Maryland basketball is on the short list for grad transfer C Tariq Owens

With Maryland basketball’s season now firmly in the rearview, it’s time to retool for Mark Turgeon and staff. While the Terps have yet to announce any player attrition, they have already made the short list for reinforcements for the frontcourt.

St. John’s leading shot-blocker Tariq Owens has received his release from the team, after a season where he averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds to go along with 2.8 blocks per game. Owens asked for his release to pursue graduate transfer opportunities last Friday, and St. John’s honored the request on Tuesday. Shortly after, Maryland was reported to be on his list of potential destinations by Evan Daniels.

While he emerged as a key cog in Chris Mullins’ defense this season, he and his father are looking for a place where he can be a more central piece of the offense, as well. Owens is an Odenton, Maryland, native and former three-star prospect that went to St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel.

Owens transferred to St. John’s and sat a season, so he’s on track to graduate in May after being used sparingly his freshman year at Tennessee. Despite having essentially the same frame since we played together—he played, I was a practice body—at Pallotti five years ago, he’s learned to use his 6’11, 205-pound body effectively. In addition to his shot-blocking prowess, Owens has extended his range to the three-point line, hitting 12 of 37 attempts (a 32.4 percent clip).

While Owens hasn’t ruled out a return to St. John’s, Maryland makes a lot of sense. He’s from the area, and the Terps could use some more frontcourt depth. Maryland officially has one scholarship open, but some more could free up if it loses players to the draft or transfer.

In other news

While no Terps have declared for the draft just yet, three landed on SI’s Draft Big Board, with Bruno Fernando surprisingly rated the highest of the three, from InsideMDSports.

Baseball got shellacked its midweek contest to North Carolina, extending its losing streak to five straight games.

Freshman Audrey Barber was gymnastics’ first performer named to the all-conference first team since joining the Big Ten in 2014.

Women’s lacrosse had its game moved to Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, when it will put a four-game winning streak to the test against No. 7 Penn.

As a reward for her play the past week, women’s lacrosse sophomore Lizzie Colson picked up her third Big Ten Defender of the Week honor of the season.