Maryland Basketball: Terrapins finding a new identity through energy

Maryland Basketball knocked off #6 Wisconsin on Monday by playing tough, inspired basketball. Have the Terps found their recipe for success at the perfect time?

For years Mark Turgeon and Maryland Basketball have relied on talent to get them near the top of the Big Ten and into the NCAA Tournament.

With the departure of a lot of this talent, it is clear that a new style of play is needed in College Park.

Toughness.

Not to discredit any of the former Maryland teams and say that they weren’t tough, but those teams could easily rely on guys like Melo Trimble, Kevin Huerter, and most recently Anthony Cowan Jr. to bail them out of many games.

Being without that “guy” this year, it will take a lot more for them to finish off teams and be competitive in the tough Big Ten, but their previous game may just be a glimpse of what is to come.

Maryland Basketball (6-3, 1-2 Big Ten) is riding a major high after knocking off No. 6 Wisconsin (8-2, 2-1 Big Ten) by a score of 70-64 on Monday night.

With the victory, the Terps won their first game against a top-10 opponent since knocking off No. 3 Iowa in 2016, and their first road win against a top-10 team since upsetting No. 1 North Carolina in 2008.

After starting conference play 0-2 with losses to Rutgers and Purdue, Maryland went into Monday night’s game reeling and needing a win.

After a low-scoring first half from both teams, Maryland came out of the locker room with an upset on their mind.

This looked like an afterthought, though, as the Terps failed to score until there was 16:14 remaining in the half, missing eleven shots in a row during the stretch.

After Wisconsin took an 8 point lead, Maryland switched to a 2-2-1 press and began forcing turnovers. An 8-0 run followed this move and changed the outlook of the game immediately.

After a back and forth next couple of minutes that saw the Terps shoot 13-15 from the field, Maryland began to slightly pull away.

Eric Ayala finished with 17 points, all of them coming in the second half, and made one clutch play after another.

Aaron Wiggins chipped in 15 points and 9 rebounds, exploiting the passing lanes and playing solid all-around defense.

But when it came down to it, the ball was in the hands of Donta Scott, who had another solid performance in his new “leadership” role.

The sophomore from Philly has made huge strides this season, becoming the go-to guy in late game situations for Maryland.

Monday was no different, as he attacked the basket at will and didn’t settle for threes. With just over a minute to go Scott made the play of the game, driving past Nate Reuvers to throw down a ferocious two-handed slam to give Maryland a 5 point lead.

The Terps never looked back, making their free throws and sealing the huge win in the beginning of Big Ten play.

This is the kind of win that puts the entire country on notice and can carry a team’s resume into March.

This win could also allow Mark Turgeon to realize what it will take for his team to be competitive in the best conference in college basketball.

The energy that Maryland had was obvious from the opening tip. The guys were fired up and played with passion on both ends, resulting in the biggest win for the program in years.

Due to the lack of fans in the stadiums this season, the energy and communication from the bench is very important.

It shouldn’t take a matchup with a top-10 team to bring that kind of fire out of a team. That intensity should be there throughout every game.

If Maryland can get the minutes it got from the players already mentioned, as well as continued production from guys like Darryl Morsell, Hakim Hart and Jairus Hamilton they can compete with anyone in the Big Ten.

Someone else who has brought great energy and solid production off the bench has been Chol Marial.

In his last two games, the sophomore has looked significantly more engaged on both ends of the floor. Against Purdue he knocked down 3 of his 4 free throw attempts and in Monday’s game he stepped out and knocked down a jumper with his foot on the line.

If he can continue making strides in the right direction, he can be a weapon off the bench for Mark Turgeon.

Another major test comes on Thursday, as Maryland welcomes No. 16 Michigan into College Park for a New Year’s Eve tilt.

If Mark Turgeon’s team can bottle the same formula they used to upset Wisconsin for this game, don’t be surprised if Maryland knocks off two ranked teams in the same week.

After the Michigan matchup, the Terps go into 2021 with a very tough schedule ahead of them.

They have to face Indiana, Iowa, and Illinois in the first two weeks of January, which will say a lot about this team.

Was this upset a fluke or has the best yet to come for this young and hungry Maryland team?