(Photo Credit: Washington Times)
After the loss to #2 Michigan on Sunday, IU embarks on another road trip to face Maryland on Friday. The Terrapins currently sit at 12-3 and have had an up-and-down season thus far. At times, the squad hasn’t quite played up to its potential and has yet to hit its stride. Similarly, Maryland played a relatively weak non-conference schedule. Their only two non-conference quality opponents were #4 Virginia and Seton Hall, both of which were losses. As a result, it’s difficult to determine exactly how good Maryland really is this season. They have the talent; but when it comes to game action, they often under-perform, even in victories.
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon is perpetually on the hot seat and needs to put together a feeder signature victory to keep hope alive (and keep his job). The team snatched a victory from #24 Nebraska last week in a game that the Cornhuskers more so lost than Maryland won. Nonetheless, Maryland is motivated to string some Ws together and take down another quality opponent. It will be a short week for Maryland, as they face Minnesota on Tuesday before welcoming IU Friday night.
On the Indiana side, defeating Maryland would be another resume booster and, more importantly, prove that the Hoosiers can secure a quality victory on the road (which has seemed to escape them for most of the season).
Another week in the Big Ten, another intriguing match up.
Meet the Terrapins
Departing Players
- Kevin Huerter – 6’7” / 190 lbs / Guard – Clifton Park, NY. – Drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the 19th overall pick. Averaged 14.8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists last season for the Terrapins. He also was an elite three-point shooter, averaging 41.7%.
- Justin Jackson – 6’7” / 225 lbs / Forward – Toronto, Ontario, Canada. – Jackson was another substantial loss from last season’s team. He averaged 9.8 points and was the team’s leading rebounder with 8.1 boards per game. Jackson was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the draft. He currently plays in the G League.
- Jared Nickens – 6’7” / 205 lbs / Guard-Forward – Monmouth Junction, NJ. – – Averaged 5.1 points and shot 41.3% from three.
- Sean Obi – 6’9” / 250 lbs / Center – Kaduna, Nigeria.
Projected Starters
- Bruno Fernando – 6’10” / 240 lbs / Forward / Sophomore – Luanda, Angola. – Fernando is one of the most efficient players from the nation. He averages 14.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. His also shoots an impressive 67.8% from the field.
- Jalen Smith – 6’10” / 215 lbs / Forward / Freshman – Baltimore, MD. – Averages 12.4 points and 6.9 rebounds.
- Aaron Wiggins – 6’6” / 200 lbs / Guard / Freshman – Greensboro, NC. – Wiggins is a great three-point shooter at 40.0% and he is also the team’s best free throw shooter at 93.8%. He also contributes 9.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
- Eric Ayala – 6’5” / 205 lbs / Guard / Freshman – Wilmington, DE. – He is the team’s best three-point shooter and 46.9%. Averages 9.2 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game.
- Anthony Cowan Jr. – 6’0” / 170 lbs / Guard / Junior – Bowie, MD. – Cowan is always a primary focus of the Maryland offense. He averages 16.5 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game. He also takes about 6 three-pointers per game, shooting 34.1% from deep. Because the ball is often in his hands, he also leads the team with 2.8 turnovers per game.
The Rotation
