After finishing the season with a share of the Big Ten Regular Season Championship, Maryland basketball still has unfinished business as the 2020 season approaches.

Although the Terps ended the 2019 season losing the last three of five to Big Ten opponents, they recorded a 16-1 home record and .774 win percentage on the season.

Maryland was predicted to make a deep run to the Final Four, according to college basketball analyst, Andy Katz. The Terps were trending in a positive direction heading into the 2020 NCAA Tournament, fresh off an 83-70 victory against the Michigan Wolverines. 

On March 12, the NCAA announced the cancellation of the annual March Madness tournament citing health concerns surrounding COVID-19. 

“Having the NCAA tournament cancelled was heartbreaking for everyone on our team,” junior forward Aaron Wiggins said. “But, we all have that fire in us to get back to the position we were in last year.”

However, the Terps remain unfazed by the pandemic. They are determined to reclaim a Big Ten Championship using last year’s premature ending as motivation.

“We want to make an even bigger statement on who we are as a program,” junior guard Eric Ayala said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun and we still have a lot to prove. Every game we’re going to go out and compete and every game is going to be a battle.” 

During the shortened 2019 season, Maryland was prepared to ride the momentum wave all the way to a potential Final Four or National Championship appearance. Although COVID-19 had other ideas, the Terps still remained confident and motivated to take their season beyond a Big Ten Championship. 

“It was a shame. We were hungry. COVID-19 took away our chance to compete for a National Championship,” senior guard Darryl Morsell said. “We’re still hungry. We still have unfinished business and we’re all excited to be a part of a winning program.”   
For the next two weeks, the Terps continue to gear up for their 2020 season opener at Xfinity Center against the Old Dominion Monarchs.