College Hoops Top 50

Last Year: 16-17; 7-13, Twelfth in the Big Ten Conference, No Postseason

Head Coach: Kevin Willard (Third Year; 38-30 at Maryland, with one NCAA Tournament appearance)

Projected Starting Lineup

PG Ja’Kobi Gillespie – 6’1″, 186 Junior

G Selton Miguel – 6’4″, 217 5th-year Senior

G DeShawn Harris-Smith – 6’5″, 208 Sophomore

F Jordan Geronimo – 6’6″, 225 5th-year Senior

F/C Julian Reese – 6’9″, 252 Senior

Experienced Reserves

G Jayhlon Young – 6’2″, 180 5th-year Senior

G Chance Stephens – 6’3″, 185 Sophomore

G Rodney Rice – 6’4″, 198 Sophomore

G Jahari Long – 6’5″, 200 5th-year Senior

F Tafara Gapare – 6’9″, 215 Junior

Freshmen

W Malachi Palmer – 6’6″, 212

C Derik Queen – 6’10”, 246 / 5-star recruit

C Braden Pierce – 7’0″, 245 (Redshirt)

This time last year, the folks around College Park, MD, were feeling pretty good about the direction of their program under new head coach Kevin Willard. In his first year running the Terrapins, Willard had stitched together a roster good enough to make the NCAA Tournament despite inheriting a fair old mess. Last winter, having had a full year to put together his team – and lure a pair of star freshmen, as well – expectations were high for Willard’s second squad. 

Those expectations had turned to frustration by February, and the Terps limped across the finish line with a 16-17 record. Then, Maryland bid farewell to two-time all-conference guard Jahmir Young and stalwart fifth-year forward Donta Scott. It wasn’t the follow-up that Willard was hoping for. 

Now, heading towards their second decade in the largest Big Ten Conference yet, the Terps find themselves at an unpleasant crossroads. For years, there was frustration with former coach Mark Turgeon for not consistently winning 25+ games and advancing deep into March. Right now, the objective for Willard has become to prove that his team can get back into contention for a bid.

At least he’s got some firepower to help get the job done. Critics hit the Terps last fall for having gotten ‘too cute’ in making tweaks to the roster around Young, Scott, rising big man Julian Reese, and star freshman DeShawn Harris-Smith. Turns out, they weren’t wrong. So this spring, Willard and his staff buckled down and brought in some impact transfers who should hit the ground running. To top it off, Willard landed another freshman signee – 5-star post Derik Queen – who’s expected to step straight into a high-impact role. Best of all, Reese and Harris-Smith are back to prove that Willard was right to build around them. 

Across his first three years as a Terp, Reese has done nothing but improve. He stepped out as a featured post scorer last winter, and this year, Reese is going to be fed the rock until he pretty much drops. Affectionately called ‘Juju’ in College Park, opponents have had less flattering things to say about Reese as he snatches rebounds, shot attempts, and passes away from them. Reese is expanding his skills as a top option offensively, and can’t help but flush down anything he can get his hands on near the rim. Last year, Reese scored in double figures 27 times in 32 games, and he stayed consistent by supporting his improving post-up game with 30 putbacks and 213 trips to the foul line, which ranked fourth in the B1G. Unfortunately, he converted just 56.8% of those free throw attempts, and this time around, both Willard and his star big man are hoping to see much more production when Reese lines up a shot. 

“I think Ju has really worked hard on a shot this summer. Really trying to concentrate on that, becoming a little bit more consistent at that 15-footer, which he started getting towards the end of the year,” Willard told Field of 68 this summer. “And for Julian, it’s kind of like, well, if you’re going to put a five-man on him, we’re going to bring him out and we’ll put Derik down low. If you’re going to put a four-man on Ju, good luck to you.” Reese was more focused on shooting it from the outside as a freshman, but has gone away from that as he’s concentrated upon becoming the team’s primary big man. The form and motion are there; even as he’s changed more than 40% of his career foul shots, Reese had looked the part of a fairly solid shooter. If he can flash more of a face-up repertoire this year, Reese will become one of the country’s more complete bigs. He’s already got things figured out on the glass, where Reese grabbed the second-most offensive and total rebounds in the Big Ten last season. Defensively, Reese is a problem. He seems to get his hands on nearly every pass or shot attempt that originates in his vicinity, and Reese blocked 60 shots in his 32 games played. If he can find a symbiosis with Queen for a few minutes each game and polish off those remaining rough edges, Reese should be in line for an all-conference season. 

The biggest reason why there was frustration surrounding Harris-Smith’s debut is that some folks thought that he might be one of the top ten freshmen in the country, and that wasn’t quite the case. In his first season, Harris-Smith shot the ball poorly, didn’t hit a groove offensively, and was sorta inconsistent – as freshmen generally are. The other things he did included starting 30 games, averaging 29.5 minutes per contest, and flashing all of the two-way skills that had people absolutely jacked to see him put on a Terps uniform. Though his jumper is still a work in progress, Harris-Smith is a terrific athlete who can really attack the rim. He also creates for his teammates, is a major threat in transition, and can guard virtually any non-big. Now that he’s got a better sense of what he can do, Willard is excited to deploy Harris-Smith in new ways which should cater to what he does best. 

“I think the biggest thing for us is what we’re trying to do with DeShawn this year is get him to be a little bit more of a playmaker,” Willard has described his plans for the sophomore. “He has an unbelievable court sense to him. He is able to see the floor, make reads off pick-and-rolls. We’re gonna get him involved, much more involved with him on the ball and helping him create offense because he’s really good at it.” Last year, Harris-Smith showed that he can navigate adventurous paths to the rim and finish through traffic. As he becomes more consistent and forces the defense to honor his jumper, it’s not difficult to imagine the hard-charging youngster breaking out in a big way in his second season. And as his confidence grows, Harris-Smith’s natural gifts, unselfishness, and daring should truly shine. 

The cast that’s been built up around Harris-Smith and Reese is new, still fairly young, and exciting. A great deal of the excitement comes from newly-arrived Belmont transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Queen, who, like Harris-Smith is a DMV kid who’s part of Willard’s intensive work towards keeping local kids on Maryland’s roster.

The hype around Queen has become palpable over the past year, and the Baltimore native is going to debut to all the same expectations that Harris-Smith felt last fall, and maybe more. Some kids receive top recruiting grades because of high-end athleticism or overwhelming size. Queen isn’t a star because of his measurables; rather, he’s a big, strong, athletic kid who genuinely knows how to play the game already. A skilled passer with tremendously soft hands and great awareness in the halfcourt, Queen can score around the lane, finish a play at the rim, or send a precision feed to whoever has the best shot. That’s music to Reese’s ears, as it’s been an open question just how often and well the two big men will be able to share the floor. Given Queen’s ballhandling and natural inclination for running good offense, Willard isn’t concerned. 

“I’m looking at like 12 to 15 minutes a game that they’re (Reese and Queen) going to be on the court together. But when they are on there, they are very, very – they work very well together,” Willard told Sirius XM’s Big Ten Radio in July. His ball skills are quite advanced for such a young big, and Queen seems to fit the situational flow of the offense without forcing the action. The adage goes that even the most talented bigs take awhile to learn the importance of letting things come to them, but Queen is patient, deliberate, and doesn’t generally waste opportunities. If Queen’s jumper keeps coming on and he can prove to be an effective defender against older, stronger players, the freshman should be an immediate hit in College Park. 

“When they (Reese & Queen) are on there, they are very, very – they work very well together.”

– Kevin Willard to Big Ten Radio

Last winter, Gillespie fought through a wrist injury which knocked him out of the lineup for nearly the entire month of January to earn Missouri Valley Conference all-conference honors and a spot on the league’s All-Defense squad. He’s not huge, but Gillespie is swift, nimble, and has some of the quickest reactions a coach could hope for from his lead guard. Part of that comes from being a two-sport star; Gillespie held high-major offers as a receiver on the gridiron. His hoops skills have leveled up very quickly, now that they’re his primary focus, and Gillespie’s talent for getting downhill and making things happen should produce plenty of highlights for the Terps. That capability showed up visually and statistically for the Bruins; Gillespie ranked tenth nationally with 1.12 points per possession last winter, per Synergy Sports. 

A truly bothersome defender, as well, Gillespie led the Valley (and ranked 20th nationally) by averaging 2.2 steals per game, while on the other end his shooting splits last year were the stuff of coaches’ dreams. Despite checking in at just over six feet tall, Gillespie made an exceptional 72.6% of his attempts near the rim, per Bart Torvik, and overall he shot 66.0/38.7/83.1% on two’s, three’s, and freebies. If he can translate his skills into anything near that level of production in College Park while continuing to grow as a shooter, Gillespie is going to be just what the doctor ordered to fill Young’s spot on the floor. 

Only seven players in Willard’s rotation averaged more than eight minutes per game last season. Among them were Jordan Geronimo and Jahari Long, who each return for their final year of eligibility hoping to help lead a turnaround for the Terps. Long followed Willard from Seton Hall, and turned in the best year of his career last winter. After a tough start to his career, Long’s also finally been healthy as a Terp, playing 65 games over the past two seasons. A big, playmaking guard who isn’t shy about getting involved defensively, Long is a strong reserve to have on hand as Gillespie adjusts to a new system. It may be that he doesn’t end up playing a larger role than his 18.5 minutes per game from a season ago, but Willard will continue trusting Long to make good decisions and step in against tough matchups. 

Geronimo also had a career year last season after coming over from B1G rival Indiana, but it still wasn’t exactly the breakout he – or Terps fans – had been hoping for. A powerfully-built if undersized forward who can guard wings and block the shots of bigs, Geronimo is a versatile and valuable defender. He’s got good quickness which really shows up around the lane, and Geronimo can get up with the best of them; he blocked 34 shots in 31 games, and more than a few were of the highlight variety. Offensively, the knock on Geronimo has been that he’s limited, and for the fourth straight season, he shot a new career-worst from the land of trey while making 43.3% of his total field goals, the lowest mark of his career. Young tried to put them into position to finish plays, but Harris-Smith and Geronimo each struggled –  Geronimo to the tune of a ghastly 28.6% on spot-up shot attempts, per Synergy Sports. With the impact he makes defensively, Geronimo will continue to play a solid role, but Maryland would love to see him become even slightly more of an asset at the other end. 

Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks)

65.9% – Opponent Points Per Game (19th)

46.7% – Team Effective FG Percentage (320th)

0.408 – Free Throw Attempts Per FG Attempt (16th)

10.9 – Assists Per Game (319th)

4.5 – Blocks Per Game (44th)

Willard has added scoring punch to support Harris-Smith and Gillespie on the perimeter, most prominently in the persons of Selton Miguel and Rodney Rice. After two years at Kansas State, Miguel headed to South Florida and figured out his offensive game. Coming into last season, Miguel had started 47 career games but made just 38.0% of his shots and 26.7% from downtown. In his fourth year, new USF coach Amir Abdur-Rahim employed Miguel off the bench, and it unlocked his potential. He was named the American Athletic Conference‘s Most Improved Player and its 6th Man of the Year, and Miguel transformed into a dangerous shooter. Among a host of career-bests, Miguel splashed 71 triples at a strong 39.0% rate, and Miguel looked cool and confident taking his turn running offense and then peeling off to hunt his own shots. He may see just such a role as instant offense off of Willard’s bench, as there will be competition for the fifth starter’s role. 

A 4-star prep prospect two years ago, Rice has played just eight collegiate games. Never healthy during his rookie year, Rice then made the eyebrow-raising decision to sit out last season, taking a redshirt and entering the transfer portal. Now, he becomes another local product to join the Terps, and the hope is that Rice is finally ready to roll. 

“I mean, I’ve been to a couple of games so I know how it gets in here…It gets loud, and that’s something I want to play in front of,” Rice explained this summer. “So I feel like my game can come out in this atmosphere.” With good size, solid ballhandling skills, and plenty of ways to finish in transition, Rice projects as an immediate offensive threat. He’s a true combo guard who can play on and off the ball for stretches and is in attack mode regardless. During his time off, Rice has worked to tighten his handke and refine the range on his shot, and this season, he figures to play a significant role for Maryland. 

The Terps’ other true freshman, Malachi Palmer, is a powerfully-built wing scorer who may push his way into the rotation as well. A tough, switchable perimeter guy, Palmer may pick up some valuable pointers from Geronimo on defense. He’s a no-nonsense player who gets into the paint and forces the issue near the rim even against bigger players. He can also hit short jumpers, and Palmer really gets cooking when he can rattle home a triple or two, but he must improve the consistency on his shot outside and at the charity stripe. Chance Stephens and Jayhlon Young will hope to strengthen the backcourt depth this year, too. Coming off of a redshirt as he rehabbed from a leg injury, Stephens will need to prove himself in the B1G. He flashed deep range as a freshman at Loyola Marymount two years ago, and if Stephans can hit from the outside, he’ll find a way to contribute. Young is joining his third team in three years, and adds playmaking skill plus quality defense. 

Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on

vs Marquette – November 15

N Syracuse – December 21

N Villanova – November 24

vs Bucknell – November 27

vs Canisius – November 19

In the post, Willard and his staff are hoping that Georgia Tech transfer Tafara Gapare and seven-foot redshirt freshman Braden Pierce can provide meaningful depth. Though Gapare didn’t shoot it well from the outside last year, he has three-point range and can pose matchup problems. In starting 15 games for the Yellow Jackets last winter, Gapare showed that he can protect the rim, rebound, and score at a high major level. If he can add consistency and cash in more of the opportunities he gets, Gapare could be a valuable third big guy, and ought to fit whether he’s running alongside Queen or Reese. Pierce has good hands and added a solid bit of muscle during his developmental redshirt year.

The Terps have a few things to prove this winter, and their coach does, too. The talent is clearly on hand to do some serious winning, but Maryland needs cohesion, consistency, and to better execute the plans that are made. They must also, quite simply, shoot the ball better than a year ago. 

Willard got his guys to guard people, and the Terps did a great job of earning free throws, too. Those efforts were often undone by a brick-laying offense, though, and that frustration will only be hosed down by a deluge of made buckets. The schedule will help them out early, as the Terrapins only face three tough non-league opponents before Big Ten play commences. If they can get rolling and integrate the infusion of genuine talent that’s been brought in before the B1G comes calling, Maryland could enjoy a major bounce-back.