When you step into Xfinity Center this season, it’s clear that it’s not home to an ordinary basketball team.
There’s been an aura surrounding virtually every Terrapins men’s basketball home game, with the vibes in the building more akin to a rock concert than a Division I athletic contest. Everyone’s a bit more on edge, the anticipation a bit more palpable.
It’s almost impossible to believe, considering where the Terps program was two years ago — a middling member of the ACC that couldn’t get out of its own way.
This success — this euphoric, magical ride to one of the top teams in the nation — could be pinned to many things. But, in reality, there’s one man who’s primarily responsible: Melo Trimble.
The Terps have added several crucial pieces since Trimble’s arrival two summers ago. But everything comes back to the sophomore, the kid with the funky haircut and trademark smile with a penchant for electrifying crowds.
In less than a year from now, the guard that put the Terps back on the map might very well be a millionaire. A potential first-round selection in the 2016 NBA draft, Trimble likely is making scouts salivate over his shiftiness and confidence on the court.
Yet lately, the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year has been a nonfactor, shooting a dreadful 3-for-26 from the floor in his last two games against Division I opponents.
Thursday presents a golden opportunity for College Park’s golden boy to get back on track. With center Diamond Stone serving a one-game suspension, coach Mark Turgeon would be wise to divert from his inside-out offense at Minnesota and emphasize Trimble as a threat. Five regular-season games remain before the Big Ten tournament. Turgeon needs Trimble on his A-game.
Yes, Trimble’s list of accomplishments is undeniable. But come March, no one will care about your past. No one will care about your future. You need to perform now.
“We all know Melo’s a heck of a player,” Turgeon said. “I don’t know how many games he’s played here, but he can’t have had more than two bad games. Averages say he’s probably going to play well on Thursday.”
Keep in mind Minnesota’s resume — or lack thereof. The 6-19 squad is on a 14-game losing streak, with all 13 of its conference bouts ending in losses.
So we can’t pardon Trimble if he drops 25 points and 10 assists on the lowly Golden Gophers. But such a performance would provide a foundation to build on, a well of confidence for Trimble to draw from in future contests.
Because the fact of the matter is that this team will go as far as Trimble takes them. Stone is a dominant force inside, and guard Rasheed Sulaimon and forwards Jake Layman and Robert Carter Jr. have game-changing talent.
But Trimble is the face of the Terps. He’s the floor general. He’s the leader.
Two of the Terps’ four losses this season have come against unranked foes — at Michigan on Jan. 12 and against Wisconsin on Saturday.
In those two games, he shot a combined 2-for-21.
Two for 21.
No one’s asking Trimble to be a vocal leader. He’s not going to get into his teammates’ faces like Sulaimon or former guard Dez Wells. The Terps just need Trimble to lead with his play.
“I’m a very confident player,” Trimble said Saturday, a day before missing 13 of 14 shots against Wisconsin.
Sulaimon said Trimble was the first one in practice the day after the loss hoisting shots.
“Have I talked to Melo about some things before? Yes,” Turgeon said. “Did I say anything after [the Wisconsin] game? No. I just gave him a hug after the game and told him I loved him.”
A year from now, things will feel much different around Xfinity. It’s possible that all five starters will be gone — Trimble included. The arena will resemble more of a Battle of the Bands show than a Led Zeppelin performance.
That’s in the future, though. Right now, the Terps have an abundance of talent, a collection good enough to win the program’s first national championship since Juan Dixon and Steve Blake ran the show in College Park in 2002.
Right now, the Terps have Trimble, the guard with more than enough talent to return the Terps to glory.
This isn’t March Madness yet.
This is the No. 6 Terps versus Minnesota. This is where it starts.
