By Ryan Deal ’16

There is arguably no more exciting time for sports fans than March Madness. The stunning upsets. The Cinderella teams. The buzzer-beaters. All of these make the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament thrilling for fans of all teams. However, such excitement is boosted when you have a horse in the race.

That is the reality for fans of the Maryland Terrapins this year, who have witnessed a roller-coaster season that began with the best start in school history at 15-1, which provided ample optimism for Terps fans who entered the season with sky-high expectations. However, that early-season momentum has all but vanished, for they finished the season in a slump that included losing to arguably the worst major conference team in college basketball, the Minnesota Golden Gophers (who had entered the game with an 0-13 conference record).

In the Big 10 tournament, the Terps played decently, easily disposing of Nebraska before losing a heartbreaker to a great Michigan State team. However, in March, the Terps have their work cut out for them, for they are a five-seed in a bracket that holds Kansas and Villanova. Their first game is against South Dakota State on Friday.

Despite the negativity surrounding the team as of late, that has not dampened the flames of excitement for local Terps fans. “It’s been awesome to watch. Considering they just recently got competitive over the past two years, it really makes things a lot more fun to keep up with,” said senior Patrick Britt, who has been a devoted fan for nearly his entire life.

Junior Matt Popeck loves the atmosphere at games, “It’s been exhilarating to see the team grow, at the home games, the energy is at its peak.” The energy has certainly been high at the Xfinity Center this season, as the student section has often been dubbed by visiting announcers as one of the best.

On the court, the Terps have been fueled by a lineup which includes local product sophomore Melo Trimble, Duke transfer senior Rasheed Sulaimon, senior Jake Layman, junior Robert Carter and freshman phenom Diamond Stone. While each player brings something important, certain players, come tournament time will need to perform at their peak. “The most important player has got to be Trimble. When he plays well, everyone else feeds off of it and the team plays with all kinds of energy,” said Britt. While Trimble is regarded as a top point guard, he has struggled recently, shooting around 30-percent in the team’s last ten games.

For Sherwood seniors who have followed the Terps, this season is especially emotional. With so many students enrolling into a different college next year, this season of Terps basketball may be their last as a fan. “If Maryland could win a championship this year, that would be incredible,” said Britt, who plans to attend an out-of-state school. “That would be an awesome way for them to cap off my years of being only a fan of them.”

While some look for a sweet farewell to their team, for future Terrapins, the excitement is just beginning. “It will be fun cheering for a team I have liked since I was a kid,” said senior Dan Chen. “This time, it will be even more special because I can cheer not just as a fan, but as a student.”