A day after both Bruno Fernando and Shakira Austin won awards from the Big Ten, the duo also received national recognition. Fernando was named Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week by the United States Basketball Writers Association, who also named Austin its National Freshman of the Week.
Both players have given Maryland a tremendous boost in the post, and had stellar performances last week. Fernando had 10 points and 11 rebounds against Minnesota and a career-high 25 points and 13 rebounds against then-No. 22 Indiana, and is the first Maryland player to win the award since it was awarded on a weekly basis starting in the 2009-10 season. He’s currently averaging 14.6 points per game, and ranks in the top of three of the Big Ten in rebounds per game (9.9), field goal percentage (.678) and blocks per game (2.2)
Austin had seven points, 10 rebounds and a block against Nebraska and a ridiculous 13 points, 15 rebounds and seven blocks against Michigan. In an up-and-down season so far, Austin has averaged 9.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and three blocks per game. She’s currently second in the Big Ten in blocks per game and third in the conference in rebounds per game. Austin is four blocks away from matching Marissa Coleman’s school freshman record for most blocks in a season.
Both teams face big road tests in their next game. The men’s team will head to Ohio State on Friday, while the women’s team will head to No. 17 Michigan State on Thursday night.
In other news
Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly from Maryland’s win over Wisconsin.
The Terps survived a dismal shooting performance to hang on against the Badgers.
Here’s another look at Anthony Cowan’s game-winning three.
Put this on repeat @__antc pic.twitter.com/9i386hXK77
— Maryland Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) January 16, 2019
We broke down the Terps’ wild wins in our most recent podcast.
According to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, former East Carolina head coach and Duke offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery has been offered a coordinator job by Maryland.
Last week, Maryland was set to hire Josh Gattis to that position before Michigan lured him away at the last minute. Jim Harbaugh explained how he recruited Gattis in five hours.
“Found out through the grapevine that Josh was considering leaving Alabama to go to Maryland so we reached out and asked if he had any interest in Michigan. I called him at 10 o’clock in the morning and by 3:30 he was coming to Michigan with a signed Memorandum of Understanding,” Harbaugh said on this weeks edition of his Attack Each Day: The Harbaughs Podcast.
Maryland is now the odds-on favorite to land Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Wow. Vegas likes Jalen Hurts to land with the Terps. By a wide margin. Wow. pic.twitter.com/eL61IwSYOl
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) January 15, 2019
Maryland lacrosse has announced game times for three of its non-conference home games.
⏰ Times Announced ⏰
— Maryland Lacrosse (@TerpsMLax) January 15, 2019
Less than a month away until we're back at Maryland Stadium! Be sure to secure your season tickets: https://t.co/NYwlGSH1Dq#BeTheBest pic.twitter.com/33znp4kNw0