#5 - Maryland - Sports Illustrated's Preview

OFFENSIVE  EFFICIENCY 115.6 (10th)
DEFENSIVE  EFFICIENCY 92.5 (8th)
BIG TEN  RECORD 14–4 (1st)

As a freshman, Melo Trimble led the Terrapins in minutes (33.5 per game) and scoring (16.2 points). He was also one of their worst points-per-possession defenders. Essentially, the 6'3" playmaker was nonstop — on both ends of the court. “Coach [Mark] Turgeon told me he really couldn’t take me out because I scored a lot,” Trimble says, “but my defense was terrible.”

Maryland should suffer fewer defensive deficiencies this winter. A team that led the Big Ten in field goal percentage D (39.5% shooting allowed) is bigger with the additions of 6' 9" junior forward Robert Carter Jr., a transfer from Georgia Tech, and 6' 11" freshman Diamond Stone. And with that extra depth behind him, the Terps’ most valuable player can push his defensive aggression. “[Trimble] will be allowed to foul,” Turgeon said. “Last year he’d get a foul, and it would be, ‘I don’t want to even see two.’ ”

Although Trimble scored in the 90th percentile nationally in transition (1.345 points per possession), spot-up (1.259) and isolation (1.027) scenarios, per Synergy Sports data, he craved a more complete game. So he watched film of Clippers guard Chris Paul to learn how to stay active and spearhead a defense. “It’s [about] not being lazy,” Trimble says. “I want to take pride in it. I want to be able to check anyone.” —B.H.

X-FACTOR

Rasheed Sulaimon was averaging 7.5 points at Duke before being dismissed from the program last January for failing to meet team standards. Will the 6'4" senior guard be productive or divisive in College Park?


PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Melo Trimble, 6' 3" sophomore guard, Maryland 
As one of the nation’s best guards at drawing fouls — and an 86.3% career free throw shooter — Trimble is a reliable scorer. His numbers might decline slightly from last season, but he’ll get credit for leading a title contender.