COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 25 Maryland men's basketball team welcomes American for the 2016-17 season opener Friday at 7 p.m. at XFINITY Center.
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• The Terps return nine letterwinners from a year ago, including two-time All-Big Ten selection Melo Trimble. Trimble was tabbed to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team, released on Oct. 11.
• Trimble – an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America pick in 2016– led the Terps in scoring (14.8 ppg), assists (5.0 apg), free throw percentage (.868) and steals (44) last season as Maryland advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2003.
• Maryland enters the season ranked No. 25 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll after finishing the 2015-16 campaign at No. 18. The Terps have appeared in the poll for 36 consecutive weeks. Maryland was ranked No. 21 in the preseason USA Today/Coaches poll, released in mid-October.
• Friday will be the official XFINITY Center debut for senior transfer L.G. Gill along with rookies Anthony Cowan, Kevin Huerter, Travis Valmon, Justin Jackson, Micah Thomas, and Joshua Tomaic.
• Junior Jared Nickens led all scorers with 17 points, as Maryland knocked off Catawba 95-61 in its preseason exhibition game at the XFINITY Center last weekend. Five Terps finished in double figures, including Cowan, who posted 15 points, five assists, two steals and two boards. Huerter added a game-high six assists, in addition to eight points and a pair of steals.
• The Terps boast a 17-1 home record in conference play since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014-15, including a perfect 9-0 mark in its inaugural season. Since taking over the program in 2011-12, head coach Mark Turgeon's Terrapins have amassed a 77-13 home record overall. The Terrapins led the Big Ten and ranked fifth nationally in attendance in 2015-16, averaging 17,863 fans per game.
