Maryland Basketball: What to Expect from the Terps this Season

The Maryland Terrapins are gearing up for another season of basketball, and fans can expect big things from the team. Head Coach Mark Turgeon has assembled a talented roster that includes several experienced players. The Terps are also bolstered by a strong recruiting class which means they have the potential to be one of the best teams in the country.

Whether you’re a die-hard Maryland fan or just a casual observer, make sure to check out our blog for all the latest news

Introduction

This is the first of a two-part series examining Maryland’s basketball team In this article, we will take a look at what the Terps need to do to be successful this season. In the second part, we will examine the players and how they fit into Coach Mark Turgeon’s system.

With a new head coach and several new players, it will be an interesting season for Maryland Basketball The Terps are coming off a disappointing 19-12 (9-9 ACC) campaign in which they failed to make the NCAA tournament They have been picked to finish around the middle of the pack in the ACC this season, but with some young talent and a few experienced veterans, they could surprise some people. Here are a few things to watch for:

1. Can Maryland replace its three best players from last season?

Maryland lost three of its top four scorers from last season, including leading scorer Melo Trimble (16.8 ppg). Justin Jackson (10.5 ppg) and Jared Nickens (7.4 ppg) also graduated, leaving Turgeon with some big holes to fill on offense.

2. Can Anthony Cowan take his game to another level?

Cowan is Maryland’s only returning starter from last season, and he will be counted on to be the leader of this young team. The junior point guard averaged 11.8 points and 4.4 assists per game last season, and he will need to improve those numbers if the Terps are going to be successful.

3. Will Bruno Fernando be able to make an immediate impact?

Fernando is a 6’10” center from Angola who was one of the top recruits in the country last year. He has already shown that he can be a force on both ends of the court, and Turgeon will be counting on him to contribute right away.

4. How will Mike Locksley do in his first year as head coach?

The Team

This season, the Maryland Terrapins will be looking to build on their success from last year. With a strong core of returning players, and some talented new recruits, the Terps should be in for another good season.

Here’s a look at the team:

Guards:
Anthony Cowan Jr. (Sophomore) – Cowan was one of the standout players for Maryland last season, and he will be looked to again this year to provide leadership and scoring.
Kevin Huerter (Sophomore) – Huerter had a great freshman season, and he will be counted on to improve even more this year. He is a very talented shooter, and can also contribute in other ways on the court.
Darryl Morsell (Freshman) – Morsell is a highly-touted freshman, who is expected to make an immediate impact. He is a strong defender, and has the ability to score in many different ways.

Forwards:
Justin Jackson (Junior) – Jackson was Maryland’s leading scorer last season, and he will be counted on again this year to provide a lot of offensive production. He is also a very good rebounder.
Bruno Fernando (Freshman) – Fernando is another highly-touted freshman who is expected to make an immediate impact. He is very athletic, and has already shown that he can score against top competition.
Ivan Bennett (Senior) – Bennett provides experience and leadership for the team. He isn’t asked to do much offensively, but he is a solid all-around player who contributes in many ways.

The Schedule

The Terps have a lot of winnable games early on in the season, which should help them gain some confidence heading into the meat of their schedule. They’ll need to be careful not to take any opponent lightly, as there are no easy games in college basketball

The biggest test for Maryland will come against Duke on January 18th. The Terps will have to travel to Durham to face the Blue Devils who are always one of the best teams in the country. This will be a good measuring stick for where Maryland is at that point in the season. Other than Duke, the Terps don’t really have any other tough opponents on their schedule. They should be able to compete with everyone else they face and have a chance to win every game.

The Roster

The Maryland Terrapins will have a new-look roster this season, with several Key Players from last year’s team having departed. Here’s a look at the players who will be suiting up for the Terps this season.

Forwards:
--Jalen Smith A 6’10” forward who was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season, Smith is one of the most talented young players in the country. He averaged 11.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a freshman, and he’ll be counted on to be a leader for the Terps this season.
--Aaron Wiggins A 6’6″ wing who was also a member of last year’s team, Wiggins will be looked to for his scoring and defense this season. He averaged 9.1 points per game as a freshman, and he’ll need to increase that number if the Terps are going to be successful this season.
-Emmitt Williams: A transfer from LSU, Williams is a 6’7″ forward who is eligible to play immediately. He averaged 8.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore at LSU, and he’ll give the Terps some much-needed size and athleticism in the frontcourt.

Guards:
-Eric Ayala: A 6’5″ guard who was one of the top recruits in the country last year, Ayala had a solid freshman season, averaging 10.5 points per game He’ll be looked to as one of the team’s primary scorers this season.
-Anthony Cowan Jr.: One of the best point guards in the country, Cowan returns for his junior season after averaging 15.6 points and 4.4 assists per game last year. He’ll once again be asked to lead the team on both ends of the court, and he has the potential to be anAll-American candidate this season.

The Terps will have a lot of talent on their roster this season, but they’ll need to gel quickly if they’re going to contend for a conference title

The Coaches

Head coach Mark Turgeon begins his ninth season at Maryland, coming off a year in which the Terps went 21-12 overall and 10-8 in conference play They reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual National Champion Baylor.

Turgeon has a post-season record of 8-8 at Maryland, with four NCAA tournament appearances and one trip to the NIT. He’s led the Terps to 20 or more wins in six of his eight seasons, and his teams have generally been competitive in the tough ACC.

This year’s squad is young, with just two seniors on the roster. But there is talent and potential, especially in the backcourt. The Terps will be looking to build on last season’s success and make a deep run in the NCAA tournament

The Fans

The fans are what make college basketball so special. The noise, the passion, the energy—it’s electric. And Maryland fans are some of the best in the business. They’re passionate, knowledgeable, and loyal. They live and breathe Maryland Basketball

So what can you expect from the Maryland fans this season? First and foremost, they’ll be loud and proud. They’ll be cheering on their Terps every step of the way. They’ll be anxious for revenge after last year’s disappointing end to the season. And they’ll be hoping for a return to glory for a program that has won three National Championships

Second, they’ll be supportive, even in tough times. This season is shaping up to be a rebuilding year for the Terps, and the fans understand that. They know it takes time to build a winner. So even if the team is struggling early on, the fans will stay positive and continue to support them.

Finally, they’ll be excited for March Madness Even if Maryland isn’t one of the top teams in the country this season, they will still have their sights set on making a run in March Madness The fans will be behind them every step of the way, cheering them on as they try to pull off some upsets and make a deep run in the tournament.

The Media

This season, the Terps are expected to do big things. The media is already buzzing about their potential and many experts have them pegged as a dark horse candidate to make a run at the NCAA tournament Maryland has a lot of talent and experience on their roster and they should be able to compete with anyone in the country.

The biggest question mark for the Terps is their ability to shoot from the outside. They don’t have many players that can consistently knock down three-pointers and that could be their undoing in close games. If they can find a way to stretch the defense with some outside shooting, they could be a dangerous team come tournament time.

The Predictions

The Terrapins are coming into the 2019-2020 Season with high expectations. After a strong showing last year, which included a share of the regular season Big Ten title, Maryland is looking to take the next step and win the conference tournament They will have to do so without star guard Kevin Huerter, who decided to declare for the NBA draft Despite losing Huerter, the Terps return a talented and deep team that should be able to compete for a top spot in the conference. Here are some predictions for what to expect from Maryland this season:

-The Terps will finish in the top 4 of the conference standings
-Maryland will make it to at least the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament
-Junior guard Anthony Cowan Jr. will be named 1st team All-Big Ten
-Freshman forward Jalen Smith will be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year

The Expectations

The Maryland Terrapins are coming off of a disappointing season in which they failed to make the NCAA Tournament They will look to Bounce Back this season with a more experienced team. The expectations for this team are not as high as they were last season, but they are still expected to be one of the better teams in the conference.

The Terps lost two key players from last season in Justin Jackson and Melo Trimble. Jackson was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, while Trimble was the team’s leading scorer and assist man. These two will be missed, but the Terps have plenty of talent remaining.

Junior guard Kevin Huerter is the leading returning scorer for the Terps, averaging 9.3 points per game last season. He will be expected to step up his scoring output this season with Jackson and Trimble gone. Sophomore forward Bruno Fernando is another player who will need to step up his production this season. He averaged 4.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game as a freshman last season.

The Terps also have a few new faces that will be looking to make an impact this season. Freshman forward Jalen Smith is one of the most highly touted recruits in school history and is expected to make an immediate impact on the court. He is a 6’10” forward who can shoot from outside and is a very good athlete. Another freshman, Eric Ayala, is a 6’5″ guard who can score from all over the court. He should see significant minutes this season as well.

The Terps will also have redshirt juniortransfer Darryl Morsell eligible this season after he sat out last year due to NCAA transfer rules. Morsell is a 6’5″ guard who was a very good player at Mount StMary’s before transferring to Maryland. He should provide some scoring punch off the bench for the Terps this season

Conclusion

The Terps have a lot of potential this season and should not be underestimated. With experienced players and a strong Coaching Staff Maryland has what it takes to make a run in the NCAA Tournament Keep an eye on this team as they could surprise some people this year.