Busting Brackets
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Maryland Basketball: 2020-21 season review of the Terrapins

By Anthony Brown

WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA - MARCH 20: Eric Ayala #5 of the Maryland Terrapins looks toward the basket during the first half against the Connecticut Huskies in the first round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Mackey Arena on March 20, 2021 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA - MARCH 20: Eric Ayala #5 of the Maryland Terrapins looks toward the basket during the first half against the Connecticut Huskies in the first round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Mackey Arena on March 20, 2021 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Aaron Wiggins Maryland Basketball (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Aaron Wiggins Maryland Basketball (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Not much was expected of Maryland basketball this season after losing Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith. The Terps finished eighth in the Big Ten, but that ranking doesn’t characterize the fight they showed during the season.

That lack of star power pushed Eric Ayala, Aaron Wiggins, and Darryl Morsell to the forefront as leaders and playmakers.

A few guys who came off the bench need some recognition as well. Jairus Hamilton was a nice addition for the Terps and provided their offense with a perimeter threat. Averaging 6.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, He was almost automatic in a catch-and-shoot situation from the three-point line.

Hakim Hart shined in his sophomore campaign. After not playing much his freshman year, he made a statement against the Saint Peters Eagles with 32 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 from the perimeter. He scored in double figures several times throughout the season after that performance.

At 17-14 (9-11 Big Ten), the Terps earned key wins against the No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers, No. 12 Illinois Fighting Illini, No. 17 Minnesota Golden Gophers, No. 24 Purdue Boilermakers, and a sweep of the Michigan State Spartans.

Their five-game winning streak late in the season propelled them to the NCAA Tournament as a ten-seed despite losing two games they needed to win against Penn State and Northwestern.

Before they faced the seven-seed Connecticut Huskies in the first round, no one other than ESPN Analyst Jay Bilas thought they had a chance to win.  Ayala’s 23 points and excellent shooting from the field and the perimeter as a team got the job done.

The two-seed Alabama Crimson Tide blew them out 96-77, and their chances of a magical tournament run vanished.

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