Maryland Basketball: Big Ten analyst says Terrapins are top team in the conference
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The Maryland Terrapins are officially now being recognized as a legiitmate threat not only in the Big Ten conference, but in the NCAA tournament as well. Following a dominant 101-75 win over Iowa on Sunday, the Terps climbed five spots in the latest AP Poll to No. 20 in the nation. And while their rise in the AP is impressive, it's their stellar play on the floor that is gaining plenty of attention, with many arguing that the Terrapins have the best starting five in college basketball.
Here's what Big Ten analyst Rapheal Davis recently had to say about the Terrapins.
"We've been talking all season, who's the most talented team in the Big Ten? It started with Indiana, maybe it was Illinois... but it's Maryland," Davis said. "Maryland is the best team in this conference. Talent-wise and on the floor. You put five guys on the floor and what can you get? With Maryland, you get the best backcourt in the conference."
Davis highlighted the stellar play from Maryland's guards as of late, as all three combined for an impressive 61 points in a dominant win over Iowa on Sunday.
"You look at Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Rodney Rice, Selton Miguel... 61 points combined against Iowa. They made 12 three's and had 16 assists. The backcourt is there. You need guards to win big in March."
And while the backcourt has been impressive, the Terrapins might feature the best frontcourt in all of college basketball. Both Julian Reese and Derik Queen are capable of scoring 20-plus and notching a double-double on any given night, and that duo in the paint has caused fits for the opposition.
"And their frontcourt, Julian Reese and Derik Queen, maybe the best frontcourt in the country," Davis said. "Both of them go for double-doubles against Iowa, they can score in different ways... on the block and in the midrange, get to the free throw line. And then they guard you, they guard their yard. All three guards can guard all positions on the perimeter. Derik Queen could be a freshman that rises to the all-Big Ten defensive team, Julian Reese as well. They rebound, they push it."
When you put it all together, this Maryland team looks primed for a deep run in March. Assuming all five starters can remain healthy, the Terrapins will be a difficult matchup for anyone down the stretch.
"This Maryland squad, I don't care what seed they get," Davis said. "They can beat anyone in the country. This is a team that can 100 percent reach the Final Four and do some damage."
"I don't care what seed they get; they can beat anyone in the country." 🗣️@RaphealDavis3 breaks down what makes @TerrapinHoops such a dangerous team to face 👇#B1GToday x #B1GMBBall pic.twitter.com/tlCj9lKg9I
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 18, 2025
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Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. In January of 2025, he took over as Publisher for Maryland On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.
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