Believe it or not, Maryland is already one-third of the way through Big Ten play. The Terps have played six of their 18 conference games at this point and hold a pretty nice 5-1 record to show for it.
Here is a look at what Maryland has been doing well so far in conference play, and what they will need to work on if they want to finish first in conference come March.
Strengths
Three point shooting: In conference play, no one has been able to knock down threes at a better clip than the Terps. They are currently shooting 41.6 percent on threes through their first six games. Jared Nickens has been leading the way by hitting 66.7 percent, while Jaylen Brantley and Kevin Huerter have each hit more than 40 percent in conference play.
Forcing turnovers: On defense, Maryland has been doing a good job getting takeaways. They are only one of four teams in the conference to force a turnover on more than 20 percent of their defensive possessions.
Weaknesses
Free throw shooting: Last season, Maryland was second in the Big Ten when it came to free throws, knocking down 75.9 percent from the charity stripe in conference play. This season, though, they’ve had some issues. They currently sit 11th in the Big Ten for free throw percentage at 65.7. Melo Trimble’s free throw percentage is 79.2 percent, a noticeable decline from his 85.9 rate his first two seasons in Big Ten play.
Committing turnovers: When you watch a Maryland game, be prepared for turnovers. While the Terps do a good job at forcing them, they are also guilty of committing them too often. Almost 20 percent of Maryland’s offensive possessions end with a turnover, which is good for the fourth worst mark in conference play.
