The Maryland men’s basketball training staff should get the ice packs and heating pads ready.
After this week’s road trips to Northwestern and Wisconsin, guard Melo Trimble is going to need some serious treatment for carrying the Terps on his back.
After all, the star junior set a career high with 32 points to ignite Maryland’s most impressive performance — a 74-64 triumph — against the Wildcats on Wednesday.
Trimble would’ve matched the mark Sunday in Madison, Wisconsin, if he hadn’t missed five free throws. Instead, he settled for 27 points, five rebounds and three assists. The Terps needed all of them as they tried to overcome a second-half slump in the 71-60 loss.
But that effort — those nifty drives through the lane and clutch 3-pointers — allowed his squad to keep pace on the No. 11 Badgers’ home court.
So, the training staff has an important task in the next few weeks. They’ve got to keep Trimble fresh while he flashes the dominance and control that endeared him to Maryland’s faithful and could threaten top teams once the postseason begins.
And maybe the trainers could work some magic to get the other rotation players back in a rhythm, too. That might relieve Trimble’s aches most of all.
Guard Melo Trimble: A-
With about a minute left in the first half, Trimble stepped up to the top of the key and sank a three. On the next possession, the Upper Marlboro native did the same. It gave the Terps a six-point advantage at the break, and was one of the personal runs Trimble powered. He wasn’t perfect — he went 5-for-10 from the charity stripe and committed four turnovers — but he rattled off four of Maryland’s eight field goals in the second half to keep his team within single-digits for most of the period.
Guard Anthony Cowan: C-
With 24 seconds left, Cowan lofted in a layup for his first and only made field goal. He had missed his six attempts before then, struggling to find space in the paint against the dominant Badgers big men and clanging his three attempts from beyond the arc off the rim. Cowan’s shortcomings against big lineups aren’t new, but Maryland’s offense executes better with Cowan in a rhythm, so he must find a way to combat them as the Terps finish the regular season.
Guard Kevin Huerter: C+
Huerter has had standout performances during Big Ten play when he’s had time and space to shoot. Against the Badgers, though, the rookie took only four shots — all from three — and made two. With the offense in need of a complement to Trimble, Huerter didn’t have an answer. His four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal helped, but Maryland must incorporate Huerter into the offense more often, especially with other players struggling.
Forward Justin Jackson: C
Like Huerter, Jackson has also had shining moments throughout the conference slate. Sunday was not one. He shot 1-for-5 for six points with five rebounds, one assist and a block. He fell victim to Wisconsin’s imposing frontcourt, too. While he didn’t battle foul trouble like Maryland’s other big men, he had trouble establishing his physicality and perimeter prowess, and it hurt Maryland’s chances.
Forward Damonte Dodd: D
The senior had four more fouls Sunday than he had points. Dodd finished with four fouls. That was just one aspect that plagued Dodd throughout the game. The Terps rely on Dodd to patrol the defensive paint, and he grabbed only two rebounds, allowing the Badgers to corral 17 more boards. Plus, his foul trouble in the second half forced coach Mark Turgeon to turn to forwards Michal Cekovsky and Ivan Bender, who don’t pose the same defensive skills as Dodd.
