Maryland basketball received a big boost today.
Guard Eric Ayala told Jon Rothstein today that he is withdrawing from the 2021 NBA Draft to return for his senior season for Maryland, giving head coach Mark Turgeon a veteran backcourt next to transfer Fatts Russell heading into the 2021-22 season. Ayala finished last season as the Terps’ highest-scorer, averaging just over 15 points per game on 43.7% shooting from the field, including 33.7% from three-point and 83.1 from the free-throw line. While Ayala’s return gives the Terps more veteran leadership from those that have grown within the program, it’s another key piece to help Maryland meet preseason top-15 buzz fresh off an extension for Turgeon.
"I'm excited to announce I'll be returning to Maryland for my senior season. I took my time throughout this process and am appreciative of the feedback I received,” Ayala announced. “I can't wait to get to work with our team and play in front of the best fans in the country once again!"
"I'm proud of Eric for taking his time throughout this process and obtaining the feedback needed to make an informed decision on his future," said head coach Mark Turgeon. "Eric is one of the top guards in the Big Ten Conference and possesses experience at the highest level of college basketball that can't be taught. He will earn his degree from a top-notch university and continue to build on his tremendous basketball resume to set himself up for the future."
Ayala’s decision, though a significant boost, was expected as the senior guard was the most likely to return among the trio of Terps to declare for the upcoming NBA Draft. Though former Maryland guard Darryl Morsell announced his transfer to Marquette earlier this week, Turgeon will hope to get a second key returner for the upcoming season with Aaron Wiggins maintaining his eligibility in the draft. Wiggins was one of 40 invites to the NBA G League Elite camp last week as he’s completed workouts with the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics. Wiggins had an inconsistent showing at the NBA Combine last week, though has seen increased interest from NBA teams since last week’s combine.
Maryland has yet to formally announce the schedule for the 2021-22 season as details have emerged in recent weeks. Maryland will reportedly kick off their season on November 9 against Quinnipiac and host George Washington on November 11. Maryland has already announced the December 12 matchup against Florida at the Barclays Center while the Terps will also reportedly participate in a late November tournament in the Bahamas alongside Richmond, Mississippi State, and Louisville. Earlier this week, it was announced that Maryland will also host Virginia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Maryland also announced the addition of former Arizona State four-star forward Pavlo Dziuba yesterday, rounding out Turgeon’s roster ahead of the fall season. Now, Aaron Wiggins becomes the biggest question mark for the Terps’ roster as he flirts with staying in the NBA Draft or returning to College Park.
The Big Ten officially announced the conference opponents back in May. Maryland will host Minnesota, Penn State, and Wisconsin; travel for road games to Michigan, Nebraska, and Purdue; host a home-and-away against Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, and Rutgers.