A deeper look at Grand Canyon, Maryland basketball's first-round opponent​

The two teams meet at 4:35 p.m. ET on Friday in Seattle.​

Twenty-seven years ago, Bryce Drew hit a miraculous buzzer-beating three-pointer to give 13th-seeded Valparaiso an upset win over No. 4 Ole Miss and spark a Sweet 16 run.

Drew knows plenty about NCAA Tournament success, and when he leads Grand Canyon into Seattle to take on No. 4 Maryland on Friday, it will not be his first rodeo.

Drew led his alma mater to two NCAA Tournaments in 2013 and 2015, the latter ending in a first-round loss to Maryland. He was then at Vanderbilt for three years, going to one NCAA Tournament in 2017 and losing in the first round. Drew has been the head coach at Grand Canyon for five seasons, and this is his fourth time taking the Antelopes to the Big Dance. Grand Canyon lost in the Round of 64 in 2021 and 2023, but it won a game in last year's NCAA Tournament, upsetting fifth-seeded Saint Mary's before losing to No. 4 Alabama.

Maryland is a 10.5-point favorite over the Antelopes. Tip is set for 4:35 p.m. ET on Friday.

Grand Canyon is 93rd at KenPom, 149th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 67th in adjusted defensive efficiency. It ranks 14th nationally in adjusted tempo. The Antelopes average 13.2 turnovers per game, the 58th-most in the nation.

Grand Canyon has not been the type of group to tear through opponents with torrid three-point shooting; it makes 31.6% of its threes (285th nationally) and only 23.6% of its points come from the perimeter (349th nationally). The Antelopes have the 26th-best effective field goal defense, the 78th-best three-point defense and the 25th-best two-point defense in the country.

The Antelopes played three power conference foes in their non-conference slate, going 1-2. They lost to Arizona State, 87-76, on a neutral floor in Phoenix on Nov. 14. They beat Stanford, 78-71, on a neutral floor in Palm Desert, California, on Nov. 26. They gave Georgia a fight on Dec. 14 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, but they ultimately lost, 73-68. Grand Canyon's win over Stanford was its only one inside the first two quadrants.

Let's take a deep dive into Grand Canyon's personnel. All eight rotation players started their careers with other programs.

STARTERS

Ray Harrison, 6-4, G, Sr.

Harrison averages 11.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Harrison, a fifth-year senior who spent the first two years of his career at Presbyterian, averaged 17.8 points per game as a junior at Grand Canyon and 13.5 points per game last season. Harrison shoots 34.2% from three and 87.6% from the free-throw line. The 2023 All-WAC first-teamer has five career 30-point games and is still a threat to fill up the stat sheet despite a scoring decline.

Collin Moore, 6-4, G, Sr.

Moore spent the first three years of his career at Georgia State and the previous two at Grand Canyon. Moore averages 7.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Moore had the second-best steal rate in the WAC during conference play. He shoots 43.4% from the field, 36.3% from three and 71.3% from the free-throw line. Moore was selected to the WAC All-Defensive Team and is another big guard who will try and give Maryland's backcourt fits.

Tyon Grant-Foster, 6-7, G, Gr.

Grant-Foster is in his seventh year in college, starting his journey at Indian Hills Community College (2018-20) before going to DePaul (2021-22), Kansas (2022-23) and now Grand Canyon for the previous two seasons. Grant-Foster has had an inspirational journey, overcoming a major health scare at DePaul and ultimately becoming an elite college basketball player. The 2024 WAC Player of the Year and an All-WAC first-team pick this season, Grant-Foster averages 14.5 points, six rebounds, two assists, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. He has struggled to shoot this season, making only 21.6% of his threes. He averaged 25.5 points per game in two NCAA Tournament games last year.

JaKobe Coles, 6-8, F, Sr.

After starting his career at Butler and then playing three seasons at TCU, Coles has been a seamless fit in Phoenix. The All-WAC first-team selection averages 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Coles, who can stretch the floor at 6-foot-8, shoots 52.1% from the field, 30.3% from three and 77% from the free-throw line. He scored 19 points in TCU's first-round loss to Utah State in last year's NCAA Tournament.

Duke Brennan, 6-10, F, Jr.

Brennan, who started his career with one season at Arizona State, has started every game for Grand Canyon each of the past two years. Brennan averages 10.7 points and 9.2 rebounds (3.3 offensive rebounds) per game. He shoots 65.8% from two and 65.4% from the free-throw line. He is 0-for-1 from three on the season. During conference play, Brennan ranked first in the WAC in offensive rating, effective field goal percentage, true shooting percentage, two-point percentage and offensive rebounding percentage. He was selected to the All-WAC second team and the WAC All-Defensive team.

RESERVES

Lök Wur, 6-9, F, Gr.

The WAC Sixth Player of the Year, Wur has been at Grand Canyon for three seasons after spending his first four at Oregon. Wur averages 8.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. He shoots 52.2% from two, 36.5% from three and 74.1% from the free-throw line. During WAC play, Wur ranked fourth in the conference in block percentage.

Makaih Williams, 6-2, G, So.

Williams, a UT Arlington transfer, averages 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 24.4 minutes per game. He has started 20 games but came off the bench during the Antelopes' three-game WAC Tournament run. Williams shoots only 36.9% from the field and 25.8% from three, though he averages 2.7 attempts from deep per game.

Caleb Shaw, 6-6, G, R-So.

It is a family affair for Shaw, whose uncle is Bryce Drew and father is assistant Casey Shaw. Shaw averages 6.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. He shoots 42.4% from the field and 34.1% from three. Shaw played his freshman season at Northern Colorado in 2022-23. He transferred to Grand Canyon last season and redshirted.

​

So said Bald Turgeon, about 13:20 or so in....who we talking about?

Can somebody put a little powder on that bald mirror, we have any theater majors here??

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COLLEGE PARK, MD -- The Maryland women's basketball team (23-7) earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship and will host a regional at XFINITY Center this week. The Terps will play host to No. 13 seed Norfolk State in the first round Saturday in the Birmingham 2 Region. The winner will take on the winner of No. 5 Alabama and No. 12 Green Bay Monday at the XFINITY Center.

Game times and TV information will be announced. Click here for the full bracket.

The Terrapins earned their 15th straight NCAA Tournament bid, dating back to 2011. This is the Terrapins' 21st under Frese in her 23 seasons in College Park. Under Frese, Maryland is 41-18 (.695) in the NCAA Tournament and 53-30 (.639) in 30 total appearances. The Terrapins have advanced to 11 Sweet Sixteens, seven Elite Eights, three Final Fours and the 2006 NCAA Championship under Frese.

This year, the Terrapins have five wins over ranked teams, most recently a thrilling 93-90 overtime win over No. 12 Ohio State on March 2. The Terrapins finished tied for third in the Big Ten. The Terps have eight Quad 1 wins, which is fifth in the country, behind just South Carolina, Texas, UCLA, USC and Duke.

The NCAA First and Second Rounds will be held at campus sites March 21-24. NCAA Regionals will be played in Birmingham. Ala. and Spokane, Wash. March 28-31. The Final Four is April 4-6 in Tampa, Fla.

ESPN Mentions Possible Willard Departure Behind the Paywall

There have been whispers for months that Villanova's dream target would be Marquette's Shaka Smart, although that seems like more of a pipe dream. ...
As mentioned earlier, there is going to be interest from sitting power conference coaches.

Among those linked in recent days are Northwestern's Chris Collins, Oklahoma's Porter Moser and Maryland's Kevin Willard. ...
Willard wouldn't be unfamiliar to Villanova fans. He was the head coach at Big East rival Seton Hall for 12 seasons, where he led the Pirates to five NCAA tournaments, and has Maryland poised for a top-four seed on Selection Sunday after winning 25 games this season. Willard's buyout is not considered prohibitive.

Click to expand...

Sunshine and Roses reporting that there's real legs to the possibility of Willard leaving for Nova. NIL being top among them.

Willard's $2 million buyout drops to $1.5 on April Fool's Day.

Rumors are flying, but here's the real deal on Kevin Willard and Maryland​

After a weekend-long flirtation with another school, reports surfaced that Kevin Willard has locked in his future as Maryland basketball's coach. Here's where things really stand.​

After a weekend-long flirtation with another school, reports surfaced that Kevin Willard has locked in his future as Maryland basketball's coach. Here's where things really stand.

Jon Rothstein reported Sunday afternoon a significant raise and increased revenue-sharing combined the third-year Maryland coach not to consider the Villanova job if offered. As reported by Inside Maryland Sports earlier Sunday, legendary former Nova coach Jay Wright, who's still closely involved with the program, covets Willard.

"Sources: Maryland is working on a new contract for Kevin Willard that will make him one of the Top 10 highest paid coaches in college basketball. The deal will include one of the highest revenue share budgets in the country along with a new $50 million dollar practice facility," he wrote on X.

A university source characterized that report as accurate. But multiple sources with knowledge of the situation said that while some discussion has taken place, no deal was done as of Sunday afternoon and Willard was more focused on preparing his team for the NCAA Tournament with the selection show hours away. It's possible, though, that a new deal could get done before long.

Villanova would be a move back to his Big East roots, and the program is very well-funded, boasting a $6 million payroll as of about a year ago, when Maryland's was about $3 million. But Willard is a family man who seems unlikely to uproot his family three years after moving from Seton Hall, especially after building momentum this season with a team ranked 11th in the AP Poll entering the season and a dangerous profile entering the NCAA Tournament. A successful March Madness rum would earn him long-term security, which would be risky to relinquish by taking another job.

Willard is likely to address the topic tonight during his Selection Sunday media availability session, a source told IMS.

Maryland made Willard happy by securing a deal with an exclusive analytics partner that's helped him evaluate game strategy, personnel and transfers' market values, a tool he's spoke glowingly about on several occasions. Otherwise, though, it's unknown what sort of concessions Maryland A.D. Damon Evans has or will offer Willard to pass on Villanova or any jobs elsewhere. In Maryland's initial plan with the $20.5 million allotted for revenue-sharing beginning next season, $4 million was earmarked for basketball. It's possible some of that money has been shifted to help the coach recruit top players.

"It's going to be amongst the highest revenue share numbers for a basketball teaming the country," a university source said.

It's also unclear why Rothstein painted the $50 million practice facility as an enticement to keep Willard. The movement to build it was launched years ago by former coach Mark Turgeon, and the building is inching toward completion after about two years of construction. A top 10 salary would also be a major hike for Willard, whose deal ranks 22nd nationally in pay; to get into the top 10, he'd need to be bumped past Alabama's Nate Oats, who makes slightly more than $5 million a year.

As always, I'll continue to report on this and keep you updated.

March Madness is here, and so is the Ernie Tourney—the first-ever intercollegiate bracket challenge! Think you've got the best bracket? Prove it against Michigan, Michigan State, Duke, and the entire Big Ten & ACC! The school with the most points takes home the Ernie Cup, and the highest-scoring bracket wins $5,000!​

Maryland fans, this is your shot to take down old rivals and prove who really runs college basketball. Don't let Michigan, Michigan State, or Duke take the crown—rep your school and bring the Ernie Cup home to Looney's!​

Download the Ernie Sports app or go to Ernie.com to enter now!​

Here's a look at where Maryland stands in the final hours leading up to the selection show:

NET: 10
Torvik: 10
KenPom: 13
BPI: 13

Quad 1 record: 8-7
Quad 2 record: 6-1
Quad 3 record: 3-0
Quad 4 record: 8-0

Quad 1 wins: UCLA, @Illinois, @Indiana, Wisconsin, @Nebraska, @PSU, @Michigan, Illinois (B1G tourney)
Bad losses: @Washington

Tournament projections:

Lunardi (ESPN): 4 seed in the East (Duke No. 1)

Palm (CBS): 4 seed in the West (Florida No. 1)

Mike DeCourcy (FOX): 4 seed in the East (Duke No. 1)

Patrick Stevens (WaPo): 4 seed in the East (Duke No. 1)

USA TODAY: 4 seed in the East (Duke No. 1)

Delphi: 4 seed in the East (Duke No. 1)

Hoops HD: 4 seed in the East (Duke No. 1)

DeCourcy's bracket in particular would potentially be a tough one. He has UConn as the 8 seed and Clemson as the 5 seed in the East. And the Terps would get Ivy champs Yale in the opener (assuming they beat Cornell today).

The overwhelming consensus is that the Terps will be the 4 seed in the East. Will be interesting to see if that comes to fruition.

Maryland Basketball Scoop: What I'm hearing on those big (East) rumors​

As Maryland prepares for the NCAA Tournament, rumors are flying. Here's what we're hearing.​

Maryland prepares for the NCAA Tournament; rumors are flying about Kevin Willard and a high-profile job opening. What's the real deal? Here's what I've gathered.​

Rumors have swirled that Willard is a top candidate for the Villanova job, vacated by Kyle Neptune's firing. I'm told legendary former Wildcats coach Jay Wright, who's still closely involved with the program, is pushing for Willard to be the top choice. The two shared Big East coach of the year honors in 2016 and have become friends.

"Kevin Willard has always been one of the best coaches in the country. He's a great recruiter, a great tactician and a good man. He will do a great job at the University of Maryland," Wright said when Willard was hired by Maryland.

Whether Willard will actually consider the job depends on who you talk to. Most sources I've spoken said they view it as a chance for Willard, who's in the third year of a seven-year deal paying him about $4 million a year, to secure an extension or more resources. But it is a big job in his stomping grounds, the Big East, and Villanova has a lot of money to pay recruits.

Willard is enjoying his best season at Maryland and has built up momentum moving forward, returning the Terps to the national spotlight. He's set to lose Julian Reese, Selton Miguel and likely Julian Reese, but should be able to sell high-level transfers on those open starting spots. Would he want to uproot his family just as things are getting good? My hunch is no, but it's worth keeping tabs on.

Northwestern's Chris Collins is reportedly a top choice as well, along with VCU's Ryan Odom, whom I've heard might be ticketed for UVA. With the rumors spreading fast on Twitter and other sites, it wouldn't be a bad idea for Willard to address them and confirm he's committed to Maryland. The same scenario happened when his Seton Hall team entered the tournament, surrounded by rumors he was leaving for Maryland, and the distracted Pirates were blown out by TCU by 27 points in the first round.

As always, I'll keep you updated.

​

Shit defense call...outcoached when it mattered

Some interesting comments from Willard. I found the one about travel most interesting.

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Final Bracketology: After loss to Michigan, did Maryland basketball's NCAA Tournament seed fall?​

The immediate question following Maryland basketball's 82-81 loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals was, how can a team this good lose so many games on buzzer-beaters? But once that shock subsided, it was time to move on to another one: what seed will the Terps get in the NCAA Tournament?​

The immediate question following Maryland basketball's 82-81 loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals was, how can a team this good lose so many games on buzzer-beaters? But once that shock subsided, it was time to move on to another one: what seed will the Terps get in the NCAA Tournament?

Maryland enters Selection Sunday with a strong resume. The Terps are 25-8. They finished tied for second in a difficult Big Ten. Their only four losses in the past couple of months all came on buzzer-beaters. They're ranked 12th nationally by KenPom, with the sixth-best defensive efficiency in the country. What will that earn them?

Most bracketologists have the Terps as a No. 3 or No. 4 seed. That's not bad for a team that was dropped from ESPN's projected field early in the season and was a No. 8 two months ago after their 1-3 Big Ten start. Entering the Big Ten Tournament, many believed they needed to get to the finals to move up to a three, but that was before several teams with similar ratings -- Texas A&M, Iowa State, Kentucky and Texas Tech -- were bounced from their conference tournaments early.

If they're a three-seed, it would be their highest seed since the national championship season of 2002, when they earned their only No. 1 seed in program history. A win against Michigan might've ensured that, but now it appears most likely they'll slide to a four.

Entering the day, ESPN's Joe Lunardi had Maryland as a three seed in the East, facing UNC-Wilmington, a rematch of that Drew Nicholas buzzer-beater in the 2003 NCAAs. But after the loss, he jumped Iowa State ahead of Maryland and dropped them into a far less attractive scenario, to a No. 4 seed playing all the way out in Seattle, two wins away from a possible matchup against No. 1 seed Duke.

March Madness is here, and the Ernie Tourney is the first-ever school vs. school bracket challenge! The school with the most points wins the Ernie Cup, and the highest-scoring bracket takes home $5,000!
Maryland fans, this is your chance to take down Michigan, Michigan State, and Duke. Don’t let the rivals steal the crown—rep your school and bring the Ernie Cup home to Looney’s!
Think you’ve got the best bracket? Click here to enter now!? Fear the Turtle!
CBSSports' Jerry Palm had them in that exact same spot against the same opponent but hasn't updated his bracket yet.

The website Team Rankings lists their most likely seed as a three, giving them a 12.6 percent chance to make the Final Four. Bracket Matrix, which displays the average seedings from dozens of bracketologists, has them as the second-highest No. 4 seed.

This will be updated as more brackets are updated.

​

I'll miss him, I really enjoyed his writing.

Beat Michigan!!

We’re about 20 minutes from tipoff between the Terps and Illini. The computers all see this one coming down to the wire with it basically being a toss up. The line agrees, with the Terps 1.5-point favorites.

Look for Maryland to get the ball inside to the bigs, but also note that 7-foot center Tomaslov Ivisic will be back in the lineup for Illinois after missing the first game. He is their 2nd leading scorer and leading rebounder.

Game can be seen on BTN at the bottom of the hour.

On the defensive end, the Cavaliers continue to press out with their long poles. Schroter and Fulton are tall and mobile, and they use their length to negate an attacker's speed. Getting into their bodies, however, is something that Eric Spanos can exploit. Spanos has emerged as the go-to attackman who can score or distribute and will likely draw Schroter as a match up. Braden Erksa, who has struggled with turnovers, might have his speed advantage eliminated by Fulton's length.

The Maryland offensive midfield – both lines – have been the difference this season for the Terps' offense. Against Delaware, the Terps fully inverted its midfield and relentlessly dodged short sticks. While Virginia has two good short-stick defenders and an elite LSM, the Terps' midfield depth has punished teams that lack defensive midfield depth. Lack of depth describes Virginia's defensive midfield.

The Terps will have an advantage in goal. Not only has Logan McNaney stopped shots at an elite level, but his ability also to help in the clearing game will be key against a Virginia team that will surely jump into pressure rides. At the other end of the field, the Terps have tormented both Nunes and Morris. Nunes played his best game in years last week against Towson, and perhaps that has given him confidence heading into this game. If he gets hot early, that will bode well for Virginia. If he gives up goals early, things could go downhill quickly for the Cavaliers.

The Prediction

All signs point to a comfortable Maryland win. The Terps have played at a high level all season while the Cavaliers have struggled. However, Virginia finds themselves with their backs against the wall. A loss to the Terps likely means that Virginia's entire post-season aspirations will require an undefeated ACC season. Expect a closer game than the metrics would suggest, but Maryland's midfield depth on both sides of the field should make the difference.

IMS prediction: Terps 14-11.

Preview and Prediction: No. 1 Maryland lacrosse at No. 18 Virginia​

The Terps look to stay perfect against their old ACC enemy.​

Men's Lacrosse – Game 7, at Virginia, Klockner Stadium, Saturday at 4:00 PM

Season Records: #1 Maryland (6-0), #18 Virginia (3-3)

Series Record: Maryland, 51-47




Last Meeting: 2024, 12-6, Maryland in NCAA Final Four

Media: ACCN

Stats: HERE

Quick Preview

Over the past six seasons, Maryland versus Virginia has come with the highest stakes. Since 2019 and excluding the 2020 COVID year, Maryland and Virginia have ended each other's seasons four out of the last five seasons. In last season's NCAA Final Four in Philadelphia, the Terps routed the Cavaliers and ended the careers of Virginia all-time greats Connor Shellenberger and Peyton Cormier. If early season returns say much, the Cavaliers might not have recovered from that shellacking. The Terps return to Charlottesville, the scene of Brian Ruppel's three-save, overtime sequence in 2023, looking to maintain their top ranking while perhaps putting Virginia into "must win the ACC to get to the NCAA Tournament" territory.

The Opponent

Start with the losses. Connor Shellenberger finished his career as Virginia's all-time leading scorer and the storied program's only four-time, first-team All-American. All Peyton Cormier did during his career in Charlottesville was finish as the NCAA's all-time leading goal scorer. Throw in the loss of All-American defenseman Cole Kastner and All-American FOGO Petey Lasalla, and Virginia has massive holes to fill in its roster.

Virginia coach Lars Tiffany has always recruited well, and Virginia has former five-star high school recruits littered throughout its roster.

McCabe Millon (9g, 11a) came to Charlottesville as the nation's top-ranked recruit and started every game last season. The two-handed, fiery Millon can take over games but has struggled this season with poor shooting on a high volume of shots now that defenses key on him. Millon is joined at attack by another former five-star recruit in Truitt Sunderland (16g, 14a). Sunderland has battled injuries in his two prior seasons but finally looks to live up to his lofty recruiting ranking. Ryan Colsey (17g, 6a), only the 60th-ranked recruit in his class, moves back to his natural attack spot after running through the box as a midfielder last season.

Virginia's midfield has been a bit of a sore spot since the 2022 graduation of All-American Matt Moore. Talent does not seem the problem, at least on paper. Griffin Schutz (8g, 2a), himself the former top-ranked high school recruit of his class, is a bull of a midfielder. Built like a linebacker, Schutz can shoot on the run or make spectacular plays, as he did while leading Virginia to a win over the Terps during last regular season's game in College Park. Thomas Menke (6g, 3a), a former attackman, joins Schutz in the midfield with a strong ball carrying presence. Will Inderlied (2g) has rounded out the first midfield line with a big frame and good athleticism.

Virginia brought in former Duke attackman/midfielder Charles Balsamo (1a), the seventh-ranked recruit in his class, and former Bryant midfielder Johnny Hackett (1g) from the transfer portal. Neither has made much of an impact so far. Jack Walshe (6g, 3a) has given the second midfield line more punch, though.

With the graduation of Kastner, John Schroter (12gb, 5ct) takes on Virginia's role as their primary close defender. George Fulton (9gb, 9ct) returns as a starter at close defense, while Griffin Kology (5gb, 4ct) moves into the starting defense after being a solid rotation player. Schroter and Fulton have length and are mobile, while Kology brings more muscle.

Virginia's rope unit has good pieces, including one of the top LSMs in the country in Ben Wayer (4g, 1a, 37gb, 9ct). Wayer is a menace on the wings and between the restraining lines. His ability to patrol the middle of the field allows Virginia to hop into pressure rides. Virginia's short-stick defensive group features two returning players in Noah Chizmar (1g, 17gb, 2ct) and Joey Terenzi (1g, 3gb). Some believe Terenzi should play offense given his ability to score. Will Erdmann (4gb, 2ct) and Mack Till (3gb, 4ct) give the group good size and athleticism.

Matt Nunes (8.43ga, 54 percent) returned to Virginia's starting lineup last week against Towson after Kyle Morris (12ga, 48 percent) had started the first five games of the season in goal. The Terps have faced both goalies and found success.

Finally, Virginia features two main face-off specialists. Anthony Ghobriel (2a, 56 percent, 18gb), a one-time Navy Midshipmen, takes the majority of face-offs, while Andrew Greenspan (1g, 58 percent, 9gb) spells Ghobriel.

Inside the Match-Up

Virginia has struggled replacing generational players in key positions despite Tiffany's ability to bring in top recruits. The struggles have extended beyond Virginia's offense. Per Lacrosse Reference, Virginia ranks 21st in adjusted offensive efficiency, 22nd in adjusted defensive efficiency, 24th in adjusted face-off percent, and 38th in adjusted save percent.

The Cavaliers have not changed their offense much over the years despite personnel changes. Dodges off picks behind the goal or up in the midfield with scissor cuts from crease players. The offense requires elite athletes and dodgers to gain an edge, draw a slide, and find open cutters in the crease.

The Cavaliers' offense thrives when its defense forces turnovers or goalies trigger run outs off saves to get transition goals. In the past, Virginia also often scored off face-offs. Its attack relentlessly rode back possessions and scored in early offense or unsettled situations. The Cavaliers rank seventh in the nation in time to first shot but are just 48th in the nation in time of possession.

The Cavaliers still like to ride and jump into a 10-man ride, especially with Nunes in goal. Opponents clear at just 81 percent; however, the Cavaliers themselves only clear at 80 percent.

With Millon taking nearly 20 percent of Virginia's shots but shooting just 17 percent, Virginia's half field offense has ground to a halt. Sunderland, a Baltimore native, gives the offense more balance between dodging and passing, but his sleight frame makes him easier to push away from dangerous spots.

Expect Will Schaller to take the Millon match up, with Colin Burlace and Jackson Canfield switching on and off Sunderland and Colsey.

Virginia's offensive malaise emanate from a lack of midfield dodging. While Schutz is a bear to handle, he has largely no showed in several games. Balsamo and Hackett came to Virginia to solve some of these dodging issues but have not made much impact to this point.

Schutz will demand the long pole match up, and the Terps short-stick defensive unit will look to push Virginia midfield dodgers down the alleys. It is crucial for Terrapin defenders to communicate off-ball in the crease, but if the Cavaliers can't win dodging match ups, the Terps won't slide. The Terps' rope unit has played exceptionally well through six games.

Jahmir Young on why he's not surprised by Maryland basketball's breakout season, his Terps reunion in Chicago​

It's been a breakthrough season not only for Maryland basketball, but also for former Terps star Jahmir Young.​

It's been a breakthrough season not only for Maryland basketball, but also for former Terps star Jahmir Young. In his rookie season as a pro, Young quickly became one of the top players in the G-League, earning all-star honors and then a two-way contract from the Chicago Bulls.

Not bad for a guy who wasn't drafted or given much of a chance of making it to the league, let alone make it in his first year.

"It's cool. It's just more motivation. It's exciting. My story, my journey—just leading up to this point—seeing my family proud of me means a lot. From where I've been and the growth I've made, it's just more motivation to keep going and check off that next milestone," Young said during an interview on Glenn Clark Radio.

Young, the third-leading scorer in the Big Ten last year with 20.4 points per game, has been keeping close tabs on his former college team.

"They have a lot of talented guys, a lot of veteran guys as well—players who have played multiple games in college. I went to a practice before the season started while I had some time at home, and just seeing the way they competed against each other and how seriously they took every possession—they didn't take any possessions off. They're a defensive-minded group, a hungry team, a well-put-together team. So, I knew they were going to be special from the start," he said.


"Just keeping up with them on social media, they keep jumping up in the rankings and going on win streaks. Their offense is clicking, and everybody's contributing. The ball is moving, everybody's getting love, and the chemistry seems to be at its best level. So, I'm not surprised at all," he said.

Clark asked Young what he thinks the reason is behind Maryland's run of top point guards.

"It's a ton of credit to the crowd, the atmosphere. It's big—really big. Kevin Willard, I mean, what he's put together, how he runs his offense, how he gives his players confidence to go out there and play their game—it's impressive. It starts in practice. He emphasizes the importance of execution out of timeouts and how every possession matters. He has all those guys locked in from jump ball to the final buzzer," he said.

In Chicago, Young joined two others former Terps stars, Jalen Smith and Kevib Huerter.

"Me and Stix played for the same AAU program, Team Takeover. He was a year above me, of course, but we would practice together. Sometimes we would scrimmage each other. So, we go way back—about 16 or 17 years. It was good to see Stix again. I've also seen him working out at Maryland. We have the same trainer, Darren McClinton, so I see him often in the gym. And then Huerter, we have runs in College Park from time to time. It was good to see those guys again. The Bulls must have a thing for Terps."

Young had some big NIL offers after his breakout debut season at Maryland but opted to pass on the portal and stay local to his home-state team. So, he was happy to see Julian Reese make the same decision.

"It means a lot and it tells you a lot about his character. It's easy for guys nowadays to jump in the portal and go play elsewhere, whether that's for money or whatever the case may be," he said. "But for JuJu, just seeing his growth and development over the years—playing for multiple coaches—for him to be able to stay grounded, stay motivated, and now be the leader of this really good Terps team, it means a lot. It shows a lot about him and who he is as a person."

​

Maryland Basketball Scoop: Transfer Buzz | Point Guard Prediction | Surprising Duo​

Maryland basketball begins its most anticipated postseason in years tonight (Maryland-Illinois preview), but there's also a lot happening behind the scenes. The latest on a top recruit, a top transfer prospect and a surprise collaboration in the latest Maryland basketball scoop.​

Maryland basketball begins its most anticipated postseason in years tonight (Maryland-Illinois preview), but there's also a lot happening behind the scenes. The latest on a top recruit, a top transfer prospect and a surprise collaboration in the latest Maryland basketball scoop.

On Chance Mallory: I'm entering a Crystal Ball pick for Virginia with a confidence score of six for the nation's top uncommitted point guard. I don't know for sure that it's done, but piecing together the information I've gotten, it seems likely. Mallory's family would like to have him close to home and they've been in communication with the administration about its impending hire, which seems likely to be VCU coach Ryan Odom; a bit of irony considering he coached UMBC to that historic upset over UVA, the first win by a No. 16 seed in tournament history.

Odom has some connections to Mallory's family and with Mallory setting an announcement date for later this month, the signs point to Virginia. But I don't have that down as a done deal and will keep tabs.

I'm hearing Maryland has a great chance to land Drexel transfer Kobe Magee, who I reported on yesterday. The portal doesn't open for another week, but when it does, they could quickly scoop him as a Selton Miguel replacement.

Elsewhere, Maryland will have an alum coaching in the NCAA Tournament after Duane Simpkins led American to the Gary Williams has said that out of all of his former players, he believes Simpkins might've been the best suited to become a successful coach. Simpkins, Maryland's starting point guard during the program's Williams-led resurgence of the early 90s, led American University -- the school where Williams cut his teeth as a young coach -- to the Patriot League title, earning its first March Madness berth since 2014 and fourth overall.

And he's had help from an unlikely source: Mark Turgeon. Turgeon, who nearly hired Simpkins as an assistant at Maryland on multiple occasions, has worked with him as a consultant this season, focusing on defensive strategy. Turgeon has been to most of the team's home games, attending a bunch of practices and reviewing film with Simpkins.

If you need to kill time until tonight's game, we talked about expectations for the postseason and lots more on this week's IMS Radio, along with an update from Chris Knoche in Indy. Listen here:

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Big Ten Tournament semifinals: Preview, how to watch No. 2 Maryland basketball vs. No. 3 Michigan​

A championship game berth is on the line.​

After a dominant 88-65 win over Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Friday night, the Maryland men's basketball team is back in the conference semifinals for the first time since 2016.

The second-seeded Terps (25-7) will meet third-seeded Michigan (23-9), which defeated sixth-seeded Purdue, 86-68, in Friday's final quarterfinal, on Saturday afternoon with a trip to the Big Ten championship game on the line.

Maryland led by as many as 36 with 9:41 left in the second half in an effort that was more dominant than even the 23-point margin indicated. Rodney Rice, in his first game since being snubbed from All-Big Ten honors, had a huge night, scoring 26 points and hitting seven threes. Derik Queen had another double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, Ja'Kobi Gillespie had 12 points and nine assists, Julian Reese had 10 points, and Jordan Geronimo had 11 points.

Maryland had only three turnovers against Illinois, zero of which came in the first half. The Terps outscored Illinois 22-0 in points off turnovers, 11-0 in fast-break points and 15-9 in bench points. None of Maryland's starters played more than 25 minutes.

The Terps and the Wolverines met just 10 days before Saturday's meeting, a 71-65 road win for Maryland on March 5. Saturday is another top 25 matchup, with Maryland ranked 11th in the latest AP poll and Michigan ranked 22nd.

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch, follow and listen to the matchup.

Tipoff: Approximately 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 15 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis

TV: CBS – Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Grant Hill (analyst), Bill Raftery (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Streaming: CBS Sports

Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network, 105.7FM (Baltimore), 980AM (D.C.) – Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Chris Knoche (analyst), Tom Marchitto (engineer)

Live Stats: Link

KenPom Line: Maryland -4

Betting Line: Maryland -3.5 (-178 ML), O/U 150.5 per FanDuel Sportsbook

Michigan limped to the finish line of the regular season, losing its final three games – by an average of 14.3 points per loss – and four of its final six games. But the Wolverines snapped their woes in a big way Friday night.

Michigan moved up to 27th at KenPom after the win over Purdue. The NET rankings will not update until Saturday morning, but the game will be another Quadrant 1 opportunity for both teams. Maryland will look for its ninth Quad 1 win of the season.

Four of Michigan's five starters were in double figures against Purdue, led by Danny Wolf with 18 points. Wolf also had 11 rebounds, six assists and only two turnovers. Vladislav Goldin had 15 points and eight rebounds, and Tre Donaldson had 13 points, five assists and four rebounds. Roddy Gayle Jr. had 11 points off the bench.

Michigan shot 52% from the field, 31% from three and 18-for-22 from the free-throw line against Purdue. The Wolverines, who entered the game ranking 336th nationally in turnover percentage, had a season-low six turnovers against the Boilermakers. They only forced five turnovers but scored 12 points off them. Michigan also had an advantage in rebounds (40 to 34), bench points (25 to 23), points in the paint (38 to 30) and fast-break points (nine to six). The Wolverines led by as many as 18 and held the lead for 37:06.

Maryland did not make a field goal in the last 6:02 in its regular season win over Michigan. The Terps got big scoring contributions from Rice (19 points) and Queen and Selton Miguel, who each had 17 points. Wolf and Goldin each had 20 points against the Terps, though the former had five of Michigan's 16 turnovers. Reese's defense against Goldin down the stretch was a big difference in the ballgame.

When the Big Ten released its all-conference honors earlier this week, Goldin and Queen split first- and second-team honors, with Queen earning first-team honors from the coaches and Goldin from the media. Wolf was a consensus second-team selection. Goldin is Michigan's leading scorer at 16.6 points per game. Wolf averages 13 points per game, Donaldson averages 11.6, Nimari Burnett averages 9.8 and Gayle averages 9.6.

By the time the Terps and the Wolverines take the floor Saturday, their opponent in the Big Ten Tournament championship game – whether it be Michigan State or Wisconsin – will be known. These teams are certainly familiar with each other, and it will be fascinating to see what each coaching staff has in store. Saturday marks Maryland's first time on this stage in eight years, but Kevin Willard has a team that has consistently risen to the moment this season.

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Illinois coach Brad Underwood on Maryland: "We let Rodney Rice cook us ... They're good enough to win it."​

Before any media members at his press conference Friday night could follow up after his first answer, Illinois coach Brad Underwood interjected with an unprompted thought about Maryland: "They're good enough to win it."​

Before any media members at his press conference Friday night could follow up after his first answer, Illinois coach Brad Underwood interjected with an unprompted thought about Maryland.

"And by the way," he said, "they're good enough to win it. They're good. They're really good."

It's unclear if the "it" Underwood was referring to be the Big Ten Tournament or the NCAA Tournament: that's open to interpretation. But given how dominant Maryland (25-7) was in its 88-65 win over a hot Illinois team, it wouldn't be crazy to think he was talking about the Big Dance. Rodney Rice poured in 26 points in 29 minutes, torching the Illini's (21-12) with seven 3-pointers on nine tries.

"We let Rodney Rice cook us in the first half. Very disappointing. I was really disappointed in our defense on the perimeter," he said. "I was good with letting Reese and Queen try to score twos because it's not what makes them great. What makes them great is when they make threes, and our perimeter defense—we were just very flat, very lethargic, not much energy. And that's on me, getting these guys ready to play, understanding the urgency."

More from Underwood below:

On Maryland's defense: "Hopefully we learned a lot from Maryland today. And the energy—they're the number one defense in the country analytically since January. And us scoring 110 or whatever we scored yesterday probably gave them a little more hype to come out and kick our butt. And they did."

On his team's 17 turnovers: "We opened the game with two turnovers—we just threw the ball to them. They do a great job of playing with their hands in the pocket. We told them all, 'Your pocket passes, you can't throw them,' and then Tommy throws one low right after that."

Illini guard Kylan Boswell: "I think what Coach said Iowa was kind of a false reality. Every team is going to be trying to play because they're not trying to go home. Really aggressive. Talking a lot. Maryland, for sure, today.

"They were shocking our central nervous system, you know? And you just can't come out there not ready to hoop at any point.

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Maryland pounces on Illinois, steamrolls its way to Big Ten Tournament semis, 88-65​

Kevin Willard was worried about his team's tendency to start games slow after extended breaks. Those concerns were quickly quelled after a few minutes of action on Friday.​

Kevin Willard was worried about his team's tendency to start games slow after extended breaks. Those concerns were quickly quelled after a few minutes of action on Friday.

The Terps played their best half of the season, leading Illinois by 26 points at halftime in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. It was the second-largest halftime lead the Terps have had and the most they've scored against a Big Ten opponent this season as they cruised to an 88-65 victory on Friday night in Indianapolis.

Maryland held a 30-point lead with 12:06 remaining en route to a 88-65 victory. It will play in its first Big Ten tournament semifinals since 2016 on Saturday.

"Anytime you're up 26 at halftime, you're doing something right," Willard said. "I just told them not to mess it up [at halftime].•

Friday's game looked nearly identical to the two teams' contest in January. Maryland crushed Illinois inside, won the turnover battle and neutralized Fighting Illini forward Tomislav Ivisic. Derik Queen scored an efficient 19 points.

But the Terps had an additional weapon in the quarterfinals. They shot 47.8% from three-point range, making 11 triples.

It was an encouraging sign for an offense that has struggled recently, scoring its highest total since Feb. 16. Maryland hadn't made 40% of its three-pointers since the USC game on Feb. 20.

Rodney Rice started the game with 18 points before the eight-minute mark in the first half, going 5-6 from three-point range. Ja'Kobi Gillespie and he scored a combined 23 points in the first matchup against Illinois. The backcourt surpassed that total in the first half on Friday.

The Virginia Tech transfer was not named to the Big Ten's honorable mention team this week, but Rice played like a first-teamer in the quarterfinals.

He finished the game with a team-high 26 points and made seven 3-pointers. Rice's shooting forced Illinois head coach Brad Underwood to call multiple first-half timeouts, incensed at his team.

"[Maryland's] good enough to win it," Underwood said.

Rice has been mentioned as Maryland's "X-factor" multiple times this season. At this point, he's become the Terps' third-best scorer and a strong secondary ball handler.

His ability to play a heavy load of minutes is underrated. Rice is constantly dashing around off-ball screens, shooting movement-triples and guarding the opponent's best perimeter threat.

That was most evident when, midway through the second half, he fell over in the middle of a play (potential ploy), only to rise back up and hit a 3-pointer. He was fouled in the process and converted the free throw.

"I'm just going to continue to let my game do the talking," Rice said.

Maryland's first-half domination allowed Willard to play his bench more than usual. Jordan Geronimo and Tafara Gapare both played in the first half, along with DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jay Young.

Geronimo rewarded his coach with nine points, including a three-pointer. The 15 bench points were the most Maryland's second unit has scored since Jan. 2. Malachi Palmer even played in the second half.

"It's big no matter what, especially for the NCAA tournament," Willard said. "I have a lot of faith in my bench, the problem is I have five [starters] who need shots."

A 31-point lead isn't supposed to happen in a conference tournament, especially not against KenPom's No. 18 team. Willard even rolled out an all-bench unit with over six minutes remaining.

It’s onto the next round for @TerrapinHoops ?#B1GMBBT pic.twitter.com/KTfqhGn9QB
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 15, 2025

Click to expand...

The Terps likely won't replicate this type of performance for the rest of postseason play. It would be nearly impossible. But if they can come even close to Friday's showing, they could be in for a special March.

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To win the Big Ten Tournament, Maryland basketball needs to avoid these three potential stumbling blocks​

Everything has trended upward for Maryland men's basketball lately. But as coach Kevin Willard pointed out during a recent press conference, some trends point to potential…​

Everything has trended upward for Maryland men's basketball lately. But as coach Kevin Willard pointed out during a recent press conference, some trends point to potential stumbling blocks Maryland could face this upcoming week at the Big Ten tournament

Maryland's historical struggles in the tournament, fatigue concerns and poor performances after extended breaks raise concerns ahead of the program's most anticipated conference tournament in recent memory

Tourney struggles

Maryland's 5-9 all-time record in the Big Ten tournament is the third-worst mark in the conference. It is one of only four programs that have never appeared in the championship game. The Terps reached the semifinals in 2015 and 2016 but fell to Michigan State in back-to-back years. They've never won multiple games in the conference tournament.

It's one reason for caution as Maryland enters the tourney on Friday in Indianapolis. Other top-seeded teams, Michigan State, Michigan and Wisconsin, have all thrived at the tournament.
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Maryland has a favorable path to a potential Sunday appearance, though. The Terps will likely face Illinois, who they dominated 91-70 in January, in their first-round matchup. Michigan or Purdue would likely await in the semifinals, both of whom finished the season on significant slides.

But if Maryland advances to the championship contest, it will have to play three games in three days. For a team that lacks depth, tired legs could play a factor in a potential Sunday game.

Lack of Depth

If the 'Crab Five' each replicated their season average in minutes, the starting-five would play 488 minutes over three days. Maryland's starters log more minutes than any other team's top lineup, as most of the conference's upper echelon teams boast stronger depth.

The No. 1 seed Spartans play a consistent ten-man rotation, Wisconsin has eight options, and UCLA is filled with talented backups. In a tournament scenario, when you're playing on back-to-back days, that can be a huge factor.

Jordan Geronino has looked particularly impressive in recent games, though, which gives Willard a reliable backup forward. The senior logged 15 or more minutes against Michigan and Northwestern, scoring four points in each game.

"Whether I play two minutes or 20 minutes, every time I get out there, I tell myself 'Once I step in between those four lines I'm supposed to play hard and that's my identity,'" Geronimo said.

Troubles after 'bye' weeks

Willard replied to a reporter midway through his question about Maryland's struggles after extended breaks, admitting that his team has "not been good coming off byes".

"I was going to go have a beer, but now I'm going to switch to whiskey," Willard said.

He's right. Maryland is 4-3 after four days off, dropping games to Washington, Ohio State and Michigan State. One of those wins was also a poor offensive showing against Maryland Eastern Shore.

Willard will give his players a day and a half off from basketball activities. The Terps will likely fly to Indianapolis in the middle of the week.

"We haven't had the best record coming off a long streak of off days, but we're aware of it. We're going to plan accordingly," Geronimo said.

Avoiding slow starts is critical to Maryland's postseason success. And with just one win this weekend, they can have their best finish at the tournament in nearly a decade.

Maryland Basketball Recruiting Scoop: Could this transfer portal prospect replace a departing starter?​

The postseason hasn't even started yet for Maryland basketball, but the transfer portal season has. Could the Terps make quick work of finding a replacement for one of their departing starters? Here's the latest Inside Maryland Sports scoop.​

The postseason hasn't even started yet for Maryland basketball, but the transfer portal season has. Could the Terps make quick work of finding a replacement for one of their departing starters? Here's the latest Inside Maryland Sports scoop.

Maryland is seriously interested in Drexel transfer Yame Butler, sources told IMS. Butler, a native of nearby Greenbelt, would seemingly be a replacement for departing guard Selton Miguel. If the Terps press for him when the portal opens, they'll be hard to beat, a source close to Butler told IMS.

This week, he announced his plan to enter the portal, which officially opens March 24 and runs through April 22.

More on Butler from Paulie Loscalzo of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

"Butler spent his first season of college basketball at Fordham before transferring to the junior college level for a season at State Fair Community College in Sedalia, Mo. Butler then spent his past three seasons at Drexel. Butler is the beneficiary of a court ruling that discounts time at the juco level from a player's Division I eligibility. Butler now has an unexpected sixth year of Division I eligibility which he will spend at his fourth school.

The Greenbelt, Md., native arrived at Drexel with a wealth of skill but struggled with consistency. This season, he emerged as a leader for the Dragons, contributing 13.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Butler is one of the most skilled one-on-one players in the Coastal Athletic Association and his crafty finishing around the rim made his skill set unique at a mid-major."

Maryland will have several scholarships to spend, though the exact number won't be known until it's clear if anyone is transferring out of the program In addition to a replacement for Miguel, Kevin Willard likely needs to replace star big men Julian Reese and Derik Queen, the latter of whom is expected to depart for the NBA Draft.

The Terps are also involved with Lithuanian wing Dovydas Buika.

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Bossi's Best: Cooper Flagg is the National Freshman of the Year, headlines 247Sports' All-Freshman teams​

Duke's Cooper Flagg is the easy choice for 247Sports Freshman of the Year. He's joined by impressive talents on the 247Sports All-Freshman teams in a year where first-year players were the most relevant they've been in a while.​

Led by the nation's top-ranked basketball prospect, players from the 2024 recruiting class spent 2024-25 season making freshmen relevant again in the age of the transfer portal. While Cooper Flagg has led Duke to a No. 1 ranking in this week's AP Top 25 and is set to compete for National Player of the Year, he's been backed up by one heck of a talented supporting cast of first-year players who have made a major impression.

Today, we sort through the best of the best while naming 247Sports' all-freshman teams.

The battle for spots on the three teams was intense, and there were some major talents who fell just short of cracking the top three teams.

SALUTE FLAGG, THE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR​

(Photo: Jared C. Tilton, Getty)
There can't be anybody left who doesn't know Flagg's story. A Maine native who played his high school ball for mighty Montverde (Fla.) Academy, he was so impressive that he ranked No. 1 in the class of 2024 despite graduating a year early and arriving at Duke as a 17-year-old freshman.
To say that Year 1 expectations for Flagg were high would be a mighty understatement. At this point, he's surpassed even the loftiest expectations. Even among a loaded group of true freshmen, he's truly in a class of his own. Flagg is the easy selection as 247Sports National Freshman of the Year.
The ACC's Player of the Year, Flagg has Duke among the favorites to cut down the nets in April. He just may be the National Player of the Year after leading the Blue Devils in points (19.4), rebounds (7.6), assists (4.2), blocks (1.3) and steals (1.5) per game. He had a signature 42-point performance against Notre Dame in January. While some may be tired of hearing this, it's utterly absurd that this should have been his senior season in high school.
It's also absurd that he's got three high school teammates left to go on this list and that a strong argument could be made that a fourth belongs.

FIRST TEAM​

Derik Queen (Photo: Shotgun Spratling | USCfootball.com)
Ace Bailey, Rutgers forward: The No. 2 player in the class of 2024 was part of a much-ballyhooed freshman combo. While things didn't go as planned from a team standpoint, his individual season was mostly a success. Among all of college basketball's most electrifying players, Bailey tailed off a bit towards the end of the season but still managed to average 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
Derik Queen, Maryland center: The Big Ten was loaded with big-time freshmen this season, and none were more important than Queen. He opened his career with a ridiculous 22-point, 20-rebound night against Manhattan and never slowed down. Incredibly skilled in the post with soft touch, Queen posed problems on the block that few could solve this season while putting up 15.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. Maryland enters the Big Ten Tournament ranked 11th nationally, and Queen's Freshman of the Year and All-Big Ten First Team season has a lot to do with the Terrapins' resurgence.
Dylan Harper, Rutgers guard: The No. 3 player in the 2024 class and second half of the Scarlet Knights' duo of phenom freshmen with Bailey, Harper held up his end of the bargain. Playing the role of alpha scorer and creator for others, Harper played a complete game and showed why he's going to be one of the 2025 NBA Draft's top five picks. His 36 points in overtime against Notre Dame in November was one of the most memorable performances by a first-year player all season. Harper stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 19.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

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Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois guard: Don't let the No. 24 Fighting Illini's 20-11 record fool you — they could be very dangerous in March. They have a lot of weapons, and the scoring and playmaking of Jakucionis could be quite problematic for defenses trying to decide which part of his game to try and limit. The Lithuanian is strong, gets into the lane, can go on scoring runs and, on the nights where his jumper is falling with consistency, he's pretty tough to stop. His likely one-year pitstop in college has been impressive.
Tre Johnson, Texas guard: The SEC Freshman of the Year's ability to score is the single biggest reason why the Longhorns are even on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Formerly the No. 6 player in the 2024 class, Johnson's size, ability to put the ball on the floor and gorgeous jump shot have all translated to the rugged SEC at a high level. Johnson eclipsed the 20-point mark 13 times and went for 30 or more on three occasions. He'll be an NBA Draft Lottery pick in a few months.

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