Maryland basketball named a 'loser' after NCAA Tournament draw
Kevin Willard did wonders with Maryland men's basketball this season, in which why it's being reported Willard is set to become a top-paid coach by the school. The Terrapins finished tied for second in the Big Ten Conference, won one game in the Big Ten Tournament, and received a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
But that first game won't be easy. Maryland's reward for doing so well this season is a game against No. 13 seed Grand Canyon. The Lopes had another solid season and are full of D1 players. Grand Canyon has size to contend with Maryland and has star power as well. Tyon Grant-Foster is the Lopes' top player who originally played at Kansas. Forward JaKobe Coles played at TCU and both players know what it's like to play against top teams.
With Maryland's draw, CBS Sports named the Terrapins a 'loser'. If Maryland gets past Grand Canyon in the opening round, the Terrapins might get a date with another tough team -- Memphis.
Maryland has been one of my favorite darkhorse, Final Four picks for awhile, but this draw for the 4-seed Terps is brutal.
First up is a date with 13-seed Grand Canyon who is just teeming with high-major players. Maryland is the more talented team but it's not a major advantage. Plus, top-200 teams are shooting just 50% at the rim against Grand Canyon, who has a wealth of athletes and size. Woof. The top guy on the scouting report has given Maryland fits for the last month or so, and Grand Canyon star Tyon Grant-Foster is a big-time player capable of going for a 30-piece whenever he wants. He's one of the best foul-drawing wings in the country and that's a problem against a thin Maryland squad.
If the Crab Five advance past that matchup, it could get a date with 5-seed Memphis, who also has one of the elite isolation scorers in America in PJ Haggerty and a two-big lineup of Dain Dainja and Moussa Cisse (or Nicholas Jourdain) who can physically handle the challenge that Derik Queen and JuJu Reese present. Like Grand Canyon, Memphis has been a very good rim protecting team all season.
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Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Senior Writer for Michigan Wolverines On SI for the 2024 football season. Trent is also the managing editor for Maryland On SI. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.
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