Scott Van Pelt Reacts to "Not Acceptable" Maryland Men's Basketball Season

The SportsCenter anchor and College Park grad sounded off on the Terps for their 21 losses.

'NOT ACCEPTABLE': SVP recaps a disappointing season for Maryland Basketball | SVPod | ESPN

Of the many notable alumni from the University of Maryland, none have a more prevalent spot in the national media than Scott Van Pelt.

When he's not hosting SportsCenter at night from the ESPN studios in Bristol, SVP can often be found at some of the top sporting events across the country - including at his alma mater. His Twitter header still shows one of his previous trips to College Park on a Terps gameday.

But one of those trips wasn't in the cards this season.

The Terrapins stumbled out of the gate under new head coach Buzz Williams before limping through conference play, finishing the regular season 11-20 (4-16) and bouncing out in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.

"I've probably been conspicuous in talking about them this season because there really hasn't been a whole lot to say," Van Pelt said on his latest podcast episode. "It's not fun when you weigh in on a season like this, particularly when it's framed with how fun last year was."

The Terps were coming off one of their best seasons in recent memory, winning 24 games in the regular season before making their deepest NCAA Tournament run in nearly a decade. And it was done with Baltimore native Derik Queen leading the way.

"That team had a five-star local kid who hits a buzzer beater in the Tournament to send them to the Sweet Sixteen... and that local kid who stays home goes Lottery. That's what Maryland Basketball is supposed to be."

SVP's Expectations for the Terps

That spark was nowhere to be found this time around. They lost their home opener to Georgetown, barely squeaked by Mount St. Mary's in overtime, and failed to beat any of the nine AP Top 25 opponents on their schedule.

Maryland's 21 losses tie a single-season program worst set during World War II... 25 years before Van Pelt was born. They've had only one other 20-loss season since.

Regardless of any circumstances, it simply wasn't up to standard for what should be a constant competitor.

"That's just not acceptable. Not acceptable... That's it. The end."

In particular, SVP was not buying the first-year excuse for Buzz Williams, who replaced former head coach Kevin Willard after he departed for Villanova:

"'When Coach Willard left, it was kind of late.' OK, well, I guess, but the coach who followed Buzz to College Station, they finished tied for fourth in the SEC. He got there later."

Van Pelt did acknowledge that losing Pharrel Payne for most of the year hurt their chances, but he also pointed out that the Terps' struggles went far beyond one injury.

"He's a really good player. Hopefully he gets a redshirt and returns, that would be a big thing next year. I hope that happens. But before he got hurt, they had taken some significant losses already."

With that said, SVP doesn't believe it's all doom and gloom in College Park. He knows that there is some exciting young talent on the roster, such as rising sophomore guard Andre Mills. And the Terps have a Top 10 recruiting class coming in, led by Maryland native Baba Oladotun.

The pieces are there for Maryland to fulfill two program expectations again: be a Tournament team and develop legitimate NBA talent.

"Can you get in the Tournament? Can you win some games? And most of my entire life, the answer to that's been 'yeah.' And that's what you hope for."

SVP on Maryland's history

"It isn't hopeless. I know Jim Smith, our AD, is committed to doing everything he can to put the athletic department in a great position... Figure out a way to keep the people that want to be part of the program moving forward, and let's go!"

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