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NCAA Basketball: Dayton, Oklahoma State excel and more weekly takeaways

By Brian Rauf

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 26: Obi Toppin #1 of the Dayton Flyers celebrates after throwing down a dunk during the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 26, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 26: Obi Toppin #1 of the Dayton Flyers celebrates after throwing down a dunk during the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 26, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – MARCH 21: Head coach Mark Turgeon of the Maryland Terrapins during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at VyStar Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on March 21, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – MARCH 21: Head coach Mark Turgeon of the Maryland Terrapins during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at VyStar Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on March 21, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

7) I have some concerns about Maryland

The same cannot be said for Maryland. Sure, the nation’s No. 5 team is still undefeated and advanced to the championship of the Orlando Invitational, but they haven’t looked good doing it.

Maryland had played a number of cupcakes early in the season and struggled to get past Rhode Island and George Mason before pulling away late. The teams they have faced at the Orlando Invitational have been the best they’ve played and they’ve struggled to handle what Temple and Harvard have thrown at them.

The Terps started slow in both games, trailed both at halftime, and were still down well into the second half before going on runs led by Anthony Cowan Jr. that would put them ahead for good. Those slow starts is the biggest thing head coach Mark Turgeon is looking to correct, as he told reporters following the Harvard win.

"“I’m disappointed in myself that I can’t get our team to play better at the start. I don’t what know it is. If I knew what it was, I’d have it corrected. “We’re a rah-rah team in the dressing room, a rah-rah team when we’re stretching. I thought we were ready. We just didn’t share the ball enough. I just want our guys to play a little more unselfishly at the start and I think we’ll be a better team.”"

However, the Terps also haven’t been solid defensively. They allowed each point guard to have big games – Alani Moore II had 22 points for Temple, Bryce Aiken had 30 points for Harvard – and showed very little resistance at times.

That’s not a recipe for success against Marquette, who the Terps will play Sunday in the Orlando Invitational title game. Markus Howard is one of the best players in the country and he will come into the game after scoring 40 and 51 in his previous two games.

I know they’re No. 5 right now but, until they start executing consistently on both ends, avoid slow starts, and can slow quality opposing guards, I don’t think they’re one of the nation’s elite teams. Sunday’s game against Marquette is a great chance to prove themselves in those areas, though.

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