2014-2015 Maryland Basketball Preview

Submitted by Padog on

Maryland:

The Terrapins are a hard team to predict next year as they have a lot of experience along with youth. However, they did not finish all that well this year. I did not watch a whole lot of Maryland last year so I really do not know how they play. Maryland loses John Auslander to graduation. They also lose Nick Faust, Shaquille Cleare, Roddy Peters, Dez Wells, and A.J. Metz who are transferring. This means losing:

43% PPG

44% MPG

31% RPG

54% APG

54% SPG

47% BPG

When you bring in a top 10 recruiting class, which the Terps did, it is not all that hard to replace this production. Here is their senior laden roster:

#  Name                         HT   WT   YR        POS

1  Evan Smotrycz         6-9   230  RS.SR. SF

OH Lobstrycz Smotrycz, I think we are all familiar enough with Evan. In his first year off the transfer Smotrycz started and averaged 11 points per game. His stellar handle and amazing defense will be tough to match this year. He is like Larry Bird but way better.

24 Jacob Susskind         6-5   200   SR.      SF

The back-up Small Forward, will hold that role until Nickens takes it over. He only played in 5 games last year. This means he will be the back-up for like a game. 

11 Varun Ram                5-9   150   SR.      PG

The back-up Point Guard, a towering man. Just kidding, he is short. He only played in 16 games last year so a freshman passing him up is not a bad bet.

25 Jonathan Graham     6-8    220   SR.     PF

The back-up Power Forward, played a limited role last year. Will most likely maintain that role.

15 Spencer Barks          6-9    225    SR.     PF

Played in four games last year, will not get much more time this year.

0  Charles Mitchell        6-8    260    JR.      C

A mountain of a man, the starting Center. He averaged six points and six rebounds per game last year. If he lost 10 pounds, he may be a real force.

12 Conner Lipinski         5-10   155   JR.     PG

Only played in 3 games last year. Will be the third string Point Guard if it falls to that. 

10 Jake Layman             6-8     205   JR.     PF

The starting Power Forward, averaged 11.7 poins per game last year along with decent rebounding numbers. 

4  Seth Allen                   6-1       190   JR.     PG

The starting Point Guard with a 13.4 points per game average last year. Will be their second go-to-guy.

35 Damonte Dodd          6-9         240   SO.   C

The back-up Center for the beginning of the season. Will likely be moved down due to incoming freshman.

   Jared Nickens             6-6          185   FR.    SF

Their highest touted recruit, a four star that will no doubt play right away. He will eventually end up passing Susskind for his spot.

   Trayvon Reed            7-1           215    FR.    C

Needs to add weight but will no doubt play. Will pass up Dodd for his spot. He is a four star.

   Romelo Trimble         6-3           180    FR.    SG

The starting Shooting Guard with pretty polished skills. A four star.

   Dion Wiley                 6-4            200   FR.     SG

The second string Shooting Guard, could play the two with Trimble at the one. Yet another four star.

   Michal Cekovsky      7-0              220   FR.      C

I say he is going to redshirt. He is an okay weight, but passing up a higher ranked center and a Sophomore is not that likely. When you can redshirt four stars you are doing okay for yourself.

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

Point Guard: Seth Allen

Shooting Guard: Romelo Trimble

Small Forward: Evan Smotrycz

Power Forward: Jake Layman

Center: Charles Mitchell

Michigan plays them at Maryland which will be a tough game. They are good at home, along with every other college basketball team.

This will be an experienced and talented team that may have a hard time winning on the road in the Big Ten. However, I think they will have some growing pains with the new officiating and finish 9-9 in the B1G which is good enough for 7th place.

Next up... Iowa

 

 

 

Comments

alum96

April 17th, 2014 at 2:44 AM ^

I am surprised you have them so low although I am no Maryland expert.  I also don't know the transfers individually (i.e. how impactful each one was) but as a group its about 30% of the team stats which is like losing 1.5 seniors.  Not bad.   They look like a poor man's Tennessee with a top 10 recruiting class added to it which I think would do better than 7th.  Usually teams like this loaded with SRs and JRs as starters are the tough outs in the tourney since so many teams are youthful - generally a "good SR" is going to out play a "very good FR".   Looks like a bunch of 4 star recruits so if only 2 of those are impactful on a GR3 to Nik S type level (their freshman level) that would be quite a good first 7-8 rotation. 

Not sure how they will fare vs Big 10 teams - the teams we brought in to the conf in the past (Neb, PSU) were not know for bball so hard to translate how they did to a team that is generally decent such as Maryland.  i.e. will get they roughed up some their first year in the conf.  One would think with their experience it won't be so bad. 

They did have some quality victories and close losses this year despite a ho hum overall record.  Beat Virginia in OT, lost to Syracuse by 2, lost to Duke by 2, lost to UConn by 1.  They did lose to OSU by 16.  I think they will be somewhere between 3rd and 5th because I give teams full of upperclassmen a lot of credit in general if they are halfway decent players esp since talented teams turn over their roster so much nowadays in current NCAA.  Big advantage to come back with 3-4 starters in today's NCAA.

alum96

April 17th, 2014 at 2:49 AM ^

Just looked at their recruits - two of them are 7 footers, wow.

Overall a loaded class, no one in the top 25 but four of them are between 35 and 100.  One would expect a few to definitely make an impact early.

 

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

April 17th, 2014 at 8:43 AM ^

Smot has developed a pretty nice interior game.  He doesn't post anyone up but he bangs down low more than he did here and can score pretty prolifically inside the arc when he wants to.  The key is when he wants to.  Maryland fans are occasionally frustrated when he pulls a disappearing act.  Mitchell also drives them crazy for the same reason.

Nothsa

April 17th, 2014 at 9:56 AM ^

I'm thinking these guys will struggle in road games, since they'll be taking the bus.

But at home, with half the lights off to save on the electric bill, they'll be a force.

socrking

April 17th, 2014 at 12:51 PM ^

Evan kind of reminds me of that guy in a pickup game who is a foot taller than everyone else but just hangs out at the 3 pt line and jacks 3's at a 20% clip.