Hours before the Maryland men’s basketball team began its Big Ten slate with Illinois on Tuesday night, coach Mark Turgeon spoke to the media about how the Terps’ nonconference schedule will benefit them against the Fighting Illini and the rest of the conference season.
“We’ve played a nice schedule,” Turgeon said. “We’ve played zone teams, pressure teams. We’ve been through some tough situations. It’s definitely prepared us. We’ve played some big teams and some good teams.”
Yes, the Terps entered Tuesday night’s game with 12 wins in 13 games. Yes, they defeated major conference teams such as Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Georgetown. They also beat each of those teams by one point thanks to guard Melo Trimble’s late-game heroics. They faced double-digit second half deficits against Towson and Richmond. In their final nonconference game, they trailed Charlotte before running away with the game in the second half.
Not many Terps fans knew what to expect entering the conference opener, but their team put together its best all-around performance of the season in a 84-59 drubbing of Illinois.
Maryland held a 37-36 rebounding advantage despite playing without forwards Damonte Dodd and Michal Cekovsky and going against what Turgeon said would be the biggest team it has played against this season. The Terps finished with 48 points in the paint, which doubled Illinois’ total.
Many of those layups came from their backcourt. Guard Melo Trimble led the team with 16 points, while guards Anthony Cowan and Jaylen Brantley also finished when they got into the lane. When the defense rotated over, these players found their frontcourt teammates for easy looks. Forwards Ivan Bender and L.G. Gill combined for 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Going forward, Turgeon said the most important factor will be his team’s health. Injuries have derailed the Terps from trying to reach their “full potential,” and the sixth-year coach hopes they’ll be at full strength at some point during the Big Ten season.
After seeing what Maryland accomplished without two of its frontcourt players, it appears it has the tools to compete in this league. Getting Dodd and Cekovsky back will only help to ensure that.
For now, here are my postgame grades from Tuesday night’s game:
Guard Melo Trimble: B
Trimble scored a game-high 20 points, a shade over his scoring production entering the contest, by slashing into the lane and converting at the rim. He finished 7 of 10 from the field and made all five of his foul shots, a quiet yet efficient outing from Maryland’s best player. But the two-time All-Big Ten performer was also sloppy with the ball, and his grade suffered because of it. The team’s point guard the past two seasons committed six of the Terps’ 14 turnovers and tallied two assists. No other Maryland player gave the ball away more than twice. As Turgeon’s squad goes through Big Ten play, it’ll need Trimble to be smarter with the ball.
Guard Jaylen Brantley: A
The Terps played without two big men, but Brantley, one of the smallest players on the court, grabbed five rebounds to go along with 13 points, the second-highest mark on the team behind Trimble. The 5-foot-11 junior has been Maryland’s best reserve player this season, and that trend held true again Tuesday. With Trimble on the bench early in the first half, Brantley paired with Cowan to help Maryland get out to a double-digit lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Then, right before the break, Brantley drilled just the team’s third long ball in 12 attempts, giving the Terps a 39-26 lead at intermission.
Guard Anthony Cowan: A-
With the Terps up, 8-4, in the opening minutes and Trimble sidelined, Cowan forced a turnover by knocking the ball away. On the offensive end, he sliced through two Fighting Illini players and allowed the third defender to come over and help before delivering a two-handed underhand pass to Bender for a point-blank layup. It was the type of play Cowan, who finished with six assists, made all night. The freshman floor manager never seemed rushed, waiting for the opportune time to find teammates inside or on the perimeter. This isn’t new for Cowan, who leads the team in assists, but it’s encouraging to see him play with such poise against a Big Ten foe.
Forward L.G. Gill: B
Maryland’s lack of frontcourt depth forced Gill to play more minutes, and the graduate transfer from Duquesne responded with a six-point, seven-rebound performance in 23 minutes. He was active defensively and converted his chances inside, providing Turgeon with a stable option when he opted to go with a bigger lineup. Gill’s role when Dodd and Cekovsky return is unclear, but the Chesterfield, Virginia, native showed he’s capable of handling increased responsibility.
Guard Dion Wiley: B+
Wiley missed the Terps’ win over Charlotte on Dec. 20 with a sprained wrist, but the redshirt sophomore turned in a solid performance in Maryland’s Big Ten opener on Tuesday night. Off the bench, Wiley contributed nine points, hitting three of his five shots from behind the arc. This comes after he made all three of his long range shots against Jacksonville State on Dec. 12. Maryland, which entered the game 11th out of 14 Big Ten teams in 3-point shooting, could use a reliable deep threat, and Wiley has provided that boost the past two games he’s played in.
