Big Ten Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2024-25 season

4. Maryland Terrapins

2023-24 season record: 16-17 (7-13 Big Ten)

Continuing the theme of disappointing teams from last season was Maryland, who had a top-25 roster but lacked both the depth and the overall shooting to be competitive. They’re now without 20 ppg scoring guard Jahmir Young and starting forward Donta Scott, along with a few reserves hitting the transfer portal.

But the Terrapins easily added more from the portal than they lost, starting with Ja’Kobi Gillespie. The 6’0 guard not only averaged 17.2 ppg and 4.2 apg at Belmont but was also an all-league defender as well. Selton Miguel (14.7 ppg) was the AAC 6th Man of the Year at South Florida, while Rodney Rice averaged around 7.0 ppg as a freshman at Virginia Tech before sitting out this past season.

In the frontcourt, big man Julian Reese (13.7 ppg and 9.5 rpg) returns for an extra year, while Georgia Tech transfer Tafara Gapare will provide depth. But the biggest offseason pickup wasn’t from the portal, it was 5-star center prospect Derik Queen picking the Terps. If he’s a star early on, that instantly makes them a contender.

Maryland now has the depth and the shooting to get back in the Big Ten mix and if DeShawn Harris-Smith takes another leap as a sophomore guard, that’ll be even better. It’ll be important that Gillespie is ready for the jump from the Missouri Valley since he’s expected to run the offense.