Big Ten Basketball: Top 5 point guard-big man combos for 2019-20 season
No. 1 Anthony Cowan Jr. – Jalen Smith, Maryland Terrapins
The pair of Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith paid significant dividends for the Terps this season. Last year, these two were on the brink of an Elite Eight appearance in the 2019 NCAA Tournament and led their team to a Big Ten title in 2020. They were ranked 12th in the final AP poll with a 24-7 (14-6 Big Ten) record. For Maryland fans, this is a Big Ten basketball duo that they won’t forget.
Where Cowan Jr. and Smith benefited one another was mainly out of the pick and roll play. When Smith set a pick for him, he had the option with the created space to shoot a three, avoid the screen and blow by defenders to the basket or use the screen and do the same thing. If Smith rolled, then the lob for an alley-oop was available. The fact that both of them can shoot threes at a good rate helped Maryland’s offense in a big way as well.
Cowan Jr. finished this season averaging 16.3 points per game, 4.7 assists per game and 3.6 rebounds per game. In this season alone, he became a three-time Big Ten Player of the Week, Orlando Invitational MVP, Wooden Award National Player of the Year Candidate (Top-15), and First Team All-Big Ten (Coaches); Second Team (Media).
He made an impact with his leadership on the court, playmaking ability in clutch situations and durability. Setting the school record for consecutive starts is no easy task. It takes discipline and mastering how to take care of one’s body after every practice and game. He joined Penn State’s Talor Battle as the only Big Ten players to amass 1,800 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists. That is another accolade that speaks to the hard worker Cowan Jr. is and was during his time in College Park.
Smith was dominant in his own right as he averaged a double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds). His 21 double-doubles were the third-best in the NCAA. He earned these accolades in 2020: Third-Team All-American selection by Associated Press, CBS Sports, Sporting News and Sports Illustrated, Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Finalist (Top-5), Citizen Naismith Player of the Year Award Semifinalist (Top-10), First Team All-Big Ten; All-Big Ten Defensive Team, and a top-20 selection for the Wooden Award Late Season.
He came in as a local kid from Baltimore adding size to the Terps frontcourt alongside Bruno Fernando. He grew up with each game last year and carried that momentum into this year where he took his game to another level. He likes Anthony Cowan Jr. let his play do the talking for him and that’s why the two of them worked so well together.
Check out some of their best plays this season. These two have given Maryland their all the last two seasons. Cowan Jr.’s legacy is cemented at Maryland. He’ll go down as one of the best to ever play there. Smith’s status for next year is still up in the air.
Smith sets a pick for Cowan Jr. and he turns the speed on to convert the layup. The Terps beat the George Mason Patriots 86-63 during their non-conference slate. He had 16 points in that victory.
Cowan Jr. drives past two Temple Owl defenders for a layup in traffic. He went off for 30 points and four assists in the 76-69 Orlando Invitational quarterfinal win.
The Owls had the ball well covered on this play but that left Smith all by himself in the right corner for a three that gave the Terps a lead down the stretch.
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In the Orlando Invitational semifinal game, Cowan Jr. drives toward the middle of the perimeter and finds a rolling Smith who gets the layup in traffic. The Terps beat the Harvard Crimson 80-73 to advance to the Orlando Invitational championship game behind Cowan Jr.’s 20 points and five assists. Smith had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
In one of Maryland’s best road wins of the season, Smith hands the ball to Cowan Jr. and his loop around the screen forces Indiana’s Rob Phinisee to follow him over the screen and Cowan Jr. converts a layup in traffic. The Terps won 77-76. Smith recorded a 29 point and 11 rebound double-double. Cowan Jr. had 18 points and four assists.
Cowan Jr. finds Smith guarded by Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis and Smith goes to work on the talented freshman. After this basket, Smith scored the next seven points for the Terps and the game winning layup.