University of Maryland - 2015-16 Blue Ribbon's Preview
LOCATION College Park, MD
CONFERENCE Big Ten
LAST SEASON 28-7 (.800)
CONFERENCE RECORD 14-4 (2nd)
STARTERS RETURNING/LOST 3/2
NICKNAME Terrapins
COLORS Red, Black & Gold
HOMECOURT Xfinity Center (17,950)
COACH Mark Turgeon (Kansas ’87)
RECORD AT SCHOOL 87-50 (4 years)
RECORD CAREER 337-209 (17 years)
ASSISTANTS
Dustin Clark (Texas A&M ’07)
Bino Ranson (Southern New Hampshire ’99)
Cliff Warren (Mount St. Mary’s ’90)
WINS (LAST 5 YRS.) 19-17-25-17-28
RPI (LAST 5 YRS.) 97-110-62-76-14
2014-15 FINISH Lost in NCAA third round.
BACKCOURT A
FRONTCOURT A-
BENCH/DEPTH A
INTANGIBLES A 
COACH AND PROGRAM
When Mark Turgeon took over for Gary Williams in May 2011, it was easy to like Turgeon right away. He’s one of those coaches that wears his heart on his sleeve, much like his predecessor in College Park, and he was such a basketball purist it was hard for him to hide any of his emotions or not say exactly what he was feeling.
Turgeon had paid his dues, working his way up from Jacksonville State then Wichita State, then finally Texas A&M. When he reached Maryland, it was like a Norse warrior ascending to Valhalla. And Turgeon knew it. Even with a mostly barren roster the first year, he was already talking about 20-win seasons and NCAA tournament appearances and, ultimately, shots at a national title. What’s more, Turgeon truly believed, and believed it could happen quickly. In 2012-13, the Terps went from 17 wins to 25 and a trip to the NIT semifinals with an overachieving squad. It was back to 17 wins in Maryland’s final season in the ACC, and a disappointing first-round conference tournament exit on a buzzer beater.
That was just the beginning of a bad run that saw five players transfer, and the move to the Big Ten loomed like just another bunch of bullies waiting to put the Terrapins on their back. But a funny thing happened. Turgeon had to make a couple of adjustments on his coaching staff, and the players that stuck around were better ts in his system and true believers in that system, and he was able to land more such players.
The new staff mix of ace recruiter Bino Ranson, combined with longtime trusted Turgeon assistant Dustin Clark and freshly promoted Cliff Warren seemed to hit their stride recruiting and in developing the players already in the program. It speaks to Turgeon’s loyalty and confidence that both Clark and Warren were promoted from within. Ranson, for that matter, was a holdover from Williams’ final staff.
Picked 10th by the media in the preseason Big Ten poll, Maryland would finish second, reach the third round of the NCAA tournament, win 28 games, and do it all despite some tough injuries, including losing projected starter Evan Smotrycz in the preseason and then having to play without emotional leader Dez Wells for a stretch.
No matter, the tide had turned. Maryland won five Big Ten road games and held service (9-0) in conference at home, including an upset of fifth-ranked Wisconsin. A tough loss to perennial postseason powerhouse Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament didn’t dampen enthusiasm. Then the Terrapins, making their first NCAA appearance since 2010, survived a second-round scare with a 65-62 win over Valparaiso when walk-on Varun Ram made a big defensive play at the end.
Those kinds of things were part of a trend. Maryland had a 12-1 record in games decided by six points or less. The luck ran out against West Virginia when point guard Melo Trimble suffered a head injury and missed the final eight minutes of a 69-59 loss, with the Mountaineers exposing a lack of depth at guard the Terps had hidden most of the season.
But soon after the turning-point season, more good news came when consensus top-10 big man Diamond Stone committed to Maryland. It didn’t take Trimble long to say he was coming back, too, and then Jake Layman did the same.
In news that heartened local fans more than if the Beltway were magically made 10 lanes in both directions, Maryland and Georgetown agreed to play a regular-season game on one or the other’s court for the first time since 1993. And after Maryland hosts this year on Nov. 17, the Terps will play the Hoyas at Verizon Center next season.
Oh, and remember that backcourt problem? Well, in May, Rasheed Sulaimon, the odd man out at Duke, transferred to Maryland. He plugs right into a team that suddenly was in everybody’s top five, and was ESPN’s preseason No. 1.
After some ts and starts pushing the Terrapins back into the national spotlight, Turgeon was perfectly ne with the target on his team’s back.
“It’s a good thing for us right now,” he said. “It’s something we’ve worked for and we were expecting it. We have thought about it a lot, and we’re just going to make the most of it.”
The Terrapins are back in the living rooms of the game’s top recruits, and Maryland has a team this year with at least five NBA prospects — Trimble, Layman, Sulaimon, Stone and 7-1 Michal Cekovsky.
Now even the Terrapin fans that weren’t sold as late as last summer are all on the 2015 Big Ten Coach of the Year’s bandwagon, too. Turgeon knew they would be. He just thought it was all going to happen a lot quicker.
Welcome to the way things work around the Beltway, coach.
STARTERS NON RETURNING:
SG/SF - DEZ WELLS
(6-5, 15.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.0 spg, .464 FG, .510 3PT, .806 FT).
The burly Wells’ skill set was a big reason Maryland switched o enses last season, creating space for him to operate and create while trying to lesson his ball handling initiating the o ense. Trimble made that part a moot point and Wells posted a rst-team All-Big Ten season despite missing seven games with a broken hand. At 225 pounds, Wells was a nightmare matchup for smaller players and got a lot of his points in the paint. He was too quick for bigger defenders and he was often Maryland’s go-to guy in the half court without a steady contributor in the low post.
Wells was second on the team in rebounding, a testament to the raw strength in his game and the dearth in the post for the Terrapins. e broken hand a ected Wells’ shooting; his numbers were down a bit and he just wasn’t as consistent as in years past, and turnovers—a team-high 92—remained an issue. Wells was an able, if not spectacular defender, and he was the emotional leader of the team. e Terps were at their best when Wells was on top of his game.
SG-RICHAUD PACK
(6-4, 5.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.5 spg, .393 FG, .326 3PT, .697 FT).
Pack was a graduate transfer from North Carolina A&T, and lled an important role as a veteran leader but also as a steady perimeter defender and valuable long-range shooter. He started 27 games and produced a 22-point game against VMI. Injuries and inconsistency from freshmen wings Dion Wiley and Jared Nickens probably got him more minutes (25.7) than expected, and Pack usually delivered, particularly with sticky defense on top perimeter scorers.
OTHERS NON RETURNING:
PF - EVAN SMOTRYCZ
(6-9, 4.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.4 bpg, 0.5 spg, .322 FG, .290 3PT, .762 FT).
A broken foot in the preseason spoiled Smotrycz’s senior year; he missed ve games and was hobbled in a couple of others. He sprained his ankle after returning—probably too early—and missed three more games before rejoining the rotation in late December. e new motion o ense was also predicated on Smotrycz stretching the oor with his perimeter shooting and passing, but he had his worst shooting season and never really got on track.
His best work was often as a passer from the high post, where he was adept at nding cutters or a mismatch closer to the basket. On the other end, Smotrycz had di culty matching up with physical power forwards, and his body language was often a telltale sign. He was able to make plays at both ends with his head (he was Big Ten All-Academic) but too much was expected from the Michigan transfer last season, especially after the preseason injury slowed him.
PF - JON GRAHAM
(6-7, 2.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, .533 FG, .519 FT).
The Maryland legacy—his father Ernest was an all-time great scorer for the Terrapins—carved out a niche as a hustling, scrappy defender. Graham appeared in 34 games and started seven, but he had to be a blue-collar worker because he was undersized in the paint, where he did his best work.
Unlike his father, though, Graham really had no feel for the o ensive game, and relied on his rebounding for scoring opportunities. He often gave the team a lift with a hustle play, but the Terrapins are happy they now have more big guys to ll the roles big guys should ll.
PROJECTED STARTERS:
#2 - MELO TRIMBLE (PG, So.)
(6-3, 185 lbs., SO, #2, 16.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.3 spg, 33.5 mpg, 444 FG, .412 3PT, .863 FT, Bishop O’Connell/Upper Marlboro, Md.).
Trimble was the player Maryland had to have in the wake of five transfers in 2014. A McDonald’s All-American that ESPN ranked as the No. 29 prospect in the nation, Trimble was a highly-regarded Turgeon recruit that lived up to the billing. And more.
The Terrapins put the ball in his hand from day one, and he delivered an All-Big Ten performance, 28 wins and several All-America honors. Trimble led the team in minutes, scored the second-most freshman points ever at Maryland (behind Joe Smith) and led the Big Ten in free-throw percentage, a trait that saw him sealing a lot of those wins at the end.
Coach Turgeon was an assistant coach on the U.S. Pan Am Games team that Trimble played on this summer, and the coach thought the experience made the sophomore better.
“He learned there are a lot of good players out there,” said coach Turgeon. “I think he learned a little di erent brand of basketball, which is good.”
Trimble was a better than average defender, and as he improves that facet as the player on the ball, Maryland’s man-to-man defense will improve, too. He has already taken and hit a college career’s worth of clutch shots and free throws, and his confidence is a major strength, something his teammates often feed to .
Coach Turgeon thought the situation last season with Trimble as the only point guard on the roster was a blessing for the rookie.
“He got to play through a lot of mistakes, play loose, and just make plays,” coach Turgeon said. “I had seen him a lot in high school, so nothing he did surprised me.”
#0 - RASHEED SULAIMON (SG/PG/SF, Sr.)
(6-5, 195 lbs., GR, #0, 7.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.0 spg, 19.3 mpg, .413 FG, .404 3PT, .667 FT, Duke/Strake Jesuit College Prep/Houston, Tex.).
The Houston native Sulaimon is familiar to Turgeon, the former Texas A&M coach, who knows his family and started tracking Sulaimon as an eighth grader. All that is important because last season, Sulaimon famously became the first player Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski ever dismissed from his team. At first it was allegedly over an accumulation of transgressions, including reports from the previous season that the 35-year Duke coach was displeased with Sulaimon’s body language when his game didn’t go well.
Ultimately, rape allegations circulated, though Sulaimon has denied the claims, and no charges were ever filed.
Sulaimon graduated from Duke in three years and was eligible to transfer to Maryland, where he replaces Dez Wells, who went through a similar experience at Xavier.
Sulaimon immediately improves the Terrapins’ defensive profile. He was on the verge of being a lockdown defender at Duke after accepting a smaller role for the Blue Devils last season when their touted freshman class came aboard. Sulaimon went from 29 and 25 minutes played his first two seasons to 19.3 in his 20 games last season before the dismissal. His scoring average also dipped each season from his high of 11.6 points as a freshman.
Sulaimon has proven a steady 3-point shooter (.391 for his career), another area in which Maryland could use a lift, and his experience in big games will be invaluable. Coach Turgeon has said Sulaimon can be Maryland’s best on-ball defender immediately, and can play point, shooting guard or small forward in the Terrapin scheme.
#10 - JAKE LAYMAN (SF, Sr.)
(6-9, 220 lbs., SR, #10, 12.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.7 bpg, 30.1 mpg, .470 FG, .378 3PT, .752 FT, King Phillip Regional/Wrentham, Mass.).
Jake Layman has some of the best highlight reels around. Most of his baskets are 3-pointers or dunks, and NBA scouts seem infatuated with his game, though there aren’t many defensive highlight reels.
A 6-9 perimeter player, Layman is a tough matchup at both ends. He developed a fabulous short range and post-up game last season to go with the 3s and dunks, but at the other end he’s forced to chase rabbits or bump with bigs. He has some toughness, as his rebounding average attests, and he does a great job at the point of Maryland’s diamond press or its 1-3-1 half court scheme, where his long arms and good instincts are put to great use.
Jake Layman is prone to streaks, like many great shooters, and when he gets on one, don’t bother knockin’; Xfinity Center is rockin’ and the Terrapins get rolling. Con dence has been his biggest issue, but his con dence has grown each season.
He has worked hard to become a reputable defender, and now Layman has some legitimate big men behind him as a safety net to gamble more and get after it. Turgeon has said this is Layman’s team, because he’s the only four-year senior on the roster. Layman could be primed for a big season, and if he hits his rst 3-point attempt of the game, watch out.
#4 - ROBERT CARTER, JR. (Pf, Jr.)
(6-9, 235 lbs., JR, #4, 11.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.1 bpg, 26.8 mpg, .467 FG, .264 3PT, .653 FT in 2013-14, Georgia Tech/Shiloh HS/Thomasville, Ga.).
While the arrivals of Stone and Sulaimon have made most of the headlines, the addition of Robert Carter Jr could be every bit as big. The stories of the burly forward dominating practices in the paint while he sat out last season are already legend. He was the team’s most experienced big man and certainly the most physical, his style helping the other young bigs adjust to the rough-and-tumble Big Ten.
The year practicing did Robert Carter Jr good, too. He’s leaner and more chiseled, now listed at 235.
“Robert had to change his body to be a little more athletic [and] to be a better defender, which he needed to be,” coach Turgeon said. “He’s a great rebounder, and at times last year we weren’t a great rebounding team. With his size and athleticism, we should be much better.”
And those rebounds are the lifeblood of a transition basketball team like coach Turgeon envisions. The other implication is Robert Carter Jr had to get quicker to cover a range of opponents from low-post behemoths to stretch fours, an indication coach Turgeon wants him on the floor as much as possible.
Offensively, Robert Carter Jr is a force in the paint and working on a nice little midrange game, where his body naturally creates space on his turns. His biggest value may be in mentoring the other younger Terrapin big men, though, and instilling his aggressive demeanor and drive.
#33 - DIAMOND STONE (C, Fr.)
(6-11, 255 lbs., FR, #33, 24.4 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 3.0 bpg, Dominican HS/Milwaukee, Wisc.).
When Stone committed to the Terps to join fellow top-25 recruit Trimble, it marked the first time Maryland had landed such highly rated players in back-to-back years since 1992 (Duane Simpkins) and 1993 (Keith Booth). And when the prospect is as big and skilled as Stone, well, it’s a truly a big deal.
The fact the Terps took him out of Milwaukee and from Wisconsin also seems an early Big Ten dividend. Stone, rated as high as the No. 6 prospect in the country, further legitimizes coach Turgeon’s program. And, truth be told, his signing is what launched the Terrapins to the top of the preseason polls.
Stone has that marvelous combination of a body that naturally creates space inside and soft hands, which translates to a nice touch around the basket. As with many such players, his offense is ahead of his defense, but his size alone makes up for a lot. In combination with Robert Carter Jr and some of the other big men, the Terrapins are the most formidable they’ve been around the basket since the 2002 national championship team.
The knock on Stone has been that he needs to get in better shape, though much of his girth still looks like baby fat. He’s now in a strength and conditioning program (at Maryland they call it “Basketball Performance”) with one of the best, Kyle Tarp, so check that off the list, and listen to this from coach Turgeon: “I only got to work with Diamond [second summer semester for six hours] but the big thing that really impressed me was that when he’s between the lines, he really works, and he has just an unbelievable knack for putting the ball in the basket.”
Coach Turgeon has spent much of his Terrapin tenure coaching around the lack of a legitimate low-post offensive option. Alex Len didn’t stay around long enough, and recruits such as Shaq Cleare and Charles Mitchell didn’t pan out. Now, the tenants of the inside-out offense coach Turgeon has longed for are set in Stone.
KEY RESERVES:
#11 - JARED NICKENS (G/F, So.)
(6-7, 205 lbs., SO, #11, 6.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.4 apg, 19.3 mpg, .378 FG, .390 3PT, .737 FT, Westtown School/Monmouth Junction, N.J.).
Not everyone noticed how solid Nickens was as a freshman. Thanks, Trimble for hogging all the attention. But the lithe Nickens was smooth and clutch, too, particularly from his favorite spot behind the arc on the left baseline.
His 57 3-pointers ranked second on the team behind only Trimble (61), and he actually shot better from 3 than he did from inside the arc (.390 to .378). Along with Dion Wiley, though, he was so skilled a shooter and passer that he elevated the entire offense. Arguably, coach Turgeon switched to the “Maryland Motion” sets to take advantage of these skills — and also lessen the burden on Trimble and hide the lack of a true post.
Nickens eased ahead of Wiley early because he was more consistent with his jumper and because his long arms made him a nuisance defensively. He’s still learning on that end but has the potential to be a great defender.
Coach Turgeon said he did not want Nickens adding weight, though he looks in desperate need of cheeseburger or two. His game is quickness and length, and he has still got room for growth there.
#15 - MICHAL CEKOVSKY (F/C, So.)
(7-1, 250 lbs., SO, #15, 2.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.6 bpg, 12.6 mpg, .522 FG, .286 FT, Canarias Academy/Kosice, Slovakia).
If Stone hadn’t found his way to College Park, Cekovsky would probably be penciled in as a starter. With very little experience, he appeared in 30 games, and his talent was readily apparent. He has a solid post-up game, quick feet, good hands, great o ensive instincts, and he’s already shown he’s a nifty passer.
The problem is that 28 percent shooting at the free-throw line makes him a liability late in games until he finds the touch. He didn’t really have the body to bang in the Big Ten, but that didn’t mean he didn’t try. Now he has added 20 pounds of muscle and the game is starting to come a little easier.
“The game slowed down for him,” coach Turgeon said of Cekovsky’s offseason. “He recognizes situations, is able to see it and take advantage. Last year he wasn’t really seeing things. He has a chance to be really good.”
And with Stone and Carter in front of him, some of the pressure is o . He can continue to develop at his own space. Turgeon loves imagining “Ceko” (pronounced “Check-O”) protecting the rim with his long arms. He will be a major force for the Terrapins, the question is just when.
#5 - DION WILEY (G, So.)
(6-4, 210 lbs., SO, #5, 4.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.6 apg, 13.5 mpg, .381 FG, .329 3PT, .639 FT, Potomac HS/Oxon Hill, Md.).
You could tell coach Turgeon loved Wiley, because when he couldn’t buy a bucket as a freshman, Turgeon kept playing him to keep his confidence up, and because there’s potential in his game. A burly guard last season, Wiley has dropped from his freshman weight of 237 all the way to 210. Wiley’s defense also held him back, but that was changing as last season progressed.
“Dion had a really good summer with me on the court,” coach Turgeon said. “He played at a high level and continued to change his body. He really worked hard and has become more athletic and is feeling more comfortable in the system.”
Wiley has star written all over his game, and he is a great backup for Sulaimon, perhaps providing offense off the bench at opportune times. He’s an explosive, creative scorer o the dribble, and he’s taking pride in becoming a great defender. Look for him to fill a key role.
#35 - DAMONTE DODD (F/C, Jr.)
(6-11, 250 lbs., JR, #35, 4.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 15.9 mpg, .607 FG, .627 FT, Massanutten [Va.] Military Academy/Centreville, Md.).
Dodd was thrust into a bigger role when both Charles Mitchell and Shaq Cleare transferred after the 2013-14 season. He started 31 games and had an impact defensively, finishing 10th in the Big Ten in blocked shots. His offense was a work in progress and his best plays were made in offensive rebound situations where he used his length, strength and athleticism.
Dodd is the most experienced big off the bench and can see more work as his o ense comes along. Right now, it’s rebound, defend, and run the oor, which he does well. In fact, with less fear of getting into foul trouble and with the ability to go harder in shorter stretches, Dodd could be primed to really help o the bench.
#1 - JAYLEN BRANTLEY (PG, So.)
(5-11, 170 lbs., SO, #1, 14.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 25.5 mpg, .429 FG, .362 3PT, .809 FT, Odessa [Tex.] CC/Notre Dame Prep/ Spring eld, Mass.).
Brantley, an early commit, was actually the player the Terps needed last season when they had no true backup point. That bit the team a couple of times, especially in the loss to West Virginia in the NCAA tournament.
Brantley can more than fill that role now, and it doesn’t hurt that he can play on the wing and knock down some jumpers.
”He can flat-out shoot it,” said Turgeon, who calls him a “pass-first point guard.”
The coach also has been impressed with Brantley’s work ethic since he arrived on campus this summer. At 21 years old, Brantley is mature beyond his sophomore status and could be ideal caddying for Trimble. There weren’t many good options when Trimble needed a breather last season.
OTHER RETURNEES:
#13 - IVAN BENDER (F, Fr.)
(6-9, 230 lbs., R-FR, #13, 14.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, KK Split/Elektrotehnicka Skol/ Caplijina, Bosnia and Herzegov).
Bender was a late addition last season, cleared to join the Terrapins in January. He began practicing, but a previous knee injury ultimately sidelined him until the spring, when he was able to resume workouts. The knee is fine now, and Bender played in Croatia this summer.
He has some of the European offensive game and his size makes him the kind of rim protector that Turgeon loves. In fact, it’s Turgeon’s success with Alex Len and shipping him o to the NBA after two seasons that has made him a coach that international players now seek.
Bender’s younger brother, Dragan, currently is playing in Israel and is expected to be an NBA lottery pick in 2016.
#21 - VARUN RAM (G, R-Gr.) - Former walk-on
(5-9, 155 lbs., GR, #21, 0.4 ppg, 0.2 rpg, 2.7 mpg, 1.000 FT, Trinity College/River Hill HS/ Clarksville, Md.).
Ram is the classic walk-on who came in, did his job, and is now on scholarship. A neurobiology and physiology double major, he had a near perfect GPA at graduation, and was a Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient. Oh, and he made a critical defensive play to keep Valparaiso from taking a last-second shot in Maryland’s second-round NCAA tournament victory.
Ram became a defensive specialist, highlighted by that play. He also became the pride of India, a country not known for basketball, where his family lives. He announced in April that he was returning for a final season with the Terrapins to a little less fanfare than Trimble and Layman, except in India. Unfortunately with the newfound depth in the backcourt, it may be harder for Ram to earn minutes.
In one offseason, the Terrapins turned the talk from who was leaving the program to who was coming in. The addition of Stone promises to fill a lot of seats in the built-for-basketball Xfinity Center. Maryland, always a dark horse in the national race, is back on the inside rail, and Turgeon may start to get more of the recognition he deserves as a great coach and program builder.
And there’s a feeling this is just the beginning as Turgeon and his staff, who have always been on a lot of highly rated players’ short lists, start to close the deal on more top prospects. The Big Ten affiliation, brutal winter travel aside, has helped Maryland’s athletic program across the board, heightened the Terrapins’ profile and put more coin in the Maryland pocketbook.
With a season in the league behind them, the Terps are ready to take the mantle of favorite in 2015-16 and see how far they can go in the postseason. If the pieces come together, the answer may be pretty far.
The Terrapins, who led the Big Ten in field-goal percentage defense (.395), look to be improved there with more beef around the basket and Sulaimon on the perimeter. All those sophomore wings will be better, too. So will Trimble, who is genuinely starting to play for a spot in the NBA.
That beef around the basket should also help Maryland improve last year’s shaky +1.5 rebound margin (seventh in the Big Ten). Likewise another year for Trimble and more depth in the backcourt should — with apologies to the great-but-turnover-prone — should improve that Turgeon-cringing -1.14 turnover margin. The Terrapins, who do like to run, were 11th among their Big Ten brethren in that category and also 11th (0.9-1) in assist-to-turnover ratio.
“We want to take care of the ball and be efficient on offense,” said coach Turgeon, running down his to-do list. “I think we can be a better offensive team than we’ve been in the past. And then it comes down, talent or no talent, to chemistry. We worked hard on that in the summer and will continue to try to be as close-knit a team as we possible can.”
Chemistry was a strength last season, but every team is different. Coach Turgeon said Carter Jr and Layman were the leaders now, and that’s a new role for both of them. Trimble, who never played like a rookie, has to remain focused and take that step that great players do from their freshman to sophomore seasons. If he becomes great defensively, Maryland will live up the preseason billing because his teammates will follow his example.
Coach Turgeon is thinking about playing more zone, in deference to all that size and the new college shot clock rules. The bread and butter will still be man-to-man, and Sulaimon will be a leader, Turgeon trusts. And trust is the key word with Sulaimon, who will be heavily scrutinized. Coach Turgeon’s history with him and his family makes him trust that Sulaimon is the player and the person the coach always thought he was when he recruited him. Now there are more than just the eyes of Texas upon him, and his transition to Maryland is a key.
Stone also will command a lot of attention, in more ways than one. On the court he lightens the load for a lot of players. He can open up things for shooters such as Layman, Nickens and Wiley. He allows Cekovsky to continue to develop at a comfortable pace and takes pressure o the unknown commodity Bender to have an immediate impact.
Carter will make life easier for Stone, too, doing a lot of the big man dirty work that goes with basketball at its highest level. And make no mistake, the Terrapins are back at that level.
“We want to be great defensively and rebounding,” said coach Turgeon, a mantra he brought to Maryland. “We were pretty good defensively last year. I think we can be better with our depth and our size.”
How much better? Well, that’s the big question for a team with big expectations.
Mike Ashley, 2015-16 Blue Ribbon
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