The Maryland Terrapins begin their 2024-2025 men’s basketball season tonight with their first game amidst a new-look roster of players. The Terps hold a 47-game win streak for home openers which ranks third nationally. The streak began back in the 1977 season. The Terps are 312-75 (.806) all-time in XFINITY Center including 27-7 (.794) under Kevin Willard. Maryland has won nine straight home non-conference games, and 15 consecutive against un-ranked non-conference foes.
Maryland looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. In the offseason, Willard and his staff revamped the roster with several key transfers and two talented freshmen with Derik Queen and Malachi Palmer. Queen enters as the second-highest ranked recruit in program history.
On the transfer side, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Selton Miguel, and Rodney Rice will all veteran leadership, instant scoring, and consistent shooting from deep.
Returning for his fourth season, Julian Reese is a key piece of the front court with his experience and talent. Regarded as one of the top front court players in the conference, Reese reached 1,000 career points last season and could hit 1,000 rebounds for his career this year.
Along with Reese, the development of DeShawn Harris-Smith, one of the top Power 5 true freshmen last year, and with Jordan Geronimo returning, they will provide key experience for the Terps. The return from injury of Chance Stephens adds another perimeter threat, while transfers Tafara Gapare and Jay Young provide athletic depth and dynamic defense to the line-up.
” I think I have the best young player in the country in Derik Queen.”
— head coach Kevin Willard said
“I think the biggest thing is that — I mean, Derik was, Derik’s a top 10 player … if I was an NBA GM, I would draft him in a heartbeat. I think there’s a huge difference in the fact that he’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime generational talent. I mean, he is as skilled a big man as I’ve ever seen on the court. His first scrimmage, he was phenomenal playing against someone else.”
“So I think [Derik’s] expectations are totally different than what the freshman class we brought in last year was — and I thought DeShawn last year, although his numbers didn’t prove it, played as good as any freshman in the conference for the amount of minutes he had to play. So trying not to put as much pressure on freshman. Derik’s going to be playing with four guys that are all juniors, and one sophomore.”
The Terps were the top defensive unit in the Big Ten last season allowing 65.9 points per game which ranked 23rd nationally. That marked the first time since 1973-74 for the Terps to lead their conference scoring defense.
Maryland’s record: 0-0; Big Ten 0-0
Manhattan’s record: 0-0
All-time series: 1-1
BetUS Sportsbook : Maryland are favorites at -26.5, O/U 134.5
Tip-Off: Monday, Nov. 4, 2024; 7 pm
Arena: Xfinity Center • College Park, Maryland
TV:
Streaming TV: BigTen with Tyler Lochte (pxp), Ben Strober (analyst)
Radio: Audacy Radio App / SiriusXM 136; 105.7 FM (Balt.) / 980 AM (D.C.) — Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Chris Knoche (analyst), Walt Williams (analyst), Tom Marchitto (engineer)
