Maryland Record Breakers: Anthony Cowan Jr.

The ink was barely dry on Maryland’s first Big Ten Championship when four days later head coach Mark Turgeon gathered his team in the locker room and delivered the news.

The Big Ten tournament is cancelled.

Just a few hours later the NCAA Tournament was cancelled as well.

In the blink of an eye, Anthony Cowan Jr.’s career in a Maryland uniform was over due to the novel coronavirus. What should have been Cowan’s final moment in the spotlight to cement an already incredible legacy evaporated.

“I’ll always wonder how far we could have gone in the postseason,” said Cowan on the Hear The Turtle podcast. “That will always stick with me.”

In hindsight, however, Cowan can take solace in knowing his last moments as a Terrapin were spent at the top of a ladder cutting down the nets in XFINITY Center. Confetti on the floor. Fans cheering in jubilation.

While he always made it clear he was far more focused on team success - namely “hanging a banner” - over individual success, the impact Cowan had on the program’s record book must be noted. This is the Maryland Record Breakers Series, presented by Chesapeake Employers Insurance, after all.

Cowan most notably started and played in every possible game during his Terrapin career - all 130 games - to solidify himself as Maryland’s “Ironman.” He also set the career record for free throws made (579) by knocking down six free throws in the final game of the season against Michigan. Ironically, both records were originally held by Keith Booth (1993-97).

When it comes to starting all 130 games in a career, no start is more important than the very first. It takes a special player to display an ability to contribute to the starting lineup from day one, and Cowan made sure he left Turgeon no doubts.

“When I first got there I tried to make it hard for [Coach Turgeon ] to not play me,” Cowan said. “That was the biggest thing. Early in the summer I was going at Melo [Trimble], I was going at Jaylen [Brantley], I was going at everybody because I really wanted that spot. Coach ended up saying later that he knew after the first couple practices I was going to start and play a lot that year. I wasn’t ready to take no for an answer.”

Asked if there was ever a game he was in jeopardy of missing because of an injury or illness, Cowan responded matter-of-factly.

“I was always ready on gameday. I was going to figure it out one way or another.”

In many ways, the career free throws and consecutive starts records go hand-in-hand as an illustration of Cowan’s toughness. One cannot take that many free throws without taking their fair share of blows on their way to the rim, and the 6-foot Cowan was no exception.

But Cowan wasn’t interested in giving his opponent’s satisfaction for knocking him to the floor. He was always going to hop back up.

“The chip on my shoulder - or some people call it the little man’s syndrome - that’s what got me to pop back up real quick,” Cowan said. “You never want your opponent to see you down and feel like they got you a little bit. I think that was the little man’s syndrome in me to pop back up like nothing ever happened.”

Cowan also shed light on what it’s like to transition from an intense in-game situation to having to be composed at the free throw line seconds later.

“It’s really easy to miss a free throw when the game is going on and you’re running full speed the whole time and then it’s that one time you’re supposed to be calm and chill and relaxed,” Cowan said. “You just have to lock in and knock it down. Hearing the crowd get quiet at XFINITY Center and say “whoosh” after a free throw was probably the most exciting thing outside of hitting a big 3. Especially when it’s free throws where the game is on the line.”

Cowan had a busy summer following the end of the season, hosting socially distant clinics for local youth and even starting his own podcast alongside former teammate Andrew Terrell titled, “One Stop.”

But through it all, Cowan is still focused on playing basketball in the NBA. As recently as two weeks ago, he was recording workouts and sending them to prospective teams since he can’t work out in-person.

“Now it’s just a waiting game trying to stay in the best shape, keeping weight on and making sure I stay in a rhythm,” Cowan said.

More from Anthony Cowan Jr.:

On returning to XFINITY Center in October for the ring ceremony:
“I didn’t realize how much I missed my teammates until I got there. It was like I was home. I always drive past the University if I’m going to another gym or if I’m in the area and I want to get some food.. I finally made that turn to go into the gym. It was a great feeling just seeing everybody and then finally get something that you set out to do. It was just an overall great day. 

On what he tells the returning players:
“I told them we didn’t do all this work for nothing. We didn’t change the culture for nothing. Just bringing the new Terps up to speed a little bit. The biggest thing I try to tell them is to just keep it going. Don’t stop doing what we’ve been doing the last few years because obviously it was working. If anything, turn it up a notch. They understand that. They’ve got some really good leaders with Aaron and Darryl and Eric so I think they’re in great hands.”

On the support from fans and former players:
“It kept me going. Just how much support I was getting and how much love. It really kept me going. Especially after every home game when you’re talking to Walt Williams after the game and he’s telling you how good you played. That’s huge coming from Walt who’s one of the greatest Terps to ever play. That’s why I wanted us to get past that postseason a little bit because that’s what you look forward to - especially as a fan - and I think things were really picking up in terms of our fanbase getting into it and our momentum, but everything happens for a reason.”

On opposing players dealing with Maryland fans:
“I’m really close to guys on the court so I can hear them talking to themselves or they are trying to mumble under their breath or something and I’m like, ‘oh yea, they got him.’ And then the fans just stay on him. I would hate to be an opponent coming to play at Maryland.”

On his favorite free throws:
“Sophomore year at Illinois. I knew we had to win that game. We had just lost to Purdue and anybody knows that if you lose consecutive games in the Big Ten, it’s hard to get back over that hump.”