NCAA analyst Andy Katz sees the Maryland Terrapins enjoying their deepest tournament trip in 24 years. Can UMD really make a serious run?
Maryland Terps Predicted To Get to the Final Four
Of the basketball cognoscenti, Katz distinguishes himself. He doesn’t yell, scream, or grab the spotlight. Instead, he brings a rational discourse to the game. As a result, when the Big Ten analyst makes a surprise Final Four prediction, eyes tend to open.
In this case, Katz projects the Maryland Terps to advance to the Final Four. Now, some could dismiss Katz’s prediction as biased because he works for the Big Ten Network.
Andy Katz’s bracket!
Auburn 🏆
Maryland 👉 Final Four 🐢
Three 10-seeds win their first game 👀Don’t forget to get YOUR bracket in too: https://t.co/EDKsOdCAFv#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/8RtcdVAFrZ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2025
However, if you look at his bracket and how things break along with Maryland as a team, it appears to make sense. Now, how does UMD get to San Antonio to play on the last weekend of the 2024-25 season?
If you follow the game, especially during tournament time, the axiom about momentum being a guiding for, rings the truest. Watching the Terps down the stretch, this plays out. Over the last 15 games, Maryland possesses a 12-3 record. Kevin Willard’s squad won games in a myriad of ways.
Against Illinois, they own two 20-point victories. Meanwhile, UMD eked out road victories at Michigan and Penn State. That shows a versatility that will benefit the program during March Madness.
Favorable Draw for Maryland
The Terps’ road to the Alamodome is decent but not easy. Equally important, the bracketing forces the traditionally tough teams to play each other. For instance, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas Tech will knock each other off.
Furthermore, recently resurgent St. John’s also sits in the same mix. As a result, the battle of attrition on that side of the western bracket will help Maryland, provided the Terps handle their business on the court and win out. On another note, head coach Kevin Willard spoke to Inside the Black and Gold to discuss the route to Texas:
“Excited. Obviously disappointed with how we ended the game and really how we played. We didn’t play overly well yesterday, but I thought, and again, I thought Michigan played really well. But for this group to sacrifice, a lot of guys had to sacrifice roles to come together, to put this team together in two weeks, and for them to kind of come together and get back into the big dance, it’s exciting.”
He sounds like a coach who understands that only Florida stands in his path to a Final Four appearance.
Looking at the Terps from a talent standpoint, you now begin to see Katz’s prediction. Maryland plays a guard-oriented offense, with the literal strength of the team occurring in the paint. Meaning, while guards Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice combined for 28.6 points and 4.6 threes a game.
Teams cannot attack the guards at the arc due to who lurks in the paint. 2024-25 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Derik Queen gives the offense their metaphorical teeth.
The low post threat uses an array of moves from close range, but he will spot the open teammate. Collapsing on him will come at a cost. Maryland makes threes at a 37.5 percent clip, ranking 35th in the nation.
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Similarly, senior forward Julian Reese provides 13 points and nine rebounds a night on 55.2 percent shooting from the field. Reese’s value resides in the fact that he isn’t a volume shooter (8.7 attempts per game)
Although Andy Katz predicted Auburn to cut down the nets as the eventual national champions.
However, his inclusion of the Terps could go under-discussed as one of the most astute observations of the entire tournament process. Maryland, for the first time since Gary Williams perspired his way to the 2001 national championship.
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