the type of get-the-job-done leadership that impresses other coaches.

Commenting recently on Turgeon’s work, Indiana Coach Tom Crean couldn’t have been more complimentary, observing that “for Maryland to have [at the time 20] wins, with the offseason that Mark had to deal with . . . Mark is one of the best coaches in the country.

“I have unreal respect for him. It is not easy to withstand and deal with adversity like that. He’s done it.”

There’s nothing like high praise from one’s peers. Turgeon especially appreciated Crean’s kind words — other coaches understand how hard it is to get a struggling program back on track.

“It was really nice for Tom to say that,” Turgeon said, taking a rare moment to relax during the final stretch before the Big Ten tournament. “I’m really like every other coach. When you win a game, you just try to figure out a way to win your next one. When you lose one, you think you’re going to lose the rest.

“You just stay focused on what you’re doing and believe in your kids. Again, I knew we had a chance to be a good team because we had good kids.”

From a talent standpoint, Trimble is the best. Every coach needs one cornerstone player around whom to build. For Turgeon, Trimble is that guy.

In a highly efficient performance Thursday, Trimble scored a game-high 26 points, had five assists and made two three-pointers late in the second half to help secure the victory. After hearing Turgeon rave about Trimble during the summer, Nebraska Coach Tim Miles braced for  “a special player. . . . He’s a dynamic player. He’s so clever with the ball.

“He’s so strong; goes in and draws fouls. Then he just steps up and makes those two three-pointers. Obviously, he’s a gamer, too. He has lived up to the billing, for sure.”

Washington Redskins play the Houston Texans 

By backing Robert Griffin III, the Redskins are sending a disenchanting message - The Washington Post

Here's all you need to understand about the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/" target="_blank">Washington Redskins</a>' decision to stick with <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/category/robert-griffin-iii/" target="_blank">Robert Griffin III</a>: On the field, things have never been bleaker. By continuing to back a quarterback who has little support in the coaches' offices and even less in the locker room, the Redskins have sent a horrible message to their players and fans.

Ineffective in the pocket and injury prone, Griffin has played a big part in Washington’s 7-25 mess the past two seasons. And now the Redskins plan to hand him the keys to potentially wreck another one. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me repeatedly while displaying an alarming lack of competence at football’s most important position, well, you get the idea.

The Redskins have had enough time to determine what they have in Griffin. Even a franchise that has finished last in the NFC East six of the past seven seasons and eight of 11 should be able to read large signs in flashing neon lights. It makes no sense to follow someone who has no idea how to lead. Some in the organization get it.

Griffin’s deficiencies as a pocket passer and his out-of-control ego make him a pleasure to work with, football people say, sarcastically. Not only has Griffin refused to accept his role in his failure — “It’s always someone else’s fault,” one Redskins staffer told me during the season — he comes across like he has everything figured out. For a 25-year-old who’s on shaky ground in the workplace, that’s a bad look.

Another problem is that Griffin, according to people who have coached him, hasn’t done enough to refine some of a signal-caller’s most important skills. It’s not that Griffin slacks off. In the weight room, you won’t find anyone who works harder. Of course, there’s a film room, too.

That's what Coach <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/category/coaches-2/jay-gruden/" target="_blank">Jay Gruden</a> was gently poking at the other day — after often verbally crushing Griffin in public last season, Gruden figures to tread lightly moving forward — while saying he will design some "specific things that [Griffin] can do to get better from a quarterback position — mechanic-wise, drop-back-wise, throwing-wise. All that stuff he can work on."

To stay in the game, every NFL player must work on his craft. As the saying goes: You’re either getting better, or you’re getting worse. What Gruden touched on, however, was more than the old it’s-important-to-stay-on-the-grind mantra. Griffin’s overall approach hasn’t been good enough.

It’s a bad sign that, even while naming Griffin as the team’s No. 1 quarterback for the offseason, Gruden reminded us about Griffin’s poor “footwork and fundamentals.” No matter how hard Gruden tries to conceal his true feelings about Griffin’s performance, his comments betray him. So why is Gruden traveling this bumpy road again? The answer is simple — follow the money.

Under contract next season for $3.27 million, Griffin already has made $17.85 million. Then there are those four high-round picks the Redskins traded for the pick to select Griffin. When you add it all up, it’s easy to understand why the people above Gruden at Redskins Park aren’t ready to accept the Griffin era is over. Putting Griffin atop the depth chart, though, reinforces the belief that the Redskins often make decisions for all the wrong reasons.

Granted, there isn’t a dependable quarterback on the roster. Kirk Cousins squandered his opportunity last season, and someone has to take the first-team snaps throughout organized team activities, minicamp and training camp. The Redskins have a lot of money tied up in Griffin, the thinking goes, so they should give him another chance. And they still could sign a quarterback in free agency or draft one to challenge Griffin.

But <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/02/19/why-would-jay-gruden-name-his-no-1-quarterback-in-february/" target="_blank">why anoint Griffin as the starter</a>? Gruden should have said the job is open. With as awful as the Redskins have been, no one deserves to be handed anything.

There are holes throughout the roster, Gruden is coming off a rough rookie year and his coordinators are unproven. Unless Gruden rebounds quickly, we could be talking Jim Zorn territory here. At least there’s something promising occurring in the front office.

If new General Manager Scot McCloughan is half as sharp as people tell me, he will rebuild the team the right way, one solid draft at a time. Problem is, creating anything from rubble takes patience, and the person who signs McCloughan’s paychecks hasn’t demonstrated much of it. Meanwhile, McCloughan and Gruden will have to hope Griffin magically becomes the franchise savior he once appeared to be. Good luck with that one.

More than six months before kicking off the 2015 season, the Redskins aren’t ready to wave a white flag. But if Griffin remains a starter, they eventually will.

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NCAA Basketball-St. John's at Georgetown

Jason Reid: Math whizzes love Georgetown, and the numbers are starting to add up - The Washington Post

With so many numbers kicked around in college basketball at this time of year, it's easy to forget that the game is played on the court. The "eye test" still matters, and the <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/cbk/teamstats.asp?team=0229&amp;report=teamhome" title="stats.washingtonpost.com">Georgetown </a>men's team hasn't looked great recently.

Although math whizzes have raved about the Hoyas' tough schedule and overall performance, something didn't add up as they dropped two of their first three this month. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/balanced-georgetown-handles-st-johns-79-57/2015/02/17/06e66b6a-b6eb-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html" title="www.washingtonpost.com">Against St. John's on Tuesday night</a>, Georgetown's performance was in sync with the computers.

In a much-needed laugher at Verizon Center, the Hoyas cruised to a <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/cbk/boxscore.asp?gamecode=201502170229" title="stats.washingtonpost.com">79-57 Big East victory</a> over the Red Storm. After opening a double-digit lead at halftime, the Hoyas led by 22 points in the second half, displaying the focus Coach John Thompson III only has seen in spurts the past few games. When you rely so much on freshmen, sometimes it's hard to keep everyone on the same page.

The Hoyas' newcomers have impressed — forward <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/cbk/players.asp?id=126905" title="stats.washingtonpost.com">Isaac Copeland</a> is sprinting to the finish — but they keep Thompson busy. There was plenty for Thompson to teach as the Hoyas took aim at making a statement against the Red Storm.

Winners of three straight in conference play, St. John’s was having a good stretch. Coach Steve Lavin’s squad appeared out of its league against Georgetown, which, after shooting abysmally early in the game, found its groove.

Every starter scored in double figures. In the second half, Georgetown shot 68.2 percent from the field and made 7 of 10 from behind the three-point arc. Defensively, the Hoyas swarmed the Red Storm, which made 11 of 31 shots after halftime.

“The shots they were hitting . . . they were clicking,” Lavin said of the Hoyas. “They were razor sharp.”

The Hoyas put on such a solid show, they made the numbers crunchers look good.

Despite having a record that would seem to put them on the so-called bubble for an at-large NCAA tournament berth, the Hoyas (17-8, 9-5 Big East) are beloved by the math whizzes. To  its credit, Georgetown played a very difficult nonconference schedule that included Florida, Kansas and Wisconsin.

In assembling the NCAA tournament field the past few years, the selection committee has made it clear that playing a good nonconference schedule is a good thing to do.

The mathematicians tell us the Hoyas have played the second-toughest schedule in the nation. Georgetown has a nifty RPI in the low 20s (in case anyone wondered, the media relations staff listed the information on the front page of the Hoyas’ game notes).

But the Hoyas have four conference games remaining before the Big East tournament. They must forget about the numbers and keep it going on the court. Thompson plans to reinforce the message.

“We can’t get complacent,” he said. “A lot of it is our guys, our players, are starting to take pride and understand that attention to detail is important. We still have to keep the focus and keep trying to get better.”

On Tuesday, Georgetown was about as good as it’s capable of being offensively.

Freshmen Copeland and L.J. Peak were among five players who scored 12 points apiece.

“We have different people that can score in different ways,” Thompson said. “When we look bad offensively it’s when the ball is stagnant. We did a good job of keeping it moving.”

Undoubtedly, some time off helped. The Hoyas had not played since defeating Seton Hall on Feb. 10. They made good use of time re-energizing, forward Mikael Hopkins said.

“It was very big,” he said. “It gave guys like [guards] D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera and Jabril Trawick, guys who play a lot of minutes, time to rest their bodies and recover. It also allowed us to focus on defense. We knew that St. John’s was a good offensive team. We were able to focus on some of their schemes. It was good for us.”

Again, the numbers back it up. Red Storm guard D’Angelo Harrison, who entered averaging a team-leading 19.1 points, went 0 for 9 from the field and scored five points. At almost 14 points per game, guard Rysheed Jordan is second on St. John’s in scoring. He went 1 for 6 and finished with three points. For that, the Hoyas deserve to take a bow.

“Our guys worked very hard. They did a very good job of helping each other,” Thompson said. “We did a good job of making second, third, fourth rotations.”

It’s still unclear where the Hoyas are headed. But if they keep it together on the court, the numbers should wind up telling a good story.

NCAA Mens' Basketball-Indiana at Maryland

Maryland basketball gets much-needed win; can Terps sustain momentum? - The Washington Post

No astute college basketball fan would argue that the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/2010/07/06/AB18uUI_linkset.html">Maryland Terrapins</a> are peaking at the right time. With March drawing near, Coach Mark Turgeon's team has looked unprepared for it.

Of course, sometimes one game is all it takes to get back on track, and the Terrapins were better Wednesday night while <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/trimble-wells-layman-help-maryland-hold-off-indiana-in-big-ten-thriller-68-66/2015/02/11/6e37bf3a-b23b-11e4-827f-93f454140e2b_story.html" title="www.washingtonpost.com">edging the Indiana Hoosiers, 68-66</a>, at Xfinity Center.

On their home court, the No. 19 Terrapins never were in command and got a scare in the final 12.5 seconds — leading by two points, Maryland watched impressive Indiana point guard Yogi Ferrell miss twice — before holding off the Hoosiers. But for a team that was awful in its previous game and had dropped three of five in Big Ten play, Maryland rebounded against a quality opponent. That’s a start.

There was little worth reviewing in <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/maryland-thrashed-by-iowa-despite-20-points-from-melo-trimble/2015/02/08/3812ae54-af2c-11e4-ad71-7b9eba0f87d6_story.html" title="www.washingtonpost.com">Maryland's 16-point road loss to Iowa</a>; no teaching moments in that one. Instead, Turgeon moved forward.

“We talked about [having] a sense of urgency,” said Turgeon, whose enthusiasm about the Terrapins’ renewed effort Wednesday was obvious.

“There’s a lot of guys in that [locker] room who are seniors. You’ve got [six] regular season games left. We just trying to be mediocre? Or are we trying to have a great year? What are we gonna do?”

Against the Hoosiers, the Terrapins did a lot well, shooting 49 percent from the field overall and 47.6 percent from behind the three-point arc. <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/cbk/players.asp?id=109448" title="stats.washingtonpost.com">Dez Wells</a> and fantastic freshman <a href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/cbk/players.asp?id=126256" title="stats.washingtonpost.com">Melo Trimble</a> led Maryland with 18 points each. They also had big roles in Turgeon's effective defensive plan: Indiana made just 37.3 percent of its field goal attempts.

In the teams' first meeting, Maryland was a mess. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/no-23-indiana-rocks-no-13-maryland-89-70/2015/01/22/d9a642f6-a28b-11e4-b146-577832eafcb4_story.html">The Hoosiers cruised to a 19-point victory</a> on Jan. 22 as Ferrell, a junior, schooled Trimble. Although Ferrell had a game-high 23 points — he made 6 of 9 three-point attempts — and six assists in Wednesday's rematch, Trimble fared much better. Clearly, Trimble had a growing experience. Turgeon saw it similarly.

"Last game . . . the guy got the best of him," Turgeon said, putting it kindly. "He was pretty fired up to come out and compete. I thought Melo, defensively, was pretty good on Yogi. Yogi just made some incredible shots."

In the NCAA tournament, one great player can make the difference between a one-and-done experience and a long run. When Trimble is at his best, it’s obvious he could be that guy for the Terrapins next month. And you know what’s great for Maryland? Trimble likes the stage.

“We had the mind-set to just start playing again,” Trimble said, alluding to the team’s late-season malaise. “We wanted to come into this game and play basketball and get back to how we were playing in the beginning of the season.”

The Terrapins’ 14-1 start raised expectations. After a double-overtime victory at Michigan State in late December, “it was a little hard for me because everybody kept telling us how good we are.”

Turgeon hasn’t had to worry about that recently: The Terrapins have lost their past three road games by a total of 59 points. The encouraging news, however, for Maryland (20-5, 8-4 Big Ten) is that it’s still tied for second in the conference, and Wednesday’s victory gave the team a needed boost, Wells said.

"I told guys that we need them to be confident, poised and come in to play freely," the assertive senior said. "Just play like you having nothing to lose. We needed players to get into that mind-set. . . . That's what we had to do: to play like we were at the beginning of the season."

It remains to be seen whether the Terrapins can make it all the way back. Barring a complete collapse, they likely will play in the <a href="http://apps.washingtonpost.com/sports/apps/live-updating-mens-ncaa-basketball-bracket/bracket/" title="apps.washingtonpost.com">NCAA tournament</a> under Turgeon for the first time. But the Terrapins must improve their road résumé to inspire confidence heading into the conference tournament and beyond. Then again, it's surprising they're even in this position.

After <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/for-mark-turgeon-and-maryland-basketball-offseason-has-extended-cycle-of-attrition/2014/05/14/97f3b2f8-d8a6-11e3-95d3-3bcd77cd4e11_story.html">a spate of transfers following the 2013-14 season</a>, the program appeared to be in big trouble. Turgeon never believed it.

“I knew I had good kids. I knew the ones coming back bought in. I knew I had a good recruiting class,” said Turgeon, confidence evident in his voice. “There really wasn’t much of a doubt. I felt we’d have a good basketball team.”

From the outside, things didn’t look so rosy. That’s why Indiana Coach Tom Crean believes Turgeon deserves a lot of credit. He’s right.

"For Maryland to have 20 wins, with the offseason that Mark had and to deal with that the way he did . . . Mark is one of the best coaches in the country," Crean said. "I have unreal respect for him. It is not easy to withstand and deal with adversity like that. He's done it."

Already this season, Maryland has done a lot. But after finally building the type of team he wants, Turgeon believes it’s capable of accomplishing much more.

NFL-Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins

For Redskins and Robert Griffin III, the red-letter days have new meaning - The Washington Post

Let's get something straight about the latest controversy involving Robert Griffin III: Jay Gruden had nothing to do with a recent letter to season ticket holders that omitted Griffin's name from a list of the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/" title="www.washingtonpost.com">Washington Redskins</a>' top players.

Many fans and some in the media have speculated that the coach, who thinks little of Griffin as a player, insisted the quarterback be excluded, again proving that few people understand how things work in professional sports. Gruden spends as much time composing marketing letters as the Redskins' top sales executive does diagramming third-down plays. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/02/06/stop-making-a-big-deal-about-that-redskins-letter-that-omitted-rgiii/" title="www.washingtonpost.com">There's nothing to see there</a>, but Griffin's free fall from grace is worth re-examining.

Even people in the Redskins’ business operation realize Griffin isn’t among the team’s core players. Last season, the coaching staff and Griffin’s teammates reached the same conclusion. In fact, at Redskins Park, owner Dan Snyder may be the only person who still doesn’t get it.

The Redskins, in an effort to sell premium seats to the team’s top customers, determined it would be best to stay away from Griffin. That’s a big deal.

To acquire Griffin, the team paid the steepest price in NFL draft history. In his magical rookie season, Griffin quickly emerged as the face of the franchise and one of the NFL’s most popular players with fans. And largely to please Griffin, Snyder fired Mike Shanahan — in 2012, the two-time Super Bowl winner led Washington to its first NFC East title since 1999 — and hired Gruden. Despite all of that, the three-year veteran failed to make the cut for the letter.

After <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/02/04/redskins-letter-to-fans-lists-four-key-players-rgiii-isnt-one-of-em/" title="www.washingtonpost.com">revealing the letter's notable omission</a>, my friend and colleague Dan Steinberg subsequently pointed out that Griffin was benched in favor of journeyman Colt McCoy. A starter who lost his job to a third-stringer isn't the ideal candidate to drum up ticket renewals. As previously explained, though, Griffin is more than merely another mediocre member of Washington's poor roster.

Snyder hired Gruden to transform Griffin from a dual-threat quarterback primarily into a pocket passer. Management made Griffin-friendly roster moves (signing wide receiver DeSean Jackson was the best one) designed to prop up the signal-caller. Snyder went all-in on supporting Griffin.

To say the least, it has been an unsuccessful, time-consuming venture. Because the Redskins have no confidence in Griffin, perhaps Snyder finally should permit Gruden to scrap the project. Goodness knows Gruden has a long list of other problems to address.

Granted, Griffin hasn’t done much to help the Redskins the past two seasons. Still, it was a mistake for them to send out the letter, knowing that any information they provide to fans may wind up making national news. If they don’t realize that by now, they should.

Clearly, anyone who works in marketing for the Redskins has a tough gig. What with the nickname controversy and the team finishing last in the division six of the past seven seasons and eight of 11, there’s not a lot to promote.

Griffin has become such a polarizing figure among fans, it’s easy to understand why the team would shy away from him as much as possible. Regardless, though, the letter’s optics are bad. The Redskins should have included Griffin or no players at all. It’s that simple.

There are other issues with the letter. For one, it reminds you the Redskins, after giving up four high-round picks for Griffin and selecting Kirk Cousins in the same draft, still need a quarterback.

If your team lacks an effective player at the game’s most important position, don’t count on having a good season. Talk about a strange message to send to season ticket holders. And is anyone in the Redskins’ business operation on Twitter?

The hiring of new defensive coordinator Joe Barry, who was mentioned in the letter, was not well received by fans. Many took to social media to express their frustration. For the Redskins, it's <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/two-inexperienced-coordinators-is-a-luxury-redskins-coach-jay-gruden-cant-afford/2015/02/06/e2541242-aca5-11e4-ad71-7b9eba0f87d6_story.html" title="www.washingtonpost.com">doubtful that including Barry's name moved the needle in a positive direction</a>.

Most of all, however, the mess is indicative of Griffin’s long slide. He’s such a lightning rod for turmoil, you wonder, even if Griffin improves on the field, how far the organization can go following him. Obviously, the letter foul-up wasn’t Griffin’s fault. It’s just that there’s always something.

The letter reaffirmed that support for Griffin within the Redskins organization has never been lower. And there’s no need to read between the lines to understand that.

The Dallas Cowboys play the Washington Redskins

Two inexperienced coordinators is a luxury Redskins coach Jay Gruden can’t afford - The Washington Post

So now that the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/" target="_blank">Washington Redskins</a>' coaching staff is complete, two things are clear: The group is alarmingly short on experience at the top, and <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/category/jay-gruden/" target="_blank">Jay Gruden</a> has rolled the dice on his head coaching career. There's no other way to put it.

After appearing overmatched in his disastrous rookie year, Gruden should have picked sage lieutenants to lean on during those crises that annually befall the Redskins. Instead, for his second season, Gruden stuck with a formula that didn’t work in assembling what appears to be a shaky command team.

Let's start on defense.<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2015/01/20/jay-gruden-explains-why-he-feels-joe-barry-is-the-best-fit-for-redskins/" title="www.washingtonpost.com"> Gruden's hiring of Joe Barry as defensive coordinator</a> was highly questionable. In Barry's only previous stint directing a defense, in 2007 and 2008, the Detroit Lions ranked last in the league in yards and points
. Gruden worked with Barry in Tampa Bay and picked him, in part, because Barry displayed more passion throughout the interview process than other candidates with better résumés.

Knowing Gruden, I get why the fire-in-the-belly stuff is important to him. A lifelong grinder, he wants to ride or die with similar guys. And who wouldn’t prefer to work with longtime buddies?

But anyone who has watched Washington’s defense the past five seasons knows Gruden didn’t need another good friend on the staff. He needed a 3-4 whiz with a history of making chicken salad out of, well, you get the idea. Barry is an outstanding linebackers coach, a mutual friend who worked with him in Tampa Bay recently told me, and he’s well-respected by many of his former players. NFL history, however, tells us that good position coaches don’t always become successful coordinators.

Tied for 29th in the 32-team league in scoring average this season, Washington has concerns throughout its defense — Gruden should replace three-fourths of the secondary —  and will be led by a coordinator who must prove he’s competent.

Barry stepped into a pressure-cooker situation. Offensive coordinator Sean McVay has been in it for some time. At 29, McVay is one of the league’s sharpest young coaches. Although Gruden is the play-caller, McVay had a major role in assembling the game plan and performed it well. Aside from Xs and Os, though, Gruden requires help McVay can’t provide.

Gruden’s verbal flogging of Robert Griffin III embarrassed the organization. Griffin is one of the least self-aware people you’ll ever meet, and his ineptitude in the pocket the past two seasons was outmatched only by his ego. Still, Gruden went too far in his blistering critiques. Behind the scenes, Gruden needed someone to rein him in before his contempt for Griffin became public.

Gruden and McVay have been close since their days on the Buccaneers’ staff, and Gruden promoted McVay after he served only three seasons as Washington’s tight ends coach
. It wasn’t McVay’s fault Gruden had even less patience with Griffin than Mike and Kyle Shanahan did, and it would have been unfair for Gruden to demote McVay in favor of an old-timer, preferably someone with head coaching experience, to teach him a thing or two. But in the toxic environment of Redskins Park, having such a young senior member on his staff is a challenge Gruden cannot afford.

New offensive line coach Bill Callahan was a head coach in the NFL and college, and new quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh spent eight seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator. On defense, new secondary coach Perry Fewell is a 17-year NFL coaching veteran who has served as a coordinator. Of course, position coaches don’t set the agenda; head coaches and coordinators do. That’s why it seems Gruden is walking a high wire without a safety net. The lack of leadership in the locker room also hurt him.

Often, many players were way too upbeat after losses. And the group's lack of professionalism — once, reporters were shouted out of the locker room while attempting to interview Griffin under the direction of a high-ranking team official — reflected poorly on Gruden, who got no help from above from a front office led by empty suit <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2014/12/31/so-that-bruce-allen-press-conference-went-well/" title="www.washingtonpost.com">Bruce Allen</a>.

Jason Reid

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Maryland’s win over Wisconsin shows Terps can make NCAA tournament run

Jason Reid: LeBron James’s Cavaliers look like team to beat in East

Mark Turgeon turns it around with Maryland

By backing Robert Griffin III, the Redskins are sending a disenchanting message

Jason Reid: Math whizzes love Georgetown, and the numbers are starting to add up

Maryland basketball gets much-needed win; can Terps sustain momentum?

For Redskins and Robert Griffin III, the red-letter days have new meaning

Two inexperienced coordinators is a luxury Redskins coach Jay Gruden can’t afford

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