COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- There were a lot of lofty expectations on the Maryland basketball team at this point last season, as the Terps were ranked in the Top 10 by several outlets.That is certainly not the case this year, though No. 25 Maryland could be a factor in the Big Ten and nationally come March.The Terps open the season at home Friday at 7 p.m. against American, a member of the Patriot League whose campus in northwest Washington, D.C., is about 12 miles southwest of College Park.American coach Mike Brennan, a former assistant at Georgetown, is well aware of the Maryland program.You always want to challenge yourselves and see where you stack up at the beginning of the year, said Brennan, a former player at Princeton in his fourth season with the Eagles. It is exciting; it is good for recruiting. The guys like it; they like the challenge.Maryland was 27-9 last season and lost to Kansas in the regional semifinals in the NCAA tournament. Terps outscored opponents by an average of 75.7-66.7 last season while AU was outscored 65.7-57.6. The Terps won the battle of the boards by an average of 35.1-32.5.But Maryland lost two key players to the NBA. Freshman center Diamond Stone was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers and senior forward Jake Layman was taken by the Portland Trail Blazers.In addition, graduate senior Rasheed Suliamon, a transfer from Duke, exhausted his eligibility while Robert Carter Jr., a transfer from Georgia Tech, left a year early to play pro ball in Italy.The good news is that Melo Trimble, an all-conference guard, decided to return for his junior year after working out for NBA teams. He is the team leader among returnees in points (14.8), assists (4.9) and rebounds (3.9).Trimble is expected to play Friday despite hurting his ankle and playing just nine minutes in a 95-61 exhibition win against Division II Catawba on Saturday.Besides Trimble, the Terps have a strong freshman class, with point guard Anthony Cowan, 6-foot-7 forward Justin Jackson and 6-7 guard Kevin Huerter. Cowan and Jackson each had 15 points against Catawba.They are three young guys who are further along than the rest of them, Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. Theyll all be ready to help us. Theyre ready to play.Anthonys something we really havent had since weve been here, Turgeon added. Hes fast -- probably one of the fastest guys in the league. He can really defend, pick it up full court and pressure the ball. Hes fast on the break and hes a pass-first point guard, which is great for our team right now.Maryland also has graduate transfer L.G. Gill, from Duquesne, who had 13 points against Catawba, and Dion Wiley, who missed last season with a right knee injury.Trimble and Cowan are both products of Prince Georges County, Md., and played for the same club program. Both played in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC), as Trimble starred at Bishop OConnell in Virginia and Cowan played at St. Johns College High in Washington.Hes a really good passer who can shoot, Trimble said of Cowan. But hes mostly a pass-first point guard, which is something thats good for our offense. With Anthony being here, I can play off the ball, which is something I havent (done) since I was in high school.The top player for American is Delante Jones, who averaged 12 points last season as the Patriot League Rookie of the Year. The Eagles are picked to finish fifth in the 10-team Patriot League after going 12-19 last season.The teams last met in December 2008 at Maryland; the Terps won 67-51. On Dec. 22, 2007, in College Park, the Eagles pulled a 67-59 upset against Maryland and former coach Gary Williams, who was an American University assistant early in his Hall of Fame coaching career. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Reuben-Foster-Jersey/ . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Joshua-Garnett-Jersey/ .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Daniel-Kilgore-Jersey/ . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Joe-Staley-Jersey/ .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Richard-Sherman-Jersey/ . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge.Robert Thornton believes his struggling rivals will be feeling all the pressure on Judgement Night in the Premier League. The Scot sits just above the bottom placed duo of Dave Chisnall and Michael Smith ahead of tonights matches, live on Sky Sports, and two from the trio will be eliminated at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff.Thornton moved off the foot of the table last week as he claimed a win over Smith and then a battling draw with Michael van Gerwen. Smith and Chisnall are both a point adrift of Thornton, who could be safe by the time he faces Adrian Lewis, if neither man can pick up the necessary results. I can just go up and enjoy myself and Ill give it everything. Robert Thornton I know its in my hands and theres more pressure on the other two players than me, said Thornton. I can just go up and enjoy myself and Ill give it everything.My confidence is quite high now. Im playing with new darts, with longer points and better grip, and starting to get used to them and Im really looking forward to this week.I wont give in and if I can go up and perform the way I played last week, or even slightly better, then even if I lose I can go out with my head held high. Michael Smith needs to produce an upset result against Phil Taylor Smiths leg difference means he desperately needs a win from his match with Phil Taylor to give himself a real chance of survival.All I can do is focus on myself and on playing as well as I can against Phil because if I lose then Im out anyway, he said. Ill give it my best shot and do everything I can to get the win.Even if I get knocked out I want to end on a high. Its been a great couple of months and Im really enjoying the Premier League, so hopefully I can survive on Thursday. Dave Chisnall has joined Smith in the bottom two Chisnall takes on Peter Wright and fully admits that his own wasteful finishing has left him in this precarious position.ddddddddddddIve been starting off alright but Ive missed too many doubles and thats been the story of my season, said Chisnall. Its been frustrating and Ive had too many slack darts.Its all about timing and Im getting it wrong - Im not finishing the chances Im getting. Its fine margins and on another night the doubles might go in, but its my own fault. I put myself in this place so I have to dig it out. With Premier League Judgement Night looming, heres a look at what happened at this stage in 2015 Ive got a good record against Peter but if I keep missing doubles then Im not going to win games, so well see what happens. Ive been in this situation before and come through, so hopefully the result will go my way.Watch all of the Premier League action on Judgement Night, with live coverage starting at 7pm on Sky Sports 1. 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