It’s one thing to beat an overmatched opponent. That’s expected. But Maryland basketball’s first five minutes against Florida A&M was play that coach Kevin Willard likely dreams of.

Maryland forced two 10-second violations with their fullcourt press and scored 15 consecutive points before the under-16 timeout. That hot start propelled Maryland to a 84-53 win over the Rattlers.

It was the second time this season that the Terps relentlessly opened a game, before lethargically playing down to their opponent for a chunk of the first half. And just like against Manhattan, Maryland looked more focused in the second half.

(This report will be updated with quotes)

Ranked as KenPom’s fourth worst offense and ninth worst ranking as a team, Florida A&M played a disjointed brand of basketball. But the Rattlers have athletes, and challenged Derik Queen unlike other teams this season.

Queen only scored 11 points in 17 minutes. He attempted just six shots.

Instead, it was the Terps wings and veteran big man that fueled their offense. Julian Reese has been forgotten a bit amongst the hype surrounding Queen. But the senior is one of the Big Ten’s most experienced and effective forwards and is arguably the Terps most dependable player.

Selton Miguel played his best game in a Maryland jersey, scoring 14 points on 55% shooting. He even had a few moments of creation, which is a skill he flashed at USF. And after scoring 26 points in the first half against Mount St. Mary’s last week, Rodney Rice poured in a pair of threes. 

Maryland’s wings will likely determine its ceiling. Queen and Reese are both proven options and point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie has played steadily. If Miguel, Rice and DeShawn Harris-Smith can emerge as reliable threats, the Terps offense is even more potent.

The Terps scored 1.24 points per possession on Monday. They only turned it over six times and got 21 shots at the free throw line. 

Willard’s recipe for success on offense is obvious this season: feed Queen and Reese inside the paint and then find open three-point shooters. Monday’s shot chart reflected that strategy. Maryland scored 44 paint points and 24 points from three. 

OH MY

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— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) November 12, 2024

They didn’t shoot the ball well – only hitting at a 27.6% volume. But the six main contributors shot a respectable 37.5% from deep and forced Florida A&M to guard them honest.

It’s hard to gauge much from matchups against opponents like Florida A&M. These are essentially buy games in the beginning of a grueling schedule. But through three games, Maryland’s shown more offensive cohesion than at any point last season.

Marquette will provide the Terps with their first test on Friday. The No. 15 ranked Golden Eagles are averaging 92 points per game and have one of the nation’s top scorers, Kam Jones. 

We’ve seen what was expected from Maryland through three games. Now, the season really begins.