:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47826277/usa-today-8973114.0.jpg)
Record: 7-1
Head Coach: Mark Turgeon
AP Poll: 6th
USA Today Poll: 9th
Kenpom Ranking: 20th
The Maryland Terrapins got over their loss to North Carolina pretty quickly as they thumped St. Francis (PA) 96-55 at home last Friday night. The Terps shot a ridiculous 67.4% from the field as 12 different Maryland players broke into the scoring column. The win comes on the heels of an 89-81 loss to a Tar Heel team that played like it deserved that preseason number 1 ranking. With Marcus Paige back for North Carolina, Melo Trimble's 23 point, 12 assist performance was not enough to lead the team to victory, partly due to the fact that the team committed a brutal 22 turnovers, 8 of which were Trimble's.
Through eight games this season, the Terrapins best win thus far was a 75-71 victory over in-state rival Georgetown. It was Trimble again who led the way, finishing with 24 points as four different Maryland players scored in double figures. Despite being down by 7 with 14 minutes left, the Terrapins rallied and it was senior Rasheed Sulaimon who hit a big time three-pointer with 1:18 left to break a tie. The Terps never looked back.
Statistically, Maryland is one of the best offensive teams in the country as they rank 11th in Kenpom's adjusted offensive efficiency. The Terrapins are averaging 80.0 PPG which ranks 76th in the nation and are SHOOTING 54.5 PERCENT FROM THE FIELD WHICH IS TIED FOR FIRST IN THE COUNTRY WITH INIDANA AND ST. MARY'S (they also shoot 39.6% from three which is good enough for 38th in the country). On the defensive side of the ball, they are not bad either, ranking 41st in Kenpom's adjusted defensive efficiency while allowing just 65.1 PPG to opposing teams. Don't worry though! There is a bad spot for The Terps as they are averaging just 32.6 rebounds per game which ranks 318th!
While head coach Mark Turgeon will go as many as eight or nine deep in a game, he has seven players who he heavily relies on. Turgeon has used three different starting lineups this season but the one he has used the most (6 of 8 games) has been of Melo Trimble, Jake Layman, Diamond Stone, Rasheed Sulaimon, and Robert Carter. However, it should be noted that Stone did come off the bench in their last game, so it is unclear whether Turgeon will do that again against UConn.
Notable Players:
#11 Jared Nickens, Sophomore, Forward: 7.8 PPG, 42.0% FG, 40.0 3PT% (16-40) in 23.9 MPG
#35 Damonte Dodd, Junior, Forward: 5.1 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 75.0% FG (18-24) in 18.0 MPG
Key Players:
#2 Melo Trimble, Sophomore, Guard (6-3, 185): 14.4 PPG, 5.8 APG, 2.5 RPG, 51.4% FG, 10-29 3PT
The team's best player for the second year in a row, Trimble is a score-first point guard who has improved his court vision and passing. The sophomore from Upper Marlboro, Maryland has the ability to make plays better than anyone in the country, mostly off the dribble. You may recognize him from this play against Michigan State last year. Trimble has scored in double figures in all but two games and has finished with at least 20 twice this season.
#0 Rasheed Sulaimon, Senior, Guard (6-4, 190): 11.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.4 APG, 53.5% FG, 18-34 3PT
Sulaimon has had quite the college ride, being in Coach K's dog house for most of his career before being the first player to ever be kicked off one of Coach K's teams. However, the senior guard has fit in nicely to Maryland's system as his 52.9 three-point percentage ranks 45th in nation. Sulaimon is a gifted guard who can really score the basketball and also has the ability to lock up one on one if he so desires. He has scored in double figures five times this season including an 18 point performance in the loss to UNC.
#10 Jake Layman, Senior, Forward (6-9, 220): 11.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 48.3%FG, 12-34 3PT
Layman is an excellent shooter who has the ability to really stretch team defenses. However, he is already off to a bit of a rocky start to the year as he had a five game stretch in which he went 4-18 behind the arc before breaking out of his slump against St. Francis (PA). Between Sulaimon and Trimble in the backcourt and Carter and Stone in the frontcourt, Layman doesn't need to be a go to guy, but if the Terrapins want to maximize their offensive productivity, they are going to need him to knock down shots from the perimeter. He has scored in double figures five times this season including a 15 point performance in the win over Georgetown.
#4 Robert Carter, Junior, Forward (6-9, 235): 13.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 62.5% FG, 5-15 3PT
The once Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket has not missed a beat after sitting out last season due to transferring. The junior spent his first two years at Georgia Tech, but realized that he wanted to go a step up in competition so came to Mark Turgeon and Maryland. So far in the season, he has thrived as his 62.5 field-goal percentage ranks tied for 58th in the nation. Carter is known to be the strongest player on the team who is a gifted offensive player with the potential to be really special. He has scored in double figures in every game this season and is coming off a 20 point performance in his last game.
#33 Diamond Stone, Freshman, Center (6-11, 255): 9.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 60.4% FG, 0-0 3PT
One of the most heralded recruits under Mark Turgeon, Stone is a McDonald's All-American who was the sixth overall recruit in ESPN's Top 100 and number two center. The freshman is averaging just 17.0 MPG but has been incredibly efficient in those minutes, proving why he was such a sough-after recruit. Stone can score in a variety of ways whether it is with his back to the basket, hitting mid-range jumpers, or taking one power dribble and exploding to the hoop. The one knock on the big man is that he needs to continue to get in better shape so he can stay on the floor longer. However, he did play a season high 21 minutes in Maryland's loss to UNC as he finished with 9 points and 5 rebounds.
Maryland is coached by Mark Turgeon who is in his 5th year with the program where he has compiled an overall record of 94-51. Last season was the first time in his short tenure that the Terrapins reached the NCAA Tournament as they finished with an overall record of 28-7. Before Maryland, Turgeon spent four years at Texas A&M and made the Tournament every year, but never to the second weekend. He was also the head coach at Wichita State where he went 128-90 and made it to the NCAA Tournament one time, the 2005-06 season in which the Shockers advanced to the Sweet 16. Turgeon's first every head coaching job was at Jacksonville State, where he spent two seasons with the team and went 25-29. Overall, his career record is 344-210 with six NCAA Tournament appearances.