NCAA Basketball: Top 16 breakdown, belief in Maryland, and more weekly takeaways

2) This is the year to believe in Maryland

I’ve fallen into this trap before. And I believe I’ve said repeatedly not to fall into this trap.

But this Maryland team certainly has a different feel to it.

The Terrapins are now all alone in first place in the Big Ten following a 75-66 road win over Illinois in which they erased a 14-point deficit. It was also their sixth straight win and third straight road victory after beginning the season 0-4 in true road games.

After the game, guard Eric Ayala described the feeling within the team to reporters after the game.

"“We’re just confident and rolling. Everything is clicking right now. We kind of get out there and it’s just natural. I don’t think we get rattled when we get down.”"

It should for Maryland, too. They have a star point guard in Anthony Cowan that will be first-team All-Big Ten, a reliable big man in Jalen Smith who has become virtually unstoppable over the past month, and a roster full of other players capable of contributing however the team needs them to.

The amount of sheer talent is one thing that makes the Terps different from the underachieving versions of past Mark Turgeon teams, but they also have an elite defense (fifth nationally in efficiency) that helps them maintain a high level of play away from College Park. Defense travels, after all.

Turgeon himself has improved, too, and has gone more hands-off with the offense to give those talented players more freedom, and it’s working.

We still have five weeks to go until Selection Sunday and a lot can change between now and then, but Maryland is playing as well as anyone – and they have what it takes to win the national championship.