ORLANDO, Fla. — After slow starts in each of its games so far this season, it was clear something needed to change for No. 5 Maryland men’s basketball facing its best opponent of the season, Marquette.
‘Does a team that starts so slow deserve a No. 5 ranking?’ fans and the nation wondered simultaneously. ‘Will the Terps be able to make a second-half comeback against a team boasting Markus Howard?’
But Maryland let any doubts fly out the window Sunday. After going down 7-0 early to Harvard on Friday — and 13-5 to Temple the game before that — head coach Mark Turgeon opted to switch his starting lineup against Marquette, going with a small-ball group with Eric Ayala replacing Makhi Mitchell.