The Terrapin men’s basketball team doesn’t discuss the past. Coach Mark Turgeon wants his team focused on this season, not the previous campaign. But forward Damonte Dodd had an opportunity to reminisce yesterday.
A day before the junior makes his first start in six games against Minnesota and to replace suspended center Diamond Stone, Dodd was reminded of his performance last year against the Golden Gophers. He had nine points — five more than his season average — and a career-high 12 rebounds in a 70-58 win on Jan. 3, 2015.
“I did have a good game last year playing against Minnesota,” Dodd said. “You always have that in the back of your mind, but we don’t like to talk about last year.”
With Stone sitting out tonight due to an in-game incident against Wisconsin on Saturday, Dodd will draw on that memory. The Terps’ frontcourt depth will be tested Thursday, but they aren’t concerned. They still have five available players 6-foot-9 or taller, and tonight will be Dodd’s 45th career start.
Plus, Minnesota is in last place in the Big Ten.
“We’ve won a lot of games with Damonte as our starting center over the last two years,” Turgeon said. “We’ll do that again.”
With less than two seconds left in the first half Saturday, Stone received a flagrant foul for pushing Wisconsin forward Vitto Brown’s head into the floor. Stone wasn’t ejected from the game, but Turgeon handed Stone a one-game suspension Monday. The Big Ten later announced it supported the Terps’ decision.
Stone is fifth on the team with 21.4 minutes per game and has started 12 games this season. And when he didn’t start, he was the Terps’ first player off the bench and provided instant offense. He’s second on the team with 13 points per game.
While Dodd has started 12 games, too, he isn’t the same offensive force; his career high equals Stone’s scoring average. Instead, Dodd is known for his defense. Before the season began, Turgeon said Dodd could be the national Defensive Player of the Year.
With Stone adjusting to the college game, Dodd started a string of games during the middle of the season. But he hasn’t started since he picked up three fouls in five minutes during the Terps’ 74-65 loss at
No. 8 Michigan State on Jan. 23.
“He’s just got back to being Damonte and doing what he does well,” Turgeon said yesterday. “Hopefully that’s what he’ll give us tomorrow night.”
Dodd doesn’t posses Stone’s array of post moves or silky-smooth jumper, but the Terps (22-4, 10-3 Big Ten) don’t plan on adjusting their offense for the contest, guard Rasheed Sulaimon said yesterday.
Besides, Turgeon’s squad matches up well with Minnesota. Four of the Terps’ five projected starters tonight average double-digit points, while the Golden Gophers (6-19, 0-13) haven’t won a conference game this season.
The Terps won’t lack length, either. Whenever Dodd needs a breather, Turgeon can turn to 7-foot-1 forward Michal Cekovsky or 6-foot-9 forward Ivan Bender. Starting forwards Jake Layman and Robert Carter Jr. are both 6-foot-9 as well.
“When you’re blessed with a group of guys who are 7-1, 6-11, 6-9, that’s definitely a luxury,” Sulaimon said. “One of our mottos is always next man up.”
Cekovsky averages less than 10 minutes a game and might see an increased role. But the Golden Gophers like to play small, Turgeon said, so the fifth-year coach will adjust accordingly.
Last year, Dodd recalls he played well against Minnesota partly because a friend he hadn’t seen in a while was in the crowd.
That friend won’t be there Thursday in Minneapolis, but Dodd isn’t worried.
He’s been a regular contributor all season, even when he hasn’t started. He’s confident the Terps can shoulder the loss of their star center.
“It’s not good that Diamond has to sit out,” Dodd said. “We have the depth to replace him.”
