Okay Terps fans, we all can now breathe a big sigh of relief as this 2024-2025 Big 10 regular season comes to a close.

Let us wind back time to Jan 2025 and the Terps were sitting at 1-4 in conference play and we all were wondering the same thing.

Would this season turn into a disaster and once again Maryland not being able to win on the road.  Maryland was not playing well and not playing Maryland basketball.

The talent was clearly there with transfers Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Rodney Rice and Selton Miguel coming to College Park to add some much needed outside shooting.

There was the 5 star phenom and prized freshmen Derek Queen from Baltimore, who was just beginning his college basketball career.

And then there was star senior Julian Reece, who would return for his final season at Maryland.

Many Terps fan including myself, wondered when they would put it all together as a team and become a cohesive unit.

I wrote piece at the beginning of the season on what I predicted could happen this upcoming season.

Well ladies and gentlemen, here we are 2 months later and the Terps are winners of there last 13-16 conference games, with those 3 losses being buzzer beaters (Michigan St, Ohio State and Northwestern)

The Terps had 5 quality wins on the road and 17-2 at home, which has given the Terps the #2 seed and the double bye in this years Big 10 Tournament in Indianapolis and finished with there highest ranking since March 2020 at #11 in the final AP poll of the season

It has been a magical season for the Terps and a season that Terps fans will not forget for some time to come.as the Terps have become known as the “Crab Five”

Maryland and Coach Kevin Williard have put Maryland basketball back on the map and right now are back in the national spotlight and it is well deserved.

The Terps didnt get lucky in finishing with a 24-7 overall record and a 14-6 record in the Big 10. They did it on both sides of the ball.

On the offensive side of the ball the “Crab Five” had all starters average double figures as well as most of any 5 in the nation.

Maryland was in the Top 10 in just about every Big 10 team stat categories in the Big 10 including #3 in 3 point%.

So why is that an important stat?
Last year out of 351 teams playing in Division 1 college basketball Maryland ranked at an embarrassing 340 out of 351 schools in 3 point shooting percentage at 28% for the entire season.
This season they are ranked #45 in the country in 3 point shooting percentage at 37%

On the defensive side of the ball Maryland played the high pressure defense that the Terps are becoming known for and according to the KenPom defensive efficiency ranking the Terps were ranked at #9 in the nation.

Let us now take a look at what is in store for the Terps the rest of the way.

The Terps are putting on there dancing shoes this March and will join in on the madness that is March Madness.

But first, Maryland must navigate the Big 10 tournament which is here in my hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Taking a look at the bracket for Maryland as the #2 seed

The road to the Championship will not be an easy road or at least on paper it looks that way, as Illinois is playing really good basketball right now and if they make it past the Friday night quarterfinal game a date with #3 Michigan could be looming as I am sure the Wolverines will be looking for alittle revenge , so that will be a grind it out game.

If the Terps make it to the finals a date with Michigan State could be in the cards and that will be a very physical game as both the Terps and Spartans will be playing for seeding position in the NCAA tournament, so this game will be huge.

I am worried about Maryland lack of depth for the tournament as having to play 3 straight games with basically the Crab Five playing most of the minutes might be a major challenge and could hinder there run at a Final Four.
Yes, that is correct a Final Four run!.

Now on to March Madness!!

Currently, Maryland is 11th in the net rankings, 13th at KenPom, 14th in the ESPN Power Index and 15th at BartTorvik, as well as most bracketologists having Maryland as a #4 seed and it could be higher depending on how the Terps fare in the Big 10 tournament.

Maryland is going to get no lower then a #5 seed in the NCAA tournament and that is regardless of if they lose.

Now, winning the Big 10 title I think the committee would have to give Maryland a real hard look at a #3 seed and maybe a possible #2 seed.

Maryland has the makings of a deep run in the NCAA tournament. They can beat you in many different ways and they play really good pressure defense and they will be a sneaky Final Four pick depending on where they land in the field and there path.

Maryland will go as far as the “Crab Five”  in terms of heath and fatigue from all the minutes they will have to play.

Here is my prediction regardless of what bracket the Terps get put in.

If the “Crab Five” play they way they have been playing and don’t get worn down.
If JuJu stays out of foul trouble and the defense is Terps type defense.
If Miguel is hot and Jordan Geronimo can make an impact.
All I can say is here we come San Antonio!!