7. Maryland (4-1)
The Terrapins have had their moments since joining the Big Ten over a decade ago, though Kevin Willard is clearly hoping to usher in another era of success. Last year did not go according to plans, as the Terrapins finished below .500 for the second time in three seasons. This is just Willard’s third year in College Park, though patience will run thing with a repeat performance like that, though this Maryland offense looks significantly better.
We can start with the bad, as the Terrapins were beaten at home in a high-profile matchup against Marquette last week. Losing by four to a ranked team isn’t the end of the world, and Maryland has really shown up in their other games. They’ve won their other four games by at least 30 points apiece, albeit against remarkably weak mid-major opponents. That includes this past Tuesday’s 71-point victory over Canisius; one of Maryland’s best performances in recent memory.
The offseason additions look great right now, as both freshman Derik Queen and Belmont transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie are averaging 15.0 points per game and playing inspired basketball. Rodney Rice has also proven to be a stellar addition in the backcourt while Julian Reese averages nearly a double-double as well. While a loss was devastating, Maryland held their own on their homecourt against Marquette; we’ll just have to see how they fare out of College Park in the challenges ahead.