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Maryland basketball enters offseason with no guarantees of who might return Maryland basketball enters offseason with no guarantees of who might return
(35 minutes later)
LOUISVILLE — After their season of grand expectations came to a disheartening conclusion Thursday night in a 79-63 loss to Kansas, Maryland players untucked their red jerseys one final time and walked in stunned silence back to a cramped locker room. The coaching staff rested in one room to decompress, while the players sat at their lockers and stared at the carpet. Team managers began organizing for one last trip to College Park, which just four days ago was celebrating the team’s first appearance in the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 since 2003. [Terps fall to top-seeded Jayhawks in Sweet 16]LOUISVILLE — After their season of grand expectations came to a disheartening conclusion Thursday night in a 79-63 loss to Kansas, Maryland players untucked their red jerseys one final time and walked in stunned silence back to a cramped locker room. The coaching staff rested in one room to decompress, while the players sat at their lockers and stared at the carpet. Team managers began organizing for one last trip to College Park, which just four days ago was celebrating the team’s first appearance in the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 since 2003. [Terps fall to top-seeded Jayhawks in Sweet 16]
[Terps fall to top-seeded Jayhawks in Sweet 16][Terps fall to top-seeded Jayhawks in Sweet 16]
While the team’s two senior leaders, Jake Layman and Rasheed Sulaimon, made their way to another room for a news conference, sophomore guard Melo Trimble held back tears in front of his locker. Freshman center Diamond Stone twirled scissors to cut the tape on his ankle. Junior forward Robert Carter Jr. answered questions in hushed tones, reflecting both on what this season has done for Maryland basketball and what the program might look like in the months to come.While the team’s two senior leaders, Jake Layman and Rasheed Sulaimon, made their way to another room for a news conference, sophomore guard Melo Trimble held back tears in front of his locker. Freshman center Diamond Stone twirled scissors to cut the tape on his ankle. Junior forward Robert Carter Jr. answered questions in hushed tones, reflecting both on what this season has done for Maryland basketball and what the program might look like in the months to come.
After falling short of their ultimate goal, winning the national championship next week in Houston, the Terrapins could face the prospect of losing their entire starting five this offseason. Layman and Sulaimon will graduate and pursue their prospective futures in professional basketball. Stone is projected as a first-round pick in the NBA draft. Trimble, who held off entering the draft last spring after his freshman year, has watched his stock drop but could still end up as a late-first-round pick. Carter has polished his stock enough this season for several analysts to move him up mock draft boards, although he could be the centerpiece of Maryland’s team as a senior should he decide to come back.After falling short of their ultimate goal, winning the national championship next week in Houston, the Terrapins could face the prospect of losing their entire starting five this offseason. Layman and Sulaimon will graduate and pursue their prospective futures in professional basketball. Stone is projected as a first-round pick in the NBA draft. Trimble, who held off entering the draft last spring after his freshman year, has watched his stock drop but could still end up as a late-first-round pick. Carter has polished his stock enough this season for several analysts to move him up mock draft boards, although he could be the centerpiece of Maryland’s team as a senior should he decide to come back.
[Sweet 16 scores, highlights and latest updates][Sweet 16 scores, highlights and latest updates]
Stone, Trimble and Carter all said late Thursday that they have not thought about what the future holds, but they will be aided by the NCAA’s new rule that allows players to work out in front of NBA teams without hiring an agent. The three will have until May 25, 10 days after the league’s draft combine, to make their decisions.Stone, Trimble and Carter all said late Thursday that they have not thought about what the future holds, but they will be aided by the NCAA’s new rule that allows players to work out in front of NBA teams without hiring an agent. The three will have until May 25, 10 days after the league’s draft combine, to make their decisions.
“I haven’t even thought about it yet,” Carter said. “I haven’t thought about it yet. I’m just thinking about these guys in the locker room, how much hard work we put in as a group.“I haven’t even thought about it yet,” Carter said. “I haven’t thought about it yet. I’m just thinking about these guys in the locker room, how much hard work we put in as a group.
“I just wish this team could’ve done a little bit more.”“I just wish this team could’ve done a little bit more.”
This team went through the “toughest 27-win season you can go through,” as Coach Mark Turgeon would later say, and made the Sweet 16 for the first time in more than a decade. Still, the group at times struggled to coalesce.This team went through the “toughest 27-win season you can go through,” as Coach Mark Turgeon would later say, and made the Sweet 16 for the first time in more than a decade. Still, the group at times struggled to coalesce.
[Brewer: Terps couldn’t pull it together when they needed to most][Brewer: Terps couldn’t pull it together when they needed to most]
Next, Maryland must replace the experience and athletic gifts of the 6-foot-9 Layman, who finished his college career one game short of tying the program record for games played (140). It will have to replace the spiritual voice and perimeter defense of Sulaimon, the Duke transfer who was by the far the most fiery player on the roster this year. Should Trimble and Stone leave, Maryland would have to replace its two most dynamic talents, who combined for 27.3 points, nine rebounds and 5.3 assists this season. Carter was third on the team in scoring behind those two, averaging 12.3 points to go along with a team-high 6.9 rebounds. Next, Maryland must replace the experience and athletic gifts of the 6-foot-9 Layman, who finished his college career tied with Juan Dixon for the program record in games played (141). It will have to replace the spiritual voice and perimeter defense of Sulaimon, the Duke transfer who was by the far the most fiery player on the roster this year. Should Trimble and Stone leave, Maryland would have to replace its two most dynamic talents, who combined for 27.3 points, nine rebounds and 5.3 assists this season. Carter was third on the team in scoring behind those two, averaging 12.3 points to go along with a team-high 6.9 rebounds.
“We have some decisions to make. We have some good players coming in, we have some good players coming back,” Turgeon said. “It’s Maryland basketball. I believe in myself, I believe in my staff. We’ll make good decisions for the kids and we’re going to recruit well.”“We have some decisions to make. We have some good players coming in, we have some good players coming back,” Turgeon said. “It’s Maryland basketball. I believe in myself, I believe in my staff. We’ll make good decisions for the kids and we’re going to recruit well.”
Turgeon won’t have to conduct an entire rebuild should he lose more than Layman and Sulaimon. He has often noted how the season-ending injury suffered by sophomore guard Dion Wiley in November affected the team’s back-court depth. Turgeon won’t have to conduct an entire rebuild should he lose more than Layman and Sulaimon. He has often noted how sophomore guard Dion Wiley’s season-ending knee injury in November affected the team’s back-court depth.
Wiley is at full strength and is expected to be the starting shooting guard next year. Junior forward Jared Nickens, the team’s best three-point specialist who enjoyed an offensive upswing down the stretch, will also likely slip into the starting lineup to replace Layman. Maryland will also have rising junior Jaylen Brantley, who gained more confidence in himself and from Turgeon while backing up Trimble during the second half of the season. Wiley is at full strength and is expected to be the starting shooting guard next year. Junior forward Jared Nickens, a three-point specialist who enjoyed an offensive upswing down the stretch, will likely slip into the starting lineup as well, to replace Layman. Maryland will also have rising junior Jaylen Brantley, who gained more confidence in himself and from Turgeon while backing up Trimble during the second half of the season.
“We’re still going to be a powerhouse. We’ve got some good guys [back] coming next year. Of course, we have a couple of seniors leaving,” junior center Damonte Dodd said. “Other than that, we should be fine.” “We’re still going to be a powerhouse. We’ve got some good guys coming next year. Of course, we have a couple of seniors leaving,” junior center Damonte Dodd said. “Other than that, we should be fine.”
The front court has plenty of depth too — Dodd is the best rim protector on the team, while Turgeon also has 7-1 junior Michal Cekovsky and a potential sleeper in sophomore forward Ivan Bender, who played sparingly this season but who is considered a valuable piece of the team’s future. So are three players coming as part of the 2016 class — St. John’s College High School (D.C.) point guard Anthony Cowan, New York prospect Kevin Huerter and Huntington Prep (W.V.) forward Micah Thomas — all of whom are expected to contribute right away. Maryland is also expected to target several graduate transfers in the months to come, which will provide an opportunity to bolster a roster that is facing heavy turnover. The front court has plenty of depth, too — Dodd is the best rim protector on the team, while Turgeon also has 7-1 rising junior Michal Cekovsky and a potential sleeper in rising sophomore forward Ivan Bender, who played sparingly this season but is considered a valuable piece of the team’s future. So are three players coming as part of the 2016 class — St. John’s College High School (D.C.) point guard Anthony Cowan, New York prospect Kevin Huerter and Huntington Prep (W.V.) forward Micah Thomas — all of whom are expected to contribute right away. Maryland is also expected to target several graduate transfers in the months to come, providing an added opportunity to bolster a roster facing heavy turnover.
Whomever the Terrapins put on the floor next season, it will be difficult to top the talent that the program had stockpiled this year. It led to both exhilarating and frustrating play at times. It ended a week early on Thursday night against Kansas. Whoever the Terrapins put on the floor next season, it will be difficult to top the talent that the program had stockpiled this year. It led to both exhilarating and frustrating play. It ended a week early on Thursday night against Kansas.
“For guys coming back next year, hopefully they extend this. Next year will be a drastically different team. I hope they take everything we experienced this year, and know that we’re 100 percent behind them,” Sulaimon said. “Take all the experience this year, take it and run with it.” “For guys coming back next year, hopefully they extend this,” Sulaimon said. “Next year will be a drastically different team. I hope they take everything we experienced this year, and know that we’re 100 percent behind them. Take all the experience this year, take it and run with it.”