Maryland No. 1 ESPN College Basketball Top 25 List
Back in early April 2015, ESPN released its "Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2015-16" for college basketball and fans were ecstatic that the University of Maryland Terrapins were ranked no. 5 on their list. Wow, we thought. Not only a top 10 ranking but a top 5? The excitement for the 2015-16 season began, just a few days after the final buzzer of the NCAA Championship game ended.
A lot has happened since that poll was released.
The Terrapins learned that 6-foot-10 five-star center Diamond Stone was coming their way in late March. Georgia Tech transfer Robert Carter Jr., who was signed in June 2014 is eligible to play in 15-16. Coach Turgeon also announced in May that Duke transfer Rasheed Sulaimon would be joining their roster.
Those additions are joining a roster that already has plenty of talent in player-of-the-year-candidate sophomore guard Melo Trimble, senior forward Jake Layman, sophomore wing Jared Nickens.
With a lineup like the Terps have, ESPN revisited their list and released an updated "No-Longer-Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2015-16" and Maryland found itself in the headline.
Those type of predictions and pre-season rankings definitely puts a target on the back of the Terps (good thing they have that protective shell). With less than 100 days from the start of the season excitement can only build from here.
Here's the breakdown the top 10 of ESPN's No-Longer-Way-Too-Early Top 25:
1. University of Maryland Terrapins
2. North Carolina Tar Heels
3. Kentucky Wildcats
4. Virginia Cavaliers
5. Kansas Jayhawks
6. Duke Blue Devils
7. Iowa State Cyclones
8. Oklahoma Sooners
9. Wichita State Shockers
10. Villanova Wildcats