On Sept. 2, the basketball office posted a notice on its website announcing walk-on tryouts five days later. "Candidates should report to Heritage Hall in Comcast Center at 7 a.m.," the notice said.
Early on the morning of Sept. 7, about five-dozen Maryland students showed up. The team ended up selecting five walk-ons — some picked from the open try-outs and others coaches already knew. One walk-on from last season, 6-foot-7 John Auslander, has been given a scholarship.
"We're going to have to play some walk-ons. That's the bottom line," Turgeon said.
The coach grabbed a microphone at the end of the Oct. 29 open scrimmage and asked fans to "stick with us."
"Nobody thinks we're going to be any good," he said. "But I think we're going to be pretty darned good before it's done."
Turgeon may well believe it. But the former Kansas point guard — who possesses a feistiness often associated with smaller players in a big man's game — is also realistic enough to know what his team has this season. And what it lacks.
twitter.com/sunjeffbarker
