25. Maryland (10-2)
At this point in the season we’re probably overdue for heaping some respect onto Maryland. There was certainly some disappointment for the Terrapins in recent years but they’re looking to be in a place where they can exorcise past demons. They did falter in tight games against Marquette and Purdue but other performances have shown that his team can handle their own business.
This week they were back on the court and won with ease, winning 111-57 against Saint Francis back on Tuesday. There wasn’t drama, though all five starters hit double figures, led by Selton Miguel with a 24-point effort. The weekend saw the Terrapins head to Brooklyn, getting a demonstrative 87-60 win over Syracuse that frankly wasn’t that close. Miguel again led with 24 points while Ja’Kobi Gillespie had 17 points and 11 assists against the Orange.
Combine their showy performances with good metrics and the Terrapins have earned this respect. The starting lineup is full of talent, both old and new, and the team has gotten the job done especially on the offensive end. Each of those two losses could have easily gone the other way and the Terrapins will hope to make a habit out of winning once Big Ten play begins in earnest. For now, Maryland Eastern Shore is the final nonconference game coming up next weekend.