Maryland basketball: 5 questions the Terps must answer in 2020-2021

No. 3 Which Maryland basketball player needs to step up the most?

Aaron Wiggins, Eric Ayala, and Donta Scott played an important role in the success of Maryland basketball last season. Wiggins played very well for the Terps throughout the year which led to him earning Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year averaging 10 points and five rebounds per game.

Ayala hit his stride later in the season after struggling to maintain rhythm offensively early on. He averaged eight points, three rebounds, and two assists last season.

Scott was a surprising spark for the Terps at the power forward position who stepped up after the departures of Makhi and Makhel Mitchell. Scott averaged six points and four rebounds per game in 2019. During the mid-January stretch through the end of the season, his production picked up and he had six games of 10 or more points and five games of five or more rebounds.

The 2020-21 season is going to be a big one for all three of them. Ayala has the most to gain. The keys to running the team are his now with Cowan Jr. gone due to graduation. If he has an outstanding year shooting, passing, and making plays overall, his NBA Draft stock could rise. He will be the likely starter at the point guard spot.

Wiggins deserves a starting role on this team as a result of his play last year. His 2019-20 season was filled with many highlights including a follow-up dunk on a missed three-pointer against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish that led to a No. 1 spot on SportsCenter’s Top 10 countdown. Wiggins will be one of the central players in the Terps push for another top-five finish in the Big Ten.

Scott will have a good chance to start in the frontcourt next season also. He showed that he has the ability to attack the basket and rebound the ball effectively. As a stretch four, he will present more problems for opposing defenses because he can shoot the three-point shot.