Big Ten Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2023-24 season
By Tuck Clarry
3. Maryland Terrapins
Expectations should be high for Kevin Willard’s second year at Maryland. The Terps went from 10th to 5th and made it to the Round of 32 in the NCAA tournament. Willard brings back three veterans to the 2023-2024 campaign as well as two intriguing freshmen to help the backcourt and perimeter.
Senior Jahmir Young should continue to lead the offense after averaging 15.8 points and 3.1 assists last season and will be helped by junior center Julian Reese who exceeded expectations after earning a larger role last season, averaging 11.4 points and 7.2 rebounds. Senior Donta Scott is a jacknife of a player able to provide multiple things on both ends of the court.
The hope is that freshmen guards DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jamie Kaiser help provide more offense for a Maryland team that struggled from outside and stretching defenses. Point guard Harris-Smith won’t necessarily provide the perimeter scoring but should help continued pressure on defenses with his physical and aggressive penetration. Kaiser is an interesting wing piece as he shows an impressive range on volume as a top 100 recruit.
Should the offense improve and Young be allowed to playmake more than score, Maryland has a real chance to battle even with the top of the Big Ten and return to national relevancy after a roller-coaster journey since leaving the Big East in 2014.