Maryland Basketball: Kevin Huerter is wise beyond his years

Kevin Huerter may not consistently give Maryland high scoring numbers.

Still, the freshman guard has proved his worth in just about every other facet of the game.

Tuesday’s contest was the true definition of a typical Huerter outing. The New York native scored 11 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out six assists, and recorded a block and a steal.

Huerter may have only connected on four of his 11 field goal attempts, but his impact was felt elsewhere.

First of all, Huerter has really had a knack for establishing himself on the glass. He’s second on the team with 5.1 rebounds-per-game, which is right behind fellow freshman Justin Jackson’s 5.8.

The Clifton Park, NY native is able to use his 6’7 frame to his advantage, which is one huge reason why he’s Maryland’s top rebounding guard. He’s also not afraid to mix it up with bigger post players around the basket.

Huerter also uses his quickness to get to a spot and grab loose balls.

As impressive as his rebounding skills are, his biggest attribute may be his ability to pass the basketball. It’s very interesting since Huerter has the stigma of being a knock-down shooter and that was one of the main reasons he was recruited to College Park.

His passing skills were certainly on display against the Scarlet Knights.

For example, with just 55 seconds left in the first half, Rutgers had just missed a shot on the offensive end.

Huerter crossed center court and whipped an absolute bullet to Melo Trimble, who was wide-open in the far corner for three. Trimble’s shot gave Maryland a 31-27 lead just before halftime.

The most impressive thing wasn’t the fact that he got the pass off. It was that he sent it across the court with one hand and it was on a rope.

Huerter displayed his passing acumen once again as soon as the second half got underway.

On Maryland’s first possession out of halftime, Huerter got a pass from Trimble beyond the arc. Instead of immediately thinking about a shot that was there, he dished the ball down low to Jackson, who snuck behind C.J. Gettys and converted a wide-open layup.

Huerter is really the total package. Some may question his inconsistent scoring, but he doesn’t have to put up big offensive numbers on a nightly basis.

Coach Mark Turgeon has the likes of Anthony Cowan, Jackson, and Trimble that he can turn to for big-time offensive output. All three average over 10 points per contest, so Huerter’s offense usually falls into the secondary scoring category.

Next: Niswander's Notes for Maryland/Rutgers

Huerter’s length allows him to be successful in so many areas. He’s an asset on both ends of the floor and if he continues to improve, he could be a star at Maryland when it’s all said and done.