This is my favorite time of year because college basketball is starting. For those of you who don't already know, I am a huge Maryland Terps fan. Please read the article below about the Maryland Men's basketball team and answer the questions about the article. Please make sure you put your name on your Blog before you submit.
No. 1: MARYLAND TERRAPINS
Last Season: 28-7, 14-4 Big Ten
Eighteen months ago, Maryland coach Mark Turgeon was coming off a 17-15 season and five-transfer summer that had even the most die-hard Terrapins fans -- OK, especially the die-hard Terrapins fans -- wondering where things could possibly go from there.
Why, straight to No. 1, of course.
It has been a remarkable -- and remarkably fast -- turnaround for Turgeon and his Terps, whose already stunning ascent to 28 wins and a No. 4 seed a season ago was followed by an offseason chock-full of good news, future lottery pick center Diamond Stone and graduate transfers.
Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon joined returners Melo Trimble and Jake Layman, as well as a well-rounded cast of role players and vets.
Suddenly, in a season without an overwhelming preseason favorite, Maryland has the nation's most talented and most balanced roster. When your program flips the script so quickly, why play the shrinking violet?
"I like the No. 1 better than anything else, to be honest with you," Mark Turgeon told ESPN's Andy Katz in September. "It's really helped us. People look at us differently. And we've really embraced it." -- Eamonn Brennan
Best Case: The Terps are as good as they have been since the first decade of this new century. Maryland won 28 games last season, the most since Gary Williams cut the nets down in Atlanta in 2002. If the Terps defend with a purpose, Maryland has the talent to get back to the Final Four. The past season, Maryland had the best defense in the Big Ten and held opponents to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor. Last year, Melo Trimble was one of five freshmen with six or more win shares for his team, along with Karl-Anthony Towns, D'Angelo Russell, Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones (all first-round NBA draft picks). With Trimble being fouled (Maryland had the fourth-best free throw rate in the nation) and Jake Layman hitting shots and making aggressive plays, bolstered by quality transfers and an impact freshman in Diamond Stone, coach Mark Turgeon could climb the ladder Williams did.
Worst Case: Maryland is now the hunted, which is a different mentality altogether. Will the Terps be hungry to face that challenge and spotlight every day? Will Maryland continue to win the close ones? The Terps were 12-1 in games decided by six points or fewer, with the only loss coming to Tom Izzo and Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament. If Maryland doesn't have enough gas in the tank, mentally and physically, at the end of the season, it could see an early exit from the NCAA tournament.
"They have incredible depth. It's a good problem to have, but there's a concern whether Turgeon can keep everyone happy. Jake Layman came back to be a first-round pick. Diamond Stone is a big-time recruit who many think will and should be a one-and-done guy. It's going to be interesting. Melo Trimble also needs to become a leader with Dez Wells gone -- and these guys aren't creeping up on anyone. There's a lot of pressure on them."
1. Who is Maryland's new freshman center?
2. Name 2 players for Maryland that are graduate transfers.
3. Why did the article say that Maryland had the best defense last year in the Big Ten?
4. What was Maryland ranked in free throw shooting last year in the nation?
5. Based on what you read, do you think Maryland will win a National Championship this year? Why or why not?
19 comments:
Arthur Seo
PD 6
1.) Diamond Stone
2.) Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
3.) held opponents to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor.
4.) Maryland had the fourth-best free throw rate in the nation
5.) Yes, because there is a lot of pressure on them
1. Diamond Stone
2. Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
3. They held opposing teams to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor.
4. Maryland had the fourth-best free throw rate in the nation
5. Yes, because of their talented roster and high expectations of fans
Nima Kaffi
Pd. 6
Sakib G. Sarwar
Pd.6
1. Diamond Stone
2. Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
3. held opponents to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor.
4. fourth
5. Yes, cuz the terps are freaking fresh this year!
1. Diamond Stone
2. Robert Carter + Rasheed Sulaimon
3. They had the best defense by holding opponents to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor.
4. 4th best free throw rate
5. I guess so... don't know much about the other teams, but from the reading it seems like their defense and free throw rates has a chance to push them to the top.
~Rahin Chowdhury
1. Diamond Stone
2. Rasheed Sulamon (DUKE SUCKS) and Robert Carter (a nobody who wont play)
3. Their defense as a whole held opponents to 39.5 percent shooting from the floor.
4. They had the fourth best or highest free throw rate in the Nation.
5. Yes, they have lots and lots of talent, not as much as Kentucky but they have a good group of guys that for the most part have experience under their belt.
Chase Erat
1. Diamond stone
2.rasheed suliamon from duke and robert carter
3.maryland Held opponents to 39.5 percent shooting
4. Maryland was ranked 4th in the nation in free throw rate
5. No because there are so many other good teams and they have the pressure of being ranked 1. I do believe they will go far in the NCAA tournament.
Stephen brietzke
Mary Quackenbush
1. Diamond Stone
2. Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
3. Held teams to only 39.5% shooting
4. 4th best
5. yes because they have the mentality and the stats to be number one in the NCAA
1. Diamond Stone
2. Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
3. Because they held opponents to just 39.5% shooting from the floor.
4. Fourth
5. Yes I think they have a chance on winning a championship this year because of how strong their team is player, defense, and overall synergy wise.
Sean Liang
1. Diamond Stone
2.Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
3. held opponents to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor
4. ranked number 4th in free throw shooting
5. I don't think so, I feel like duke or Kentucky will win the national championships they have just as much of a balanced roster as maryland and a better head coach
Vincent He
1. Diamond stone
2. Rasheed sulaimon and Robert Carter
3. 39.5 percent shooting for opponents
4. 4
5. Yes they have well balanced team and talented team
Muneeb mirza
1.) Diamond Stone
2.) Robert Carter
3.)Maryland had the best defense in the Big Ten and held opponents to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor.
4.)Maryland had the fourth-best free throw rate in the nation
5.)No because even tho they're team is good other power houses like kentucky and duke i see as better
Abdoulai Jobe
Diamond Stone
Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
hed teams to only 39.5% shooting
4th in the nation
yes, because they have depth, talent, and play good defense to compliment good offense
Amogh Rao
1 Diamond Stone
2 Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
3 39.5% shooting on floor
4 4th
5 Yes, because they have good offence and pretty defence
Bruce Chen
Katie Gillick
1.) Diamond Stone
2.) Robert Carter & Rasheed Sulaimon
3.) they held opponents to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor.
4.) fourth-best free throw rate in the nation
5.) Yes, because Maryland is amazing, talented, and they have a strong defense
1) diamond stone
2) rasheed suliamon and robert carter
3) they held opponents to under 40 percent from the floor (39.5% to be exact)
4) 4th best free throw rate in the college basketball
5) no most talented players are inexperienced, there are other teams with just as much talent and they get off to slow starts witch will hurt them against good teams.
omar sadiq
Gabriel Barnaby
1. Diamond Stone
2. Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
3. Because they held opponents to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor
4. Maryland had the fourth-best free throw rate in the nation
5. They have a good chance of winning because of their great lineup, great defense, and great free-throw shooting
Gabriel Barnaby
1. Diamond Stone
2. Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
3. Because they held opponents to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor
4. Maryland had the fourth-best free throw rate in the nation
5. They have a good chance of winning because of their great lineup, great defense, and great free-throw shooting
Sceion Hardy
1. Diamond stone
2.robert carter and rasheed sulaimon
3. because they held opponets to just 39 percent shooting from the floor
4. Maryland had the fourth-best free throw rate in the motion
5.they have a chance of winning because of there line-up and free-throws
Paige Palmer
1. Diamond Stone
2. Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon
3. Because they held opponents to 39% shooting percentage
4. They had the fourth-best free throw rate in the country
5. Yes, I do, because they make almost 40% of their shots. Also because they are lucky! They won once, they can win again!
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