What's Wrong With the Terps?

I am going to save the seeding breakdown until tomorrow as several of the teams play tonight and it will clear up a cloudy picture. Right now, a win gives us the 3 seed, a loss puts us anywhere from 4-6.

Now back to this question of the last week/month: What's wrong with the Terps? How does a team that returned almost everyone from last year and added a high-profile transfer continue to lose?

1. The team is too unselfish. This team is so close that I think several of them are afraid to take over games. Case in point, Langhorne and Coleman waited until the second half to impose their will on Duke when they should have went into the game with the mindset we aren't losing to them at home. Instead they passed up shots or fought for rebounds. In big games, the two best players have to be ready to go. Harding made 9-of-10 in the first half on the road - nuff said.

2. The aggressiveness is gone. Last year, the team wanted to prove the doubters wrong and played with a chip on their shoulder. Now the offense is set a pick at the top, look for the open shot, sometimes pass to Crystal and hope she scores. How many times have we seen Harper score on the first couple of possessions and then disappear for the rest of the game? When was the last time Ashleigh attacked the basket? Why does Sa'de only drive twice per game? Half the team doesn't attack the glass as well.

3. Confidence appears to be shot. All those early season blowouts made us seem invinceable and now the team pouts and puts its head down when things don't go its way. Crappy foul calls affect our mood and take us out of our game.

4. Lack of close games. Last year, the team built confidence in each of the close games it won. Overtime became ourtime because the ladies were determined not too lose. Now I don't know what would happen if we went to overtime. We either blow teams out in the first half or fall to far behind that we can't catch up. The lack of close games also hurt the conditioning as players go for 20 minutes and then rest.

5. Just not getting the bounces. Last year we got a ton of fortunate bounces and this year they just don't seem going our way. Things tend to balance themselves out. Then again, this isn't a reason to explain the loses.

Solutions
1. It's time to reestablish Langhorne. I don't care if she takes 20 shots and only makes 10 (that's still 20 points), but she needs to be given the ball early and often and told "take the ball to the hole, no matter how many people guard you". She needs to be more dominant down there.
2. Langhorne and Coleman need to take leadership roles and not worry about hurting people's feelings. They are the two best players on the team and it's time for them to prove it.
3. More attacking the basket. There should be a rule for the guards, that prohibits them from shooting a three unless wide open. They should be forced to try and shoot more interior jumpers as well as lay ups. Same goes for Harper. No one ever fouls out against us.
4. Stop with the pity party. No one feels sorry that you won the national title last year, heck they hate you even more this year.
5. More aggressive defense. Our steal totals are so low, that some players have more steals than our entire team. We don't jump the passing lanes, nor do we stick our hands out to deflect passes. Steals = transition opportunities which translate into easy buckets.
6. Bring back the speed game. When did we become Princeton men's basketball with this grind it out style? We need to grab the ball and go right for the hoop. Draw the coverage in and then dish for the easy basket.