COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Wednesday night, the Terrapins men’s basketball team gathered for a meeting at its hotel.

After hashing over the scouting report for Friday’s NCAA tournament opener against No. 13-seed Valparaiso, the No. 4-seed Terps focused their discussion on important subjects outside of the game.

A number of different players spoke up because, in many ways, the Terps are a diverse group. Contributors have found their way onto coach Mark Turgeon’s roster through various avenues.

Guard Dez Wells was unjustly expelled from Xavier before finding a new, more welcoming home in College Park. Forward Jon Graham and Evan Smotrycz transferred to this university on their own terms.

Guard Richaud Pack joined the Terps as a graduate student with one year of eligibility remaining. Freshmen guards Melo Trimble, Jared Nickens and Dion Wiley jolted energy into an ailing program. Forward Michal Cekovsky arrived from a different continent knowing little-to-no English. Jake Layman and Damonte Dodd, two forwards, refused to turn their backs on the program when many of their teammates and closest friends departed. 

Each has different experiences, talents and strengths that have contributed to this unexpected season for the Terps. In Wednesday’s meeting, it was the elder statesmen with previous NCAA tournament experience from other teams who imparted wisdom about the challenge ahead.

For the older players, it was a chance to relive memories. For the younger players, it was a chance to listen and learn.

“It’s not going to hit you at first,” Dodd, a sophomore, recalled being told. “But when you get out there, it’s really going to hit you that you’re about to play in one of the biggest games of your life.”

Wells (Xavier) and Smotrycz (Michigan) are the lone Terps with experience playing in the NCAA tournament. Pack (North Carolina A&T) and Graham (Penn State) were a part of teams that made it to the Big Dance, but they sat out because of injury and redshirting, respectively.

Still, each player had something to offer to the younger teammates.

“The support and love you got from everyone was crazy,” Pack said of his experience in the 2013 tournament, during which his Aggies won a play-in game over Liberty before falling to No. 1-seed Louisville in the first round. “The environment is completely different. This is what college basketball is really about.”

The Terps coaching staff also shared stories during the meeting.

In the 2006 tournament, Turgeon led Wichita State to its first Sweet Sixteen in 25 years. He also led Texas A&M to four straight Big Dance appearances from 2008-2011.

Assistant coaches Dustin Clark (Texas A&M) and Bino Ranson (Xavier) addressed the group to detail their postseason experiences as coaches. Assistant coach Cliff Warren, meanwhile, told tales of his time in the tournament as both a coach (Jacksonville) and player (Mount St. Mary’s).

There was a common theme in the anecdotes: try not to get caught up in the hype, enjoy the moment and stick to your game. Pretend you’re outside on your hometown court.

Play freely.

“Don’t make it bigger than it is. It’s a 40-minute game,” Turgeon said. “Ten-foot rims, free throw line is still the same. Three referees, halftime is longer but besides that everything is the same.”

Nonetheless, I can’t deny how imminent this situation is for the Terps.

Given the nature of the tournament — the magic inherent to March Madness — it’s tough to say with confidence that Friday’s game won’t be the end for Wells, Smotrycz, Graham and Pack. College careers hang in the balance.

The phrase “play every possession like it’s your last” will take on a very literal meaning for the Terps’ seniors.

But that was the farthest thing from anyone’s mind during Wednesday’s meeting.

Pack said it’s a topic that may come up in pregame speeches, when the moment is right.

For now, though, the Terps are their same old loose selves, taking and making half-court shots in open practice Thursday afternoon much to the delight of the fans in attendance.

They understand what’s ahead.

It’s time to make this impressive season worth something truly valuable.