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Maryland Basketball: Maryland Terrapins 2015-16 Season Preview

By Hashim R. Hathaway

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Maryland Terrapins

2014-2015 Record: 28-7 (14-4, Big Ten)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament – Third Round

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No one expected that the move from the ACC would be so fruitful for the Maryland Terrapins. After a tepid 2013-14 campaign where the Terps finished with a nominal 9-9 record in the ACC, head coach Mark Turgeon looked at the move not as a problem but as a challenge to be met. Not only did Maryland show up for the challenge, they excelled, finishing 28-7 overall and a second-place 14-4 in Big Ten play behind the explosive combo of freshman guard Melo Trimble and senior swingman Dez Wells.

The Terps made themselves at home in the Big Ten by sweeping Michigan State, splitting with Indiana and besting #5 Wisconsin in their only meeting of the season. Their improbable run carried them to a semifinal appearance in the Big Ten Tournament and a heartbreaking upset in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

With Wells lost to graduation, the Terps return with Trimble and stalwart forward Jake Layman, with the key additions of five-star recruit Diamond Stone and Duke transfer Rasheed Sulaimon.

Newcomers

F – Diamond Stone (#6 ESPN100)
G – Jaylen Brantley (juco transfer from Odessa (TX) College )
G – Grant Weatherford (#380 247Sports Composite)
G – Rasheed Sulaimon (transfer from Duke)

Key Non-Conference Games

Nov. 17 vs Georgetown – Maryland finds an immediate challenge in their second game of the season against Georgetown, who returns with senior D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera leading the back court charge for the Hoyas. Despite only a few miles separating the two campuses, The Terps and Hoyas haven’t met since the 2008 Old Spice Classic. Scheduling the two local schools presented it’s own set of drama over the years so the fact that the schools are playing at all makes it a must-watch game for two schools who have ambitions and the tools for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Dec. 1 vs North Carolina – December is a tough month for the Terps, starting with a road trip to visit the Tarheels at the Dean Smith Center as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Tarheels return a strong lineup, including Marcus Paige, Kennedy Meeks and swingman Justin Jackson. On paper, the Terps do have an advantage, but it’s a given that any match against Roy Williams can be a tough hill to climb for a team that is sure to still be gelling before their Big Ten run.

Dec. 8 vs Connecticut – One week later, the Terps face the Huskies in the Jimmy V Classic. Despite losing guard Ryan Boatright to graduation, head coach Kevin Ollie gets back a strong front court in the form of senior Philip Nolan and junior Amida Brimah. Again, the Terps should take this win, but defense will be tight, and it will be interesting to see how Nolan and Brimah measure up against Jake Layman and freshman Diamond Stone.

Key Players

Melo Trimble – After a freshman season boasting 44 percent from the field, averaging 16 points and an impressive 41 percent from beyond the arc, Trimble returns to the Terps as the heart and soul of an offense that looks to be the most dangerous in the Big Ten. As the anchor of the back court and the team’s biggest three-point threat, Trimble will be a lightning rod for teams looking to stem high-scoring efforts from the Terps.

Jake Layman – The senior small forward returns for one more campaign with the Terps, following a much-improved junior year that saw him receive media Third team All-Big Ten honors, finishing third in team scoring with 12.5 points behind Trimble and Dez Wells. On the defensive side, Layman, along with freshman phenom Diamond Stone are essential to the Terps’ defense.

Rasheed Sulaimon – It would be unfair to label Sulaimon as “damaged goods” after his highly-publicized dismissal from Duke in January 2015. The guard, who averaged 10 points, 2.7 rebounds and two assists per game for the Blue Devils, is a deadly position player, scoring in double digits in 49 of 90 games for Duke, making him a solid replacement for the graduated Dez Wells. How he fits into Coach Turgeon’s game plan will go a long way towards the Terps’ overall ambitions as they have their eyes set on a Big Ten championship.

Diamond Stone – Stone is aptly named, because based on his game, shining like a diamond certainly describes his NBA-bound future. A five-star recruit from Milwaukee, WI, Stone has all the makings of a big man weapon that not only defends, but is a scoring machine. During his time at Dominican High, Stone averaged 24.4 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, leading the school to four consecutive state championships. Maryland will look to Stone to shore up the front court flanked by Layman and Robert Carter, Jr. leading to an impenetrable defense that could make big waves in the Big Ten.

Season Outlook

Not to put too fine a point on it, but the 2015-16 season looks to be one of the best in the Mark Turgeon era. Not only does this team bring back the strength of Trimble and Layman, but this season may as well be called the Diamond Stone show, as this freshman phenom will be a joy to watch as the Terps tear through a schedule that could seem them win as many as 30 games before tournament season.

The only real competition the Terps could face for the Big Ten regular season championship could be either Indiana, Michigan State or upstart Purdue. Turgeon should be commended for putting together a team that could easily make it to Maryland’s first Final Four since Gary Williams led the Terps to their only championship in 2002.

Maryland is absolutely the team to beat in the Big Ten, and we’re projecting them to go 16-2 in league play with the only loses likely coming during road games at Indiana and Purdue. As it stands right now, the regular season and the league tournament is Maryland’s to lose, which should make for a very happy Terps Nation.

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