Maryland basketball fans have experienced quite a roller coaster this season. The Terps had their high and low points, starting and finishing with some dips but showing their true colors during a stellar mid-season run. Today, they received a big reward for their impressive efforts: their first top-10 AP Poll finish in quite some time.
Locking down the ninth spot in the final AP Poll, this is Maryland’s best finish since they clinched the fourth spot back in 2002—before March Madness got underway back then. With a 27-9 record, the Terps trailed only Michigan State among Big Ten contingents, which grabbed the number seven spot.
Other Big Ten showings included Michigan at number 10, Purdue at 14, and Wisconsin at 16. As for the summit of the poll, reigning national champions Florida led the pack, with Houston, Duke, Auburn, and Tennessee rounding out the top five.
Maryland spent eight weeks in the rankings this season, topping out at number 11 before this final assessment. That earlier high was their best ranking since 2019-2020, when they achieved a number three ranking, though the NCAA Tournament didn't happen that year due to the Covid pandemic—they eventually settled at 12th.
Their run to the Sweet 16, where they bowed out to champions Florida, saw them finish ranked tenth by basketball analytics guru Ken Pomeroy. They were 23rd in offensive efficiency and an impressive seventh on defense according to KenPom.
The squad was powered by the nation’s highest-scoring starting lineup, but big changes are underway. Kevin Willard is moving on to Villanova, handing the reins over to Buzz Williams. With Reese, Miguel, Queen, Gillespie, and Rice all departing for various reasons—like professional aspirations or transfers—the Terps are in rebuilding mode.
And speaking of rebuilding, Williams isn’t wasting any time. Even with the losses, he's got four new players onboard through the transfer portal, with former Kansas guard David Coit being the latest addition. He’s not done yet, hinting at another potential game-changer on the horizon.
Derik Queen one shining moment.? pic.twitter.com/SWNVEdkMBt
— Rudy Gersten (@DCBarno)
Florida's ascension to the pinnacle of the rankings closed out a season of rotating leaders in the AP Top 25. The season saw Kansas reign supreme during the preseason and initial four weeks, before Tennessee, Auburn, and Duke took their turns at the top.
In all, 50 squads landed in the AP Top 25 at some point, underscoring not just the depth but the unpredictability that defined this season. Eight teams from the SEC made the final cut, alongside five each from the Big Ten and Big 12, plus a pair from both the West Coast Conference and the American Athletic Conference.
