Big Ten Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

By Adam Childs | Sep 16, 2020

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 12: Big Ten logo on the floor before the Big Ten Men's Basketball Final against the Wisconsin Badgers and Michigan Wolverines at the Verizon Center on March 12, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Wolverines won 71-56. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

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COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – MARCH 08: Head coach Mark Turgeon of the Maryland Terrapins (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

. . . Terrapins . 11. team. 439

There might be another team in the Big Ten that has as big of a drop off as the Terrapins. Maryland won a share of their first conference title last year, and maybe one of the worst teams in the conference this year.

They lost two of the best players in the Big Ten in Anthony Cowan and Jalen Smith. Both averaged at least 15 points per game, while Smith also averaged over 10 rebounds per game. These two drove the Terrapins offense and are going to extremely difficult to replace.

They do return Aaron Wiggins who averaged just over 10 points per game, but with the loss of Cowan and Smith, it will be tough for him to get open looks as he will be the guy the other teams clamp down on. Wiggins will need to show that he can be the man fort he Terrapins or it may be a long season.

Mark Turgeon seemed to be on the hot seat, but the conference title cooled that. But if he drops down to the bottom of the Big Ten this year it may heat right back up. The fans in College Park expect more from their team and a drop off won’t cut it.

The Terrapins are going to be thin after failing to bring in any major recruits and it could be a long year for them. The good news is not a lot is expected of them, but that won’t matter to the fans.

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