The Maryland Terrapins head into the NCAA Tournament with some serious star power.
That starts with Derik Queen, of course, the Terps' freshman star who is on track to be drafted in the lottery of the 2025 NBA Draft. The 6'10" center is one of the most skilled big men in the country, and he averaged a cool 16.3 points and 9.0 rebounds this season.
Around Queen is one of the best starting lineups in the nation, and together they average more points than any other starting lineup in the field. Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Rodney Rice, Selton Miguel and Julian Reese are a formidable group.
That lineup rightfully gives the Terrapins confidence that they can make a run deep into the NCAA Tournament, even all the way to the Final Four. Evanmiya.com gives Maryland the best chance of reaching the Final Four of any team outside of the Top 3 seeds, as they are stronger than the average four seed.
To accomplish that goal and to make it to San Antonio, however, the Terrapins have to find a way to overcome the star power of the teams around them. The West Region is positively packed with talent, from No. 1 seed Florida all the way down. No. 11 seed Drake had an All-American honorable mention!
Which star players will Maryland need to face and shut down to make it to the Final Four? Let's look at three star players who will be standing in their way.
No. 3: PJ Haggerty, Memphis Tigers
The Memphis Tigers head into the Tournament with their second-best player, Tyrese Hunter, likely out for the first weekend. That could leave them vulnerable, either to a First Round upset or to Maryland's balanced attack in the Second Round.
It may also merely be an opportunity for Second-Team All-American PJ Haggerty to shine. The 6'3" guard has played for three teams in three seasons and is absolutely dominating for the Tigers. He averaged 21.8 points per game this season and shot 38.4 percent from deep.
Slowing down Haggerty may take more than a basic game plan; the Terrapins will need to have multiple different looks to throw at him. Even that may not be enough; Haggerty is a master of finding his way to the foul line and that gives him a floor as a scoring threat. It's possible a Maryland victory looks like stopping the rest of the team and hoping Haggerty misses a shot or two.
No. 2: RJ Luis Jr., St. John's
Rick Pitino came to St. John's from his exile in Iona and immediately turned the program around, going from the bubble in his first season to a No. 2 seed this time around. A key reason has been the play of RJ Luis Jr.
The 6'7" wing has been a prolific scoring threat, averaging 18.4 points per game as Luis nearly doubled his scoring this season. He gets his points by volume more than elite efficiency, but the Johnnies' second-ranked defense keeps them in games so that Luis can take over.
If the Terrapins somehow make it out of their half of the West Region, Luis and St. John's might be waiting for them. They will need to crack the Pitino defense, but that becomes more sustainable if they can smother the St. John's offense in return. Stop Luis and you are one giant step further toward that outcome.
No. 1: Walter Clayton Jr. , Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the most formidable opponents waiting for the Terrapins on their path to the Final Four. Florida is a legitimate championship contender, in part because of their star guard Walter Clayton Jr.
The former Iona player has been a revelation for the Gators, leading them in scoring with 17.5 points per game to go along with 4.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals. He has been on fire of late, including 22 points per game in wins over Alabama and Tennessee to lead Florida to the SEC Tournament title.
The combination of individual dominance and team success lifted Clayton to a First-Team All-American selection this season, the most decorated player in the West Region. Maryland will need to find a way to slow Clayton down, ideally by getting the ball out of his hands. Queen in particular is vulnerable to being caught in space on Clayton.
Florida is not unbeatable, but they are extremely dangerous, and to make it to the Final Four likely means taking down Clayton and his team.