After holding their own in the Big Ten and the NCAA Tournament last season, the Terrapins return with a restocked roster skilled enough to help guard Julian Reese. But will it be enough to exceed expectations again?
What a difference one year makes.
Last fall, the Maryland men’s basketball team was coming off its first losing season in 29 years — and with new head coach Kevin Willard — were picked to finish tenth in a Big Ten stocked with Top 25 teams (three in the rankings with five more receiving votes).
The Terps went on to start strong (an 8-0 start, plus a No. 20 ranking in December) before experiencing some early-season turbulence (consecutive losses to Wisconsin, Tennessee and UCLA), well-documented road woes (1-9 away from home in Big Ten play) and more than holding their own in March (wins in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournament).
But instead of letting the highs and lows of a successful first season sink in, they had to get back to work.
“Once you kind of get back from the NCAA Tournament, the (transfer portal is open) and it’s nonstop,” Willard said last month at the team’s Media Day….
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