COLUMBUS, Ohio — A month after his 20th birthday, Melo Trimble the freshman welcomes his first injection of NCAA tournament adrenaline. Nearing 23, Juwan Staten is a senior whose entire career yielded this one shot at March Madness.
Their paths to the basket Sunday night, much like their teams’ path to the Sweet 16, will be checked and challenged by one another.
Trimble arrived at Maryland as the nation’s No. 39-rated prospect by Rivals, admitting he liked to kill spare-time “looking at myself in the mirror.” Staten emerged from high school ranked 49th and admitted he wanted to mirror Nick Van Exel, a junior-year move that dramatically altered his West Virginia legacy.
Trimble fronts the Terps at 16.3 points per game, which ranks third nationally among freshmen. Staten has been West Virginia’s most prolific scorer the past two seasons, averaging 16.4 in that 61-game span.
Both players make money at the line. Staten’s 525 free throws are 12th-most for a WVU career though he only transferred in as a sophomore. Trimble’s 204 made free throws this season are third-most in the country.
Each point guard dominates possession and, on the brink of their matchup Nationwide Arena, dominated the pregame conversation.
“He’s a tough point guard who can score at all angles,” Maryland’s freshman said of Staten. “He has a nice pull-up. He’s quick and explosive—kind of like myself. He’s been in college for four years. So he’s a great player.”
Trimble might remain in the college game himself for several years. Unlike some recruits who command immediate notoriety, he’s not necessarily the kind of player for whom NBA clubs are clamoring. That’s not a knock—it’s the assessment from Trimble’s own coach.
“I think the NBA looks for a certain style of player, certain type of player,” Mark Turgeon said. “Length, speed, above the rim, things like that. And he’s not that guy. He’s not the 6-foot-7 wing span, run and dunk ’em kind of kid. He’s just a really good basketball player.”
One who dominated West Virginia’s attention during the past 36 hours—both in person (while he recorded a double-double as the Terps survived Valpo) and among a season’s supply of video cut-ups provided by Mountaineers coaches.
“He plays with great poise for a freshman,” said Staten, not necessarily over-emphasizing the for a freshman part, though you sensed the qualifier was there for a reason. Staten respects his opponents yet grants no one a pedestal. Not even a prodigy like Trimble, who’s equal parts deep shooter and strong slasher. All the while standing three inches taller than Staten.
“He makes their team go, so we’ve got to frustrate him,” Staten said. “Hopefully if we can take the head off, the body will follow.”
No. 5 seed WEST VIRGINIA (24-9)
vs. No. 4 seed MARYLAND (28-6)
Tip-off: Approximately 8:40 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio (TNT)
At stake: Winner advances to Sweet 16 against top-seeded Kentucky.
Scouting the Terps: Small forward Dez Wells (15.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists), revered for attacking the rim, also is a 51-percent 3-point shooter—though he’s judicious in hoisting them with only 47 attempts all season. He scored a season-high 26 in an upset of Wisconsin on Feb. 24. … 6-9 Jake Layman (12.6 points, 5.9 rebounds) has 3-point range but hasn’t shot much of late. He fouled out with only four points against Valpo. … The Terrapins feature WVU-style depth, with 10 players averaging 12-plus minutes. They’re 14th nationally in foul shooting (75.7) compared to WVU’s ranking of 276th (66.2).
Coaching the Terps: Turgeon owns a 337-208 record in 17 seasons, the last four at Maryland. His previous stops were Texas A&M, Wichita State (where his 2006 team made the Sweet 16) and Jacksonville State.
Mountaineers musings: With players granted free time Saturday night, Devin Williams (11.5 points, 8.2 rebounds) said he was heading to his uncle’s house in Columbus for dinner. … Gary Browne (6.9 points, 1.8 rebounds), presuming his lateral movement is sufficient in a second game back from an ankle injury, could be called upon to guard Trimble. … Daxter Miles (7.4 points, 2.3 rebounds) is working on a string of six double-digit games. … Coach Bob Huggins reads newspapers and noticed himself described as ”abrasive” in a Saturday headline from the Columbus Dispatch. “Isn’t it a shame in today’s world you can’t tell the truth?” he said. “If you tell the truth, you’re abrasive. If you lie, you’re charming.”
RPIs: West Virginia 25, Maryland 10
Line: West Virginia favored by 1
Prediction: Maryland 67-65