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Csu Basketball Umd Basketball: A Season Of Surprises And Unforgettable Moments

Published: 2025-03-24 16:33:05 5 min read
The Biggest Surprises in College Basketball Early in the 2012-13 Season

# The 2023-24 college basketball season delivered unexpected twists, breakout performances, and heart-stopping drama, with Colorado State University (CSU) and the University of Maryland (UMD) emerging as two of the most compelling stories.

While neither program was initially pegged as a national title contender, both defied expectations, offering fans a season filled with exhilarating highs and crushing lows.

This investigative piece critically examines the factors behind their surprising campaigns, the key players who shaped their destinies, and the broader implications for mid-major and power-conference programs navigating the evolving landscape of college basketball.

CSU and UMD’s seasons were defined by underdog resilience, coaching adaptability, and the transformative impact of the transfer portal, yet their divergent trajectories CSU’s sustained mid-major success versus UMD’s power-conference struggles reveal deeper systemic inequities in college basketball’s competitive structure.

Colorado State entered the season with tempered expectations after losing key contributors from their 2022-23 NCAA Tournament team.

However, under head coach Niko Medved, the Rams engineered one of the most efficient offenses in the nation, ranking in the top 25 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency.

The emergence of Isaiah Stevens as a bona fide star averaging 17.

2 points and 6.

9 assists per game anchored their attack, while transfer additions like Joel Scott (Black Hills State) provided crucial depth.

Analysts point to Medved’s player development system as a critical factor.

Unlike power-conference programs that rely on one-and-done talent, CSU’s continuity Stevens, a fifth-year senior, epitomized this allowed for intricate offensive sets and defensive cohesion.

A December upset over then-No.

8 Creighton showcased their potential, but their season was ultimately defined by consistency, finishing 24-10 and earning an at-large NCAA bid.

Yet, challenges persisted.

Despite their success, CSU’s non-conference schedule drew criticism for lacking high-major opponents, a recurring hurdle for mid-majors seeking tournament seeding.

As ESPN’s Joe Lunardi noted, The committee still penalizes teams from outside the power conferences, forcing them to near-perfect records just to avoid the First Four.

Maryland’s season, by contrast, was a study in volatility.

After a strong 2022-23 campaign under Kevin Willard, expectations were high, but inconsistency plagued the Terrapins.

Jahmir Young (17.

UMD Men's Basketball Archives - WDIO.com

8 PPG) was a bright spot, but the team’s lack of frontcourt depth exposed in a humiliating 40-point loss to Purdue underscored roster construction flaws.

The transfer portal, often touted as a quick fix, proved a double-edged sword.

While Young (Charlotte) excelled, other additions like Jordan Geronimo (Indiana) struggled to adapt.

Willard’s defensive schemes kept them competitive UMD ranked 32nd in defensive efficiency but offensive droughts doomed them in critical games.

A late-season surge, including an upset over Illinois, salvaged their NCAA hopes, but a first-round exit left fans questioning whether the program had plateaued.

Critics argue that UMD’s struggles reflect a broader power-conference trend: over-reliance on transfers disrupts chemistry, while blue-blood programs (like Kansas or Duke) still dominate with elite high school recruits.

As The Athletic’s Seth Davis observed, Maryland is caught in the middle too good to rebuild, not elite enough to contend.

The contrasting seasons of CSU and UMD highlight deeper structural issues in college basketball.

Mid-majors like CSU thrive through continuity and coaching ingenuity but face uphill battles in scheduling and NCAA seeding.

Power-conference teams like UMD benefit from revenue and exposure but are increasingly pressured to win immediately, often at the expense of long-term development.

Scholars such as Dr.

David Ridpath (Ohio University) argue that the NCAA’s reliance on brand-name programs perpetuates inequality.

The selection committee’s bias toward power conferences is well-documented, Ridpath noted in a 2023 study.

Mid-majors must be near-flawless, while power teams get second chances.

CSU’s season was a triumph of culture and player development, proving mid-majors can compete with the right formula.

UMD’s campaign, meanwhile, revealed the perils of power-conference pressures in the transfer portal era.

The broader implications are clear: unless systemic biases are addressed, mid-majors will continue fighting an uneven battle, while power-conference programs risk becoming trapped in cycles of short-term fixes.

For fans, however, one truth remains college basketball’s unpredictability, as seen in CSU and UMD’s journeys, is what makes it unforgettable.

As the sport evolves, these programs serve as case studies in resilience, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of success against ever-shifting odds.