Maryland basketball kicks off year two of the Kevin Willard era on Tuesday night as the Terps welcome Mount St. Mary’s to College Park for a 7 PM tipoff.
With Willard and the players set to preview the season opener in College Park on Monday afternoon, ESPN previewed the 2023-24 college basketball season breaking down the field ahead of the first slate of games set to kick off on Monday afternoon. While Jeff Borzello, John Gasaway, Joe Lundardi and Myron Medcalf shared their picks around the country, Maryland drew a mention from Medcalf as a ‘mystery team that will either be a bracket disruptor or a tournament disaster.’
This honor belongs to the Maryland Terrapins. With the return of Jahmir Young, Julian Reese and Donta Scott and the addition of a strong recruiting class, Big Ten title contention and a second weekend run both seem possible for the Terps. But, this program has started 1-3 or worse in Big Ten play for the past three years and hasn’t been to the Sweet 16 since 2016. Kevin Willard could change all of that this season, but I’ll have to see it to believe it.
Of course, Maryland will look to build off its success in its first season under Kevin Willard after winning 22 games and finishing 16-1 at home, including an undefeated record in Big Ten games inside Xfinity. The veteran trio of Young, Reese and Scott have spearheaded Maryland’s preseason buzz as the Terps were picked to finish third in the preseason Big Ten media poll, but the addition of the three freshmen have reinforced the Terps’ rotation as Willard noted Maryland could go “nine, ten, 11 [deep] at times,” during media day.
Former four-stars DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jamie Kaiser Jr. are expected to fill the void left by Don Carey and Hakim Hart in the starting lineup, while Indiana transfer Jordan Geronimo fills the Patrick Emilien role in the rotation after being credited for adding immediate physicality to the roster. Add in the second-year development that Willard has routinely pointed to through the offseason, and the Terps’ frontcourt has potential depth heading into the season with uber-athletic center Mady Traore adding depth. Maryland also returns Jahari Long to provide depth behind Young at the point, while Noah Batchelor is the wildcard to help Maryland improve its perimeter shooting.
Fans will look to see if the blend of freshmen firepower and veteran leadership can lead the Terps past the first weekend in hopes of reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016 and the second time since 2003.
Maryland will take its 46-game home-opener win streak into Tuesday night, the third-longest active streak in the country, while the Terps have won its last nine consecutive season-openers with the last loss coming in 2013 against UConn at the Barclays Center.
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