After a 1-3 start to the season, things looked bleak for the Maryland Terrapins. Scoring was way down, star players Donta Scott and Julian Reese were not playing well, and the team lacked effort. Fans gave up on the season and some were even calling for the firing of coach Kevin Willard. But, after a win against tenth-ranked Illinois, what does Maryland need to do to make March Madness? It may be unlikely, but anything is possible with the talent on the roster.
What Does Maryland Need to Do to Make March Madness?
No More Bad Losses
While this seems like a no-brainer, it has to be said. The Terps have losses against UAB and Davidson, which are both considered “Q3 losses” which are not the worst, but you cannot have too many of them. Now that they are in conference play, there are fewer bad losses to be had. They mainly consist of home games against teams in the bottom half of the conference. Of the remaining schedule, the only “bad losses” would be home against Rutgers, Iowa, and Nebraska, and away against Rutgers and Penn State. These are the only games that they absolutely cannot lose under any circumstances.
Improve Three-Point Shooting
When talking about Maryland’s weaknesses the most obvious one is three-point shooting. The Terps rank 346th in the country in three-point percentage. Scott and Jahmir Young are the only two rotational mainstays who are shooting above 30% from deep. Others have struggled severely, Jordan Geronimo has only made 3 shots from beyond the arc all season, good for eight percent. One Terp has shown a bit of improvement, Jamie Kaiser. He only shoots around 25% for the season, but he has shot 33% in the three games before Illinois. If he can continue this improved run, he will be a valuable addition to the Maryland lineup.
Improved three-point shooting will help the Terps in multiple ways. Not only is it important to have three-point shooters, but it may be able to help them score in the paint. With no threat of an outside shot, many teams crowd the paint against the Terps and will often double-team Reese. This did not happen against Illinois, which helped him thrive in the paint. If teams can no longer double Reese, Maryland’s ceiling will rise significantly.
Have a Consistent Third Option
Young and Reese have been the only two consistent players on the team this year. While others, such as Scott, have shown promise there has not been a third scorer on this team. If Scott, Kaiser, or freshman Deshawn Harris-Smith can provide a bit more scoring, it will allow the Terps to be much more dynamic. The most likely candidate is Scott. He is a fifth-year senior who has stepped up his game in recent weeks. He will need to be a leader down the stretch and guide this team to victory.
Can The Terps Make March Madness?
With a record of 11-6, the Terps are not quite dead. They will have a few more games that give them the chance to build a resume. Maryland hosts Michigan State, Illinois, and Northwestern and plays on the road against Wisconsin, Michigan State, Northwestern, and Ohio State. To make the tournament, Maryland needs to win all of these home games and likely two of the road games. If they can get to 19 or 20 wins, I think the Terps are squarely on the bubble. If they can win a few games in the Big Ten Tournament, they are likely in. So things may have seemed bad for a while, but keep your heads up Terps fans, there is still something to fight for!
