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NCAA MBB: #21 MNCAA MBB: #21 Maryland Terrapins vs. Vermont Catamountsaryland Terrapins vs. Vermont Catamounts
Zach Bland/Maryland Terrapins

Men's Basketball

20th-Ranked Terps Continue Homestand with George Mason Wednesday

No. 20 Maryland (3-0) vs. George Mason (3-0)
November 17, 2021
XFINITY Center
7:00 pm EDT


COLLEGE PARK, MD - The No. 20 Maryland men's basketball team enters its second week of the season as it welcomes local foe George Mason to College Park Wednesday for a 7pm tip on Big Ten Network.

The Terps are looking to jump out to a 4-0 start for the eighth consecutive season.
 

GEORGE MASON STORYLINES

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG
  • The Terrapins moved to 3-0 on the season when they received a great early test from Vermont Saturday. Maryland trailed by four at halftime and ultimately prevailed in a 67-56 victory. Backcourt mates Eric Ayala and Fatts Russell stole the show, each scoring 22 points in the win. Maryland's defense stifled the Catamounts in the second half, holding them to just 22.6% shooting (7-31).
  • Previously, the Terps earned a 71-64 victory against local foe George Washington Ton Nov. 11. Junior Qudus Wahab led the way with a monstrous 18 points and career-high 15 boards, while Fatts Russell hit a dagger three-pointer in the final minute and finished with 15 points. Said Russell postgame: "I'm a big shot taker and a big shot maker. I've done it my whole career." Wahab was the first Terp with at least 18/15 since Jalen Smith (22/19) at Northwestern on Feb. 18, 2020
  • Qudus Wahab scored 17 points in his Maryland debut on Nov. 9 and 18 against George Washington, becoming the first player to score 17+ in each of his first two games at Maryland since Steve Francis in 1998. He is looking to become the first Terp since Jordan Williams to score 17+ points in three straight games to open a season.
Fatts Russell (4)#21 Maryland Terrapins vs. Vermont Catamounts at XFINITY Center in College Park, MD on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. Zach Bland/Maryland Terrapins
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
  • Maryland has been dominant at home since the start of 2017-18, collecting a 60-13 (.822) overall record.
  • The program's 60 wins during that span are the most in the Big Ten Conference. The Terrapins lost an uncharacteristic six games at home last season without fans in the building due to COVID-19.
Mens basketball vs. Quinnipiac. Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021.
chairmen of the boards
  • Maryland has been dominant on the board through its first three games, averaging 46.5 rebounds and owning a +12.7 rebound advantage over its opponents. Junior Qudus Wahab leads the way with 9.7 rebounds/g, while fellow junior Donta Scott is averaging 7.7 rebounds.
#21 Mens Basketball vs. George Washington. Thursday, November 11th, 2021. Zach Bland/Maryland Terrapins.
TURGEON AT THE HELM
  • Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon is in his 11th season at the helm for the Terrapins, having led the program to six of the last seven NCAA Tournaments (counting 2019-20 COVID season).
  • The Terrapins have finished in the top-5 of the Big Ten Conference in seven seasons in the league, while posting a .693 overall win percentage during that span - fourth in the conference
  • Turgeon added a pair of new assistant coaches in the offseason, Danny Manning and Bruce Shingler.
  • Manning needs no introduction as one of college basketball's all-time greatest players, having led Kansas to a pair of Final Fours and the 1988 NCAA Championship. Turgeon was the Jayhawks' point guard in 1987 and was a graduate assistant when Kansas won the title in 1988. Manning was the 1988 college player of the year, a two-time All-American, the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft and a two-time NBA All-Star.
  • Shingler is a Prince George's County native and grew up across the street from campus in the Lakeland Community. He spent the last five seasons at South Carolina, where he helped lead the Gamecocks to the 2017 Final Four.
Head coach Mark Turgeon#21 Maryland Terrapins vs. Vermont Catamounts at XFINITY Center in College Park, MD on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. Zach Bland/Maryland Terrapins
TRANSFERS READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT
  • The prize of Mark Turgeon's transfer portal success this offseason was the addition of Georgetown forward Qudus Wahab, who was ranked the No. 3 overall transfer of the offseason by CBS Sports. The 6-11 junior reached double-figures in 19-of-26 games last season and led the Hoyas in rebounds (8.2), double-doubles (8) and blocks (1.6) en route to capturing the Big East Tournament title. Wahab is on the watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.
  • Graduate guard Fatts Russell transferred from Rhode Island where he appeared in 119 games, totaling 1594 points and becoming the program's all-time leader in steals (213). He was named both Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference and All-Defense. Russell added 13 pounds from the time he joined the program to the start of the season.
  • Graduate guard Xavier Green is in his sixth year of college basketball and at 25-year-old will be the oldest player in the Big Ten Conference. He appeared in 121 games for Old Dominion, averaging 8.7 points/g. In 2018-19 he was the Conference USA Tournament MVP and was named to the Conference USA All-Defensive Team.
  • Sophomore guard Ian Martinez transferred from Utah after a coaching change in the program. The first Costa Rican to every play major Division I college basketball, Martinez averaged 9.7 points over the final six games last season.
  • Sophomore forward Pavlo Dziuba transferred from Arizona State after serving as the youngest player in all of college basketball last season (17). He is the first Ukrainian to play at Maryland since No. 5 overall NBA selection Alex Len, who he has a relationship with.
  • Graduate forward Simon Wright joined the program as a preferred walk-on after spending the last four seasons at Elon, where he appeared in 110 games (35 starts). Wright double-majored in public health and psychology, and is currently pursuing his master's degree in clinical psychological science.
Mens basketball vs. Quinnipiac. Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021.
SERIES HISTORY
  • The Terrapins are a perfect 9-0 all-time against George Mason in a series that dates back to the first meeting in 1981.
  • The teams last met on Nov. 22, 2019, when Anthony Cowan Jr. scored 16 points and Jalen Smith added 12 and 10 to lead Maryland past the previously unbeaten Patriots. Maryland closed the first half on a 19-2 run and never looked back in a 86-63 win.
#21 Mens Basketball vs. George Washington. Thursday, November 11th, 2021. Zach Bland/Maryland Terrapins.
Click here for this week's game notes.
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Players Mentioned

Eric Ayala

#5 Eric Ayala

G
6' 5"
Senior
Donta Scott

#24 Donta Scott

F
6' 8"
Junior
Fatts Russell

#4 Fatts Russell

G
5' 11"
Graduate Student
Qudus Wahab

#33 Qudus Wahab

F
6' 11"
Junior
Ian Martinez

#23 Ian Martinez

G
6' 3"
Sophomore
Simon Wright

#15 Simon Wright

F
6' 7"
Graduate Student
Pavlo Dziuba

#12 Pavlo Dziuba

F
6' 8"
Sophomore
Xavier Green

#11 Xavier Green

G
6' 6"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Eric Ayala

#5 Eric Ayala

6' 5"
Senior
G
Donta Scott

#24 Donta Scott

6' 8"
Junior
F
Fatts Russell

#4 Fatts Russell

5' 11"
Graduate Student
G
Qudus Wahab

#33 Qudus Wahab

6' 11"
Junior
F
Ian Martinez

#23 Ian Martinez

6' 3"
Sophomore
G
Simon Wright

#15 Simon Wright

6' 7"
Graduate Student
F
Pavlo Dziuba

#12 Pavlo Dziuba

6' 8"
Sophomore
F
Xavier Green

#11 Xavier Green

6' 6"
Graduate Student
G