Everyone knows how Senior Night works.
Flanked by their families, players close to exhausting their eligibility are called to the center of the court to resounding applause. They are thanked for their contributions to the program and handed framed jerseys. Everyone’s smiling.
The Terrapins men’s basketball team followed the script Thursday. Forward Jake Layman, guard Rasheed Sulaimon, guard Varun Ram and guard Trevor Anzmann were the guests of honor.
But there was an elephant in the room — a few of them, actually. It’s no secret college basketball players sometimes don’t stay all the way until the end, as Layman and Co. have. Not with lucrative professional contracts waiting.
Melo Trimble, the sophomore guard with 998 career points, probably won’t be back next season. Neither will freshman phenom Diamond Stone. And redshirt junior forward Robert Carter Jr. isn’t a lock to return next year, either.
After the game, Trimble was asked if he thought he had just played his final home game.
“No, not once,” he said. “I just wanted to get the win for the seniors that are here.”
The Terps brought their “A” game against Illinois, coasting to an 81-55 win in the season’s final home game. It was the type of dominant performance Terps fans have been itching to see for weeks.
With about four minutes left in the blowout, the Terps faithful had begun chanting “We want Varun!”
They got him, and soon he nailed a 3-pointer. After the final buzzer sounded moments later, the Terps walked toward the tunnel. Sulaimon threw his arms around Anzmann and Ram.
It looked like Layman was the last to leave. He was stopped by Scott Van Pelt and Stefon Diggs for congratulatory messages before slapping high-fives with some kids leaning over the railing by the court.
But then, minutes later, a small pocket of fans began chanting “One more year!” Trimble walked by. He kept his gaze fixed forward, leaving it all behind for perhaps the final time.
Guard Melo Trimble: A-
He’s back. Eighteen points on 14 shots in addition to eight rebounds and five assists? Yup.
Guard Rasheed Sulaimon: B
With Trimble handling scoring duties, Sulaimon picked up nine assists, including a nifty dime to forward Jake Layman in the final minutes for a hellacious one-handed slam. He shot 1-for-5, though.
Forward Jake Layman: A-
The man of the hour continued his run of stellar offensive showings. He finished 7-for-11 for 18 points to go with seven rebounds. He looked confident and smooth within the offense, a good sign for the Terps as they look toward the postseason.
Forward Robert Carter Jr.: B+
Carter was quiet and efficient, shooting 6-for-8 and hauling down six boards. He even nailed both his three-point attempts.
Center Diamond Stone: D+
The freshman played only 12 minutes, as his defense against Illinois center Morgan Maverick left much to be desired. Maverick scored a game-high 21 points.
Guard Jared Nickens: B+
Nickens was on fire Thursday night, drilling 4 of his 7 attempts from deep and even finishing a layup. After a really poor stretch of games, it looks like the sophomore’s confidence is back. That’s a very good thing.
Guard Jaylen Brantley: B
Brantley turned in a solid 11 minutes, scoring seven points. Turgeon complimented the bench’s improvement after the game, and Brantley has played a big role in that.