COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Red and white banners hang from the light poles that wind a cavalcade through Maryland's red brick, Georgian-style campus.
Fear the Turtle, they say.
Until this season, it had been a few years since the Turtle inspired even slight nervousness. But two months into their first season in the Big Ten — a move billed as rough timing for a down program — the Terrapins have put together one of the more impressive nonconference slates in college basketball. And now, finally healthy, the 12th-ranked team in the country is on a fast rise.
The Terrapins, who last made an NCAA tournament in 2010 and a Sweet 16 in 2003, were expected to improve modestly. Instead, Maryland is 13-1 — its lone loss at home against No. 3 Virginia, while the Terps were without their best player — after plowing through nonconference play despite injury problems and a youthful rotation by knocking off three top-70 squads away from home, including No. 9 Iowa State in Kansas City, Mo.
Now, Maryland has charged into the league slate, winning its first Big Ten game Tuesday in double overtime over Michigan State in East Lansing's Breslin Center, one of the country's toughest venues. Up next: playing host to the Gophers on Saturday.
The strong start isn't an accident.
"I've been doing this a long time, and this is probably one of the top two or three teams I've had, chemistry-wise," Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. "It's early, but right now, pieces have kind of fit, personalities have fit and their work habits have been tremendous."
But none of it has been scripted smoothly. After a 17-15 final season in the ACC that didn't get the Terrapins a postseason invitation of any kind, a stunning five players transferred. It looked like Turgeon's fourth season would be coached from the hot seat.