Maryland’s ‘Crab Five’ begins a potential March to remember with No. 2 seed in Big Ten Tournament

It was a cold, mid-January night in Chicago. Maryland had just fallen to 0-4 on the road in the Big Ten, losing on a buzzer-beater in overtime at Northwestern.

Sentiments across the Terrapins’ fan base cratered, with some losing faith and lamenting an already-wasted season.

What a difference seven weeks can make.

Maryland has exorcised demons with a vengeance during the last month and a half, vaulting itself to No. 11 in the AP Top 25, a second-place finish in the Big Ten and now primed to make noise in March for the first time in years.

“I think they all respect this league greatly now,” Maryland coach Kevin Willard said Wednesday, ahead of the Terrapins’ Friday quarterfinal game in the Big Ten Tournament. “I think it took a little time for them to understand how good this league is and how good the players are in the league.”

The Terrapins (24-7 overall, 14-6 Big Ten) finished with their most wins since the 2019-20 season, when Anthony Cowan Jr., Jalen Smith and Aaron Wiggins led a team that posted an identical record and captured a share of Maryland’s first regular season Big Ten title. That team was denied a chance at postseason play due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Fast forward five years. Affectionately dubbed the “Crab Five” — a nickname that started on social media and quickly swept through College Park on t-shirts and more — Maryland’s starting lineup has reversed any early season external misgivings and excited fans in ways similar to that 2020 squad.

“I think everyone’s really enjoyed watching these guys play,” Willard said. “I think that’s what I’m more excited about than anything is that the way we’ve played, the way these guys have played, I think, has electrified the fan base.” 

Winners of seven of their last eight games and 11 of their last 13, the Terrapins finished 5-1 on the road after the Northwestern setback, including a ranked victory at Illinois, winning at Penn State for the first time in a decade, and beating then-No. 17 Michigan in Ann Arbor for the first time in eight years.

“We know how good we can be,” guard Rodney Rice said. “We know how good we can be when we play together as a team. So the expectations are high, but we can accomplish those.”

The victory over the Wolverines was the tiebreaker to give Maryland the Big Ten’s No. 2 seed for only the second time - and first since its inaugural 2014-15 season in the league.

To build the Crab Five, Willard tore down last year‘s roster nearly to the studs and rebuilt it based on his first two seasons in the Big Ten.

Front court dominance was necessary. Enter 6-foot-10 Baltimore native Derik Queen, who teamed with former St. Frances Academy teammate Julian Reese to combine for 27 double-doubles, lead the team in scoring at 15.7 points per game, and earn All-Big Ten First Team and Freshman of the Year honors in likely his only season in red and white.

“We just had to put it together. It didn’t happen overnight for us to become a good team,” Queen said. “I mean, it took work.”

Maryland also had to have scoring after a year at the bottom of the league in shooting and 3-point percentage. Last season, most of that load was carried by All-Big Ten point guard Jahmir Young. 

This year, Willard’s got shooters in spades and the best scoring starting lineup in all of major conference college basketball, averaging 69.5 points per game.

Step one of a potential March to remember begins Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, where the Terrapins will be well-rested with a double bye in the Big Ten Tournament and await Illinois or Iowa.

“I love conference tournaments. I know other coaches don’t like them. I think it’s a great opportunity for your fans and for your players to get experience,” Willard said. “So I don’t even look at the NCAA Tournament right now, and I’m just really focused on this conference tournament and [who] we’re going to play on Friday.”

“I mean, like, we right there,” Queen said. “Just three games, three days. Might as well go win it.”