Van Pelt Slams Terps' Season, Praises Future

0:00On March 13, Scott Banned Pelt, the ESPN Sports Center anchor and die-hard Maryland basketball fan, didn't hold back on his recent podcast. He slammed the Terps Terrible season, which saw them rack up 16 conference losses, a school record. They're on pace for 21 total losses, the most since 80 years ago. Van Pelt targeted first-year coach Buzz Williams without naming him directly. He brushed off excuses like the late hiring after Mark Turgeon left, or the transfer portal timing. He pointed out that Williams' replacement at Texas A&M still finished strong in the SEC, despite arriving even later. As a lifelong Terps supporter, Van Pelt expressed real frustration over how far this year fell from last season's excitement. Fans remember the fun times with local talent shining, but now it's just not up to Maryland standards. Injuries played a role, like with Julian Payne, but Van Pelt noted the losses piled up even before that. He highlighted bright spots, like freshman Andre Mills, a buzz recruit from Texas A&M,

1:00who's been scoring like crazy lately. Van Pelt also praised athletic director Jim Smith for his commitment to fixing things, saying the future isn't hopeless if they keep the right pieces. The team heads to the Big Ten tournament in Chicago with slim hopes of turning it around. Van Pelt wore his Terps gear proudly anyway, staying loyal no matter what comes next.