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Three Observations, Three Questions Ahead of Maryland's Showdown with Marquette

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Maryland basketball has begun their season 3-0 after 3 wins against teams ranked below 280 in KenPom, but the competition will get significantly tougher on Friday when the Terps welcome in the No. 15 Marquette Golden Eagles, in the first game of a home and home series. Maryland will head to Milwaukee next season. We dive into key observations through the first three games and what to look for heading into Friday:

 

Three Observations Based on the First Three Games

 

Defense Remains Supreme

 

Last season, Maryland's defense was one of the best in college basketball, and they've started hot again this season. Maryland's 91.7 adjusted defensive efficiency ranking is currently good for fifth in all of college basketball. The Terps' defense was able to keep them in a vast majority of games while their offense (specifically their outside shooting) struggled. If Maryland can keep their defensive rating high while shooting even just a little bit better, they could win a lot more games than last season.

 

All Hail the Queen

 

From the minute Derik Queen took the floor last Monday against Manhattan, it was very clear that he was capable of doing special things. Queen has looked as good as advertised so far. His impact just as a freshman is extremely hard to deny, and he became the first Terp since 1995 with a 20-20 game in just his first game as a Terp. The competition will get tougher, but all early signs show that Queen is up for the challenge.

 

Lineup Fluctuations

 

It seems pretty clear that Kevin Willard is still trying to figure out his best lineup combinations. While the Terps' starters have been on the floor about 11 percent of the time, no other combination has been on the floor more than 5 percent of the time. Interestingly, Maryland's second most used lineup so far contains freshman Malachi Palmer, along with Rodney Rice, who scored 28 against Mount St Mary's with 26 in the second half. Willard has also said he's still trying to figure out when to play Queen and Julian Reese together, who to play them with, and when to have one on and one off.

 

Three Questions Going Forward

 

How will Xfinity look on Friday?

 

The atmosphere last season in the Xfinity Center was not the greatest as the Terps struggled their way through the season. Friday is arguably the biggest home game for Maryland since they knocked off No. 3 Purdue on February 16, 2023. When it's at its peak, the Xfinity Center is without a doubt one of the hardest places to play in the country, and a good atmosphere on Friday will without question help the Terps.

 

How good can Ja'kobi Gillespie be?

 

Taking over for Jahmir Young is no small task, but Gillespie has looked very solid taking over the point guard role. The transfer from Belmont has two years of eligibility seems comfortable as the Terps new point guard, and has also started the season at 40% from beyond the arc, a number that will be paid close attention to throughout the season.

 

Big Ten Tune Up?

 

While Maryland's overall non-conference schedule is not too difficult, they'll be thrown right into the fire in early December when they open conference play against Ohio State and Purdue, both currently top 15 in KenPom. Friday will be Maryland's biggest test of their non-conference slate and should give the Terps' an idea of where they stand ahead of the beginning of conference play.

 

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