The starting unit, one through five, point guard to center. Filling out a complete lineup is paramount in the landscape of college hoops. Perhaps the most infamous lineup in college basketball is known as “The Fab Five," a lineup of all true freshmen for the Michigan Wolverines that dominated college basketball in the early 1990’s.
In the present era, there’s a new lineup in college basketball that has taken the field by storm. Three transfers, one veteran senior, and one five-star sensation have given a fanbase hope of a deep run in March and a title for the first time in 23 years.
As a unit, they’ve scored 178 out of 184 points over their last two games. If it wasn’t for Jordan Geronimo’s six points against Iowa it would be 184 points. They’re one of the highest scoring starting five in America, and get it done on both ends of the floor.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Terrapins starting five, aka “The Crab Five”.
In his first year running the point, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, a 6-foot-1, guard has made himself a known name within the Big Ten. Gillespie provides 14.7 points a game and elite vision and ability to set up his teammates on the floor. He currently is leading the Terps and is sixth in the Big Ten averaging 4.8 assists per game. He’s second on the team with a 41.4% clip from three and leads Maryland with 63 made longballs.
Filling the shoes for Terp legend Jahmir Young is a challenge in its own right, but Gillespie has passed the test with flying colors having embraced the tag as the quarterback of this elite starting five for Maryland.
Next, we move from the quarterback of the offense to the spark plug. Coming in through the portal out of Virginia Tech, he was an unknown commodity after an injury-riddled freshman campaign for the Hokies. Now, in College Park, a shooter with a greenlight once he crosses halfcourt has excelled.
His Name? Rodney Rice.
Rice averages 13.4 points a game shooting with a knack for heating up seemingly out of nowhere. Stretches like his personal 8-0 run to start the second half against Iowa on Sunday, or moments like his game-winning shot on the road against Indiana, have become almost routine for the sophomore standout. He has the profile of a guy who can have one of those magical runs in March.
Jack Gohlke, Grayson Allen, Doug Edert, for example. Hopefully soon, Rodney Rice can add his name to these March Madness wonders for the Terps.
In a three-guard lineup for Kevin Willard, Selton Miguel provides experience and the confidence to shoot the basketball whenever it’s in his hands. The fifth-year senior is now on his third team with Maryland after starting his career at Kansas State for two seasons before transferring to South Florida for another two years. Miguel won AAC Sixth Man of the Year last season for the Bulls, and has thrived immensely as a starter for the Terps. His 12.0 points per game and team-leading 44.5% from beyond the arc has been an incredible difference maker for a program that struggled immensely to find the bottom of the basket last season.
A revamped backcourt of three transfer guards makes Maryland a threat to catch fire from anywhere on the perimeter with all three having signature moments this season. Yet, what has the fanbase most excited is the combination down low of two big men with completely different stories and a history prior to Maryland.
Julian Reese and Derik Queen, a duo with roots at local St. Frances Academy and one of the best big man duos in a long time for Maryland rounds out The Crab Five.
Reese is the product of a four-year process, taking a four-star hometown kid and molding him into one of college basketball’s best power forwards in all of America. He leads the Big Ten and ranks tenth nationally with 12 double-doubles this campaign. His best came against then-ranked Illinois, with a season-high 27 points and 17 rebounds, garnering AP Player of the Week honors for the spotless effort. His team-leading 39 blocks on the other end of the court have made the big man a legitimate two-way threat in the post in a conference where a presence below the basket
Reese has lived through the lowest of lows with Mark Turegon’s mid-season absence as a freshman, to being the veteran leader of a championship hopeful team. His counterpart, however, is the show stopping big man that has NBA scouts drooling at the bit.
Derik Queen, a five-star recruit out of Montverde Academy (yes, he was teammates with Cooper Flagg), has shown the skill that is unmatched by any big man in the country. Averaging 16 points and nine rebounds as a true freshman is one thing, but with five Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors is astonishing considering Rutgers has two projected top-3 picks in the upcoming NBA Draft.
His first big test of the year was against Marquette. His stat line? 24 points and seven rebounds, On the road at Purdue? 26 points and 12 rebounds. Against Rutgers’ two of the top freshmen in the country? Season-highs in points and rebounds with 29 and 15. They say the sky's the limit, but there isn’t a token term yet for Queen’s ceiling.
Gillespie, Rice, Miguel, Reece, and Queen. The Crab Five. One of America’s best starting lineups, and per EvanMiya, one of the most efficient. Among five-man lineups with at least 200 possessions, Maryland's starting five ranks eighth nationally.
Call them whatever you want, the sentiment remains. This group of five has the potential to go down as the greatest in Terps history. More importantly, they give Maryland a chance to hoist up the hardware in March. And soon, you can support them.
By: Oliver Schaack
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