Maryland Terrapins
Record: 25-8 (12-6 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Mark Turgeon (5th season)
Season Recap: The Terrapins began the season as an early favorite for the national title—starting the season 15-1 with wins against Connecticut and Wisconsin—but carry little momentum to the big dance. Maryland ended its regular season by losing five of its final eight games including the Big Ten tournament despite all five of its starters averaging more than 11 points per game.
Point guard Melo Trimble leads the way for the Terrapins with 14.4 points and 5.1 assists per game, but struggled with his shot late in the season and is shooting just 41.4 percent from the field entering the NCAA tournament. Wings Rasheed Sulaimon—a Duke transfer—and Jake Layman space the court for Maryland and both shoot better than 40 percent from 3-point range, with versatile forward Robert Carter and freshman center Diamond Stone controlling the paint for Turgeon's squad.
Although Maryland's starting lineup is arguably the most talented in the country—Stone scored 39 points against Penn State in a game earlier this season—its depth is a weakness, with no reserves averaging more than 5.3 points and 20 minutes per game.
How they make a run: Maryland's offensive efficiency—the team ranks 11th nationally in field goal percentage and leads the Big Ten in free throw shooting—and balance allow the Terrapins to bounce back from their late-season skid and reach their potential in the NCAA tournament.
How they falter: Although Maryland's starters all score efficiently, they are also prone to turnovers, and the Terrapins' inability to take care of the ball and get key stops on defense results in another early-round loss.
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