In a season where the field seems wide open, the Maryland Terrapins have emerged as one of the best teams in college basketball. After starting the season with a ton of buzz, being ranked No. 7 in the preseason, the Terps have delivered. They sit at 21-4 (11-3) and lead the nation’s best conference. On Saturday, everything came together for Maryland. After trailing 60-53 with 3:24 left at Michigan State, the Terps ripped off a 14-0 run to stun a packed Breslin Center, coming away with a 67-60 win.
If you read my last article, you know I’m a huge fan of Maryland PG Anthony Cowan Jr. Cowan had the final 11 points for the Terps, nailing three 3-pointers and hitting two clutch free throws. There is no questioning that Cowan can handle an environment such as a Final Four or any NCAA Tournament game. Even as the smallest guy on the court, standing at just six feet tall, Cowan is always the best player out there. He finished Saturday’s game with 24 points, leading Maryland to its eighth straight win.
The ingredients to winning a national championship
Historically, it takes a great point guard to win in the tournament. That’s why, as I said last week, Cowan and Michigan State PG Cassius Winston give Maryland and Michigan State the best chance to win in March out of the Big 10. Last season may seem like an exception for the point guard rule, with Virginia freshman Kihei Clark starting games down the stretch and only averaging 4.5 points per game. With that being said, he made huge plays in the tournament and also had Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy alongside him. Before last season, the last 10 championship-winning point guards were incredible. Joel Berry, Jalen Brunson, Tyus Jones, Shabazz Napier, Peyton Siva, Marquis Teague, Kemba Walker, Jon Scheyer, Ty Lawson, and Mario Chalmers. That’s not a bad list to be on and I think Cowan would fit in perfectly on it.
It’s also important to have a great defense. Maryland is 22nd in the country, allowing just 62.2 points per game. They don’t force a ton of turnovers, but their strong defensive rebounding helps lessen some of the load. The Terps also block just a touch under five shots per game. Even without an elite offense, it really is the defense that wins championships.
Even without an elite offense, the Terps have guys that can score when they have to. I mentioned Cowan earlier, but big man Jalen Smith is the perfect complement to him. He’s averaging 15.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, including a 17-10 game against Sparty. The last time Smith did not have a double-double was also the last time Maryland lost, an 18-point, nine-rebound effort against Wisconsin. It’s always nice to have a six-foot-ten big man you can dump the ball to on the low block when March rolls around. He also blocks 2.3 shots per contest. Smith has become an all-around threat in just his sophomore season.
Final thoughts
The Terps may not blow teams out of the gym. But they’re comfortable playing teams close and pulling away at the end. With a point guard like Cowan and a big like Smith, they should have no trouble winning games in the NCAA Tournament. The Big 10 tourney will be the first test, and with the majority of their final six games coming against basement dwellers, the Terps should lock up the one seed or the two at worst. Beyond that, I truly think this is a team that has a Final Four run in them. They have all the ingredients.