Maryland Basketball has a lot of good things to look forward to this season with a roster reloaded with new talent and key starters coming back.
Maryland Basketball finished in the top five of the Big Ten last season and surprised many despite the way their season ended against LSU. Their frontcourt was the feature piece of their team on both ends of the court led by Bruno Fernando and Jalen Smith. Both players did a tremendous job of setting the tone for the Terps game in and game out.
The Terps played some of their best basketball last season in late December through mid-January. They went on a seven-game winning streak with key wins against no.24 Nebraska, no.22 Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio State in that span. After that stretch, they went 6-7 in the last 13 games.
During the NCAA Tournament, the growth of this team was on full display. They came into the tournament against a really good Belmont team led by Dylan Windler who is now with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the game in scoring with 35 points, 11 rebounds and shot 7-of-14 (50 percent) from behind the three-point line. Fernando, Smith, and Morsell combined for 51 points and 27 rebounds. Morsell sealed the 79-77 victory with a steal and a made free throw.
In LSU, Maryland basketball faced a team that was similar to them in terms of guard play and physicality in the frontcourt. Unfortunately for the Terps, the game came down to the last play and Tremont Waters made it for the Tigers at Smith’s expense. The Tigers advanced to the Elite Eight after the 69-67 victory.
Maryland basketball has been picked to finish second in the Big Ten behind Michigan State in the 2019-20 season. Both Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith were awarded preseason All-Big Ten team honors and Cowan Jr. was named to the 2020 Bob Cousy Award watchlist.