Maryland Backcourt's Scary Mix of Fearlessness, Talent Can Carry Terps in March
If college basketball really is a guard’s game, then the Maryland Terrapins are ready for the madness of March.
There are plenty of impressive players at the college level this season, including big men Jahlil Okafor from Duke and Frank Kaminsky from Wisconsin, but you would be hard-pressed to find many better backcourt combinations than the one in College Park.
Dez Wells and Melo Trimble showed the world just how good they are in No. 14 Maryland’s crucial 59-53 home victory over No. 5 Wisconsin on Tuesday evening in Big Ten action.
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The crowd may have stormed the floor after it was over, but it’s hard to call a game a massive upset when Trimble and Wells combine for 42 points, 11 rebounds and six assists on 51.6 percent shooting.
The Terrapins simply aren’t going to lose many games when that happens, which is what makes this team so scary come March.
It is not difficult to envision a scenario where Maryland is a No. 3 or 4 seed in the NCAA tournament and knocks off a potential No. 1 or 2 because of its backcourt. It proved itself capable of doing just that on Tuesday when it beat a Badgers team that is on the fast track to a top-two seed in March.
Wells is a particularly enticing player for Maryland fans as the season heads into its stretch run because of his combination of experience, talent and willingness to deliver in the biggest moments.
He is the senior leader on the Terrapins and has played in a number of pressure-packed games in conference and NCAA tournaments. In fact, he picked up most of his Big Dance experience during his time at Xavier, but he led Maryland into the bracket last year as well.
His fearlessness also stands out, and it showed on Tuesday when he carried his team during its biggest game of the season.
Wells’ performance, which kept his team's home cooking rolling, impressed Nicole Auerbach of USA Today:
It wasn’t just the final tally of 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists from Wells that turned heads, though. It was also the play he made when the game was on the line. He attacked the baseline and threw down a rim-rattling slam that virtually sapped Wisconsin’s will with only a few minutes remaining.
Think of that play as the exclamation mark on the Terrapins’ win that also announced to the rest of the country that they are here to stay. The Big Ten Network shared the highlight:
As if that play in a critical moment didn't underscore Wells' fearlessness enough, his postgame comments certainly did, as shared by Zach Woosley of SB Nation and Kentucky Sports Radio:
"“Frank Kaminsky is a great player, but he’s not God.” | http://t.co/W2gZCbQVQL https://t.co/rXGYbRiJjw
— Zach Woosley (@Ginge) February 25, 2015"
Clearly, the Terrapins aren't afraid of anyone with Wells operating the controls.
The best thing for the Terrapins is this may be a sign of things to come from Wells. The Testudo Times suggested as much after the win:
Between his ability to hit from three-point range (51.2 percent coming into Tuesday’s showdown), slash to the rim, set up teammates and come through in the clutch moments, Wells will be a nearly impossible matchup for any opponent in the NCAA tournament.
He has been through a lot in his career, from his difficult exit at Xavier to serious injuries, but he seems to be hitting his stride at just the right moment and is poised to give his collegiate story a fitting conclusion.
The good news for the Terrapins is that Wells isn’t a one-man show.
Trimble may not have the experience that Wells does, but he was averaging a team-high 16.1 points and 3.1 assists coming into the Wisconsin game and is one of the most talented freshmen in the country. He plays with a different type of fearlessness than his veteran teammate.
The argument can be made that there is also some value to being a freshman when the lights are brightest.
Trimble may not even know any better or understand the magnitude of the moment when the tournament rolls around. He will play with a looseness that some veterans who have been to March Madness and lost can’t bring to the table. Call it fearlessness if you would like, but he won’t be afraid.
He proved it when he hit a running layup and was fouled with less than 40 seconds remaining on Tuesday to stretch Maryland’s lead from three to five points.
It was the most important play of the game and put the Badgers away for good.
Like with Wells, Trimble’s ability to score from anywhere on the floor and blow past defenders off the dribble makes him a matchup nightmare. He is also improving as the season progresses and has scored at least 16 points in five consecutive games. He reached the 20-point mark in three of those contests.
Perhaps the extra work he recently put in that he mentioned to Roman Stubbs of The Washington Post is starting to pay off. “Watching film after a game really helps me. Other teams watch film and watch what you do best. It makes you think a little more,” he said.
Other teams can watch all the film they want and game-plan against Wells and Trimble when they play Maryland. Actually stopping them on the court will be another story in March.
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