By: Jack Rothenberg
For Maryland Basketball, the 2010s consisted of five seasons going to the big dance, one appearance in the NIT tournament, and a handful of exceptional Division I players. It was highlighted by Greivis Vasquez’s 2010 ACC player of the year nomination, Gary Williams’ retirement the year after, and the school’s move to the Big Ten in 2014. With Mark Turgeon taking over in 2011, his teams had the biggest impact on the decade. The team that made it the furthest and arguably had the most talent was the 2015-16 squad, but only one player from that team made the All-Decade Team:
Guard: Anthony Cowan Jr. (2016-20)
Cowan Jr. or “Uno” always played his heart out and gave everything he had in every game. Cowan also had the ability to turn it on and hit clutch shots in moments when the Terps needed it the most. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds over his four-year career at Maryland and was a 2x All-Big Ten nominee. He also made the Big Ten All-Defensive team his sophomore year. Additionally, Cowan holds the record for most consecutive starts (130) and free-throws made (579) in program history. This past season Cowan led the Terps to as high as the third seed in the country and a split of the Big Ten regular season title. The 2019-2020 Terps seemed destined for a deep run in the NCAA tournament but unfortunately didn’t get the chance due to COVID-19.
Best play as a Terp:
Maryland vs. Illinois (December 7, 2019; Xfinity Center)
Game-tying three/game-winning free-throw, capping a 15 point comeback win for Maryland.
Guard: Melo Trimble (2014-2017)
Trimble could hit the big shot similar to Cowan, but nearly always provided offense. Whether that was to keep the Terps in the contest or pull ahead, Trimble had the ability to get the job done. He was a spectacular offensive performer for the Terps, and took control of the offense right when he got to Maryland, averaging a team high 16.2 points as a freshman. His numbers took a hit during his sophomore season due to transfers such as Robert Carter and Rasheed Sulaimon joining the team as well as five star recruit Diamond Stone. However, he still managed to earn a second team All-Big Ten selection and led the Terps to back-to-back 27 win seasons for the first time in program history. Trimble also ranks second all-time at Maryland shooting 85.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Best play as a Terp:
Maryland vs. Michigan State (March 4, 2017; Xfinity Center)
In what would be his last game at Xfinity Center, Trimble hit a game-winning three and then flexed his jersey to the crowd.
Guard: Dez Wells (2012-2015)
While Dez Wells isn’t a small forward, none of those who actually played the position are more deserving to take his spot. Coming in as a transfer from Xavier, Wells could take over a game on the offensive side and led the team in scoring during his first two seasons. Although Wells only had two game-winners at Maryland, he put a number of games away by hitting tough shots late in the second half. He was named to the All-ACC third team his junior year, and First Team All-Big Ten team his senior year.
Best play as a Terp:
Maryland vs. Northwestern (January 25, 2015; Xfinity Center)
With under two seconds remaining and falling away from the basket, Wells banked in a put back for the win and helped avoid an upset against Northwestern.
Forward: Bruno Fernando (2017-2019)
Fernando was able to block almost anything in the paint and had the ability to bully opponents in the post in order to get to the basket. In addition, in his sophomore year, he got more comfortable shooting outside, which made him even more of an offensive threat. In the two short seasons that Fernando spent with the Terps, he became a household name. His freshman year he was a 2x Big Ten Freshman of the week and named to the 2017-18 Big Ten Freshman team. Building off an excellent freshman campaign, Fernando was dominant in his second season averaging a double-double and 1.9 blocks per game. Alongside Cowan Jr., Maryland nearly made the regional semifinal in the 2019 NCAA tournament, losing in the second round within the last two seconds.
Best play as a Terp:
Maryland vs. Nebraska (February 6, 2019; Pinnacle Bank Arena)
Fernando shouldered a defender to the floor, slammed it home and then stepped over the Nebraska player.
Center: Alex Len (2011-2013)
Len didn’t have a sensational career at Maryland, but as far as centers go he was stellar due to his length and shot blocking ability. The big man from Ukraine served as a much needed rim protector for Maryland during his two seasons at College Park. While still getting acclimated to the team and college basketball in his freshman year, Len averaged double-figure points and over six rebounds a game. Len piggy-backed off that season and went on to average over two blocks a game and accumulated 64 over the course of the season. He ranks 10th all-time in program history with 125 blocked shots.
Best play as a Terp:
Maryland vs. Duke (January 26, 2013; Cameron Indoor Stadium)
No-look, reverse dunk over Mason Plumlee.
Honorable Mention:
Guard: Greivis Vasquez (2006-2010)
Forward: Jalen Smith (2018-2020)
Forward: Jake Layman (2012-2016)
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