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BIG TEN CONFERENCE BASKETBALL MEDIA DAYS

October 13, 2016

Mark Turgeon

Washington, D.C.

MARK TURGEON: Welcome to D.C. We're excited about having Media Day here in D.C. and excited about having the tournament. Jim Delany kept his word. He told me when we were joining the league that he would get us into D.C. So we're grateful for that, and I know our fans are excited about that too.

Got a couple athletes with me today, Melo Trimble and Damonte Dodd. They'll do a great job, and great young men. So you'll enjoy being around them.

Excited about my team. I have a lot of new players, new pieces, lot of good pieces. You know, last year I had a veteran team and wasn't as much teaching, but when you get into coaching, you like being around guys and teaching them and making them better. So it's been a lot of fun, lot of teaching, time on the floor, very receptive group. A group I like being around. We get better every day. So we're a work in progress, but, again, imagine us being a very good team come Big Ten season. So excited about everything.

Q. In terms of the difference this year and last year, you guys came in here last year as favorites, Melo as preseason Player of the Year. Is it easier as a coach and as a team to get a team ready with a chip on your shoulder rather than a target on your back?
MARK TURGEON: Oh, you know, you just like being good. We've had back-to-back really good teams. So we want to continue that. That's really what's important to us, trying to set a standard at Maryland that's a very high standard.

Last year it was a fun year. We won a lot of games. We went to a Sweet 16. So it was what it was. We want this year to be a great year.

What I have this year with this group, I think, is we have a lot of young guys that are -- their listening skills are very good. So that's exciting as a coach, and we're getting better.

I don't know if we have a chip on our shoulder, but we're excited about our team, and we think we're going to be pretty good. So that's really what matters.

Q. With Melo, just how much more at peace is he as a player during this off-season after making the decision that he did? Have you just noticed him kind of transform into something different from his previous two years? Are you expecting him to elevate his game to an even higher level?
MARK TURGEON: Yeah. I think, first of all, Melo's had an unbelievable first two years for us. I thought his sophomore year was exceptional, too, and he doubled his assists and still scored at a high level. So he is at great peace. I think all along Melo wanted to stay. He knew it was the best thing for him, and he's been very happy since he made that decision. He's improved again in a lot of areas. Probably the area he's improved the most is he's just very comfortable being a leader. He's always been a great player, but when you're a freshman, it's hard to lead seniors sometimes. And I think he's become more comfortable. He knows it's his team in a lot of ways, so he's very comfortable in his own skin right now and he's playing at a high level. He's at a high, high level right now, and better than I've ever seen him, which is great for our team. But he knows this is his team. He's kind of relaxed about that. He's not worried about stepping on anybody's toes maybe like he has in the last couple years. So it should be a great year for Melo.

Q. Coach, can you talk about Dion Wiley's expected return from injury, and what role he'll play this season?
MARK TURGEON: Yeah, that's a great question. Dion was a really good freshman for us. Made two huge threes in the NCAA Tournament, in our NCAA Tournament win as a freshman in the second half. It was a big blow for us last year when he went down. And no one wanted to believe me when I said that. It's been a long road, long recovery. I'd say Dion's about 85 to 90% now. He's got his weight at a good spot. He's lighter than he's ever been, which is great for the knee. He's a really good player. He's evolved and become a better defender. He's got really good point guard skills, believe it or not. Ball in his hand, he's a terrific player. One of our better passers and better players in ball screens. That says a lot when you have Melo on your team. And he's really happy. Kid's in a good spot. So when you have young men in that position, they're going to play well for you.

I'm really happy for him. I think about who Dion was coming into his freshman year, and what kind of person he's become. It's an amazing story, not just about basketball but what he's done in the classroom, off the court and different things. So really, really hopeful that he can continue to rehab and get better, and get close to 100%, because he's going to be a big part of our team this year.

Q. You have a lot of incoming freshmen players coming in with this team. What are you expecting out of them this season with a lot of veterans missing from this team?
MARK TURGEON: Yeah, I'm really excited about our freshman class. I'll start with Anthony Cowan, local kid from St. John's High School, one of the best point guards in the country coming out of high school. I thought he was one of the top two or three point guards coming out of high school, different than Melo. He picks up full court. He can really get in you and guard you, and pressure you. He's fast, he's great on the break. He's really improved his shot.

Now, Don said earlier, chip on your shoulder. This kid's got a chip on his shoulder being 6' or 5'11, whatever it is. He's got a huge chip on his shoulder, and I love it. So he's going to play a lot right away, and he's going to help us tremendously. Kevin Huerter, freshman from Albany, New York, he's one of the best shooters I've ever been around consistently. He's with us with USA Basketball this summer. He's really improved since USA Basketball. He's becoming a better defender. When I started recruiting him, he was 6'3 1/2", 6'4", he's almost 6'7" now. But he thinks like a point guard. He can really sling it and pass it, and he's great in a lot of different areas. You really can't rattle him. He plays at one pace, and he plays at the pace he wants to play at.

Justin Jackson is another young man as a freshman that's ready to help us in a big way. Don't want to compare him to Jake Layman, but he's going to play that same type of role for us, the three and the four. He's really -- we've really added guys that can pass the ball, and Dion Wiley coming back, hopefully I mentioned that he's a really good passer.

Justin Jackson is a 6'7" four man with a 7'3" wingspan, thinks like a point guard and can really pass it. He's improved his shot. So those three guys are new players that are going to play a lot.

L.G. Gill, fifth-year man, will play a lot for us. He's been tremendous in practice. Have a couple other freshmen coming along that are going to be good players down the road for us.

Q. This will be your third season in the Big Ten. You started here in the ACC. How have you been able to assimilate into the conference and get the kind of roster that you need to compete in this league?
MARK TURGEON: It was really about making Maryland basketball great, no matter what league you're in, and getting players that fit your style as a coach. I think I'm finally almost there.

You'll enjoy this team this year. We can really pass the ball. We have great understanding of the game. So I wasn't so worried about the ACC or the Big Ten. I was just trying to make my team the best team I could possibly make it. If I could make it a great team, we'd be at the top of those leagues.

So love being in the Big Ten. Love the coaches. Tremendous coaching. Really challenge you every night to be on top of your game. I love the venues. No matter where, we've been good the last two years. Wherever we go, it's sold out and loud. It really challenges you as a coach and as a team.

So love being in the Big Ten and love being successful in the Big Ten.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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