Maryland sophomores Justin Jackson, Kevin Huerter and Anthony Cowan all took on key roles during their first year in College Park, Md., last season, and along with the since-departed Melo Trimble, they helped lead the Terps to a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance under head coach Mark Turgeon.
With Trimble now playing in the NBA's Developmental League, Jackson, Huerter and Cowan enter the 2017-18 season as the leading men of a program with expectations of contending for a Big Ten title after having won 38 conference games during the past three seasons. They also have ambitions of making it back to the NCAA Tournament and improving on last season's effort that ended in a first-round loss to Xavier. Such a responsibility isn't just about the minutes the trio will likely shoulder this year; it also means playing a role in making the other players on the roster better.
"They help me a lot, especially Kevin," freshman forward Bruno Fernando said. "Kevin is always there to make sure us as freshmen don't make little mistakes that we know can slow us down throughout the season. Kevin makes sure we always do the right things. … Before we even do a play, he'll [talk] with you on the side and just tell you, ‘You should do that, that and that.' That's great by Kevin. And Justin, Justin's always there to talk to you about stuff like how the college game has been for him and changing him -- not just body-wise but also mentally."
