COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The difference between receiving recognition and earning it is slim but significant. And that’s something the Maryland men’s basketball team has learned firsthand over the past few months.

In preseason rankings, the Terrapins were annointed a top-10 team, a group capable of contending for a national title. In non-conference play, they climbed as high as No. 4 in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll. They were “just high-rolling,” sophomore Eric Ayala said. They felt unbeatable.

Then Maryland committed 20 turnovers in a loss to unranked Penn State, and followed it up with 27% shooting in another defeat at Seton Hall.

“I’m not sure we were ready for (our ranking),” coach Mark Turgeon told reporters. “I’m not sure we deserved it. I don’t think we were having any fun.”

Fast forward a month, however, and those feelings are gone. The weight of that high ranking had dissipated. And in No. 14 Maryland’s latest win, a clinical 67-55 defeat of No. 12 Ohio State, the difference was noticeable.

In their toughest conference test to date, Turgeon said the Terrapins looked like a different team. They flipped no-look passes and reveled in putback dunks. They held Ohio State to 31.3% shooting, including 18.5% from three. They were focused but loose, locked in but once again having fun.

“Those two losses kind of (brought) us back to ground level. It was exciting,” Ayala said. “We needed that, that little punch in the mouth. I think we’re back on the hunt, trying to get back to our spot.”

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Maryland (13-2, 3-1) is not a traditional Big Ten heavyweight, in part because it’s only been a member of the conference for five-plus years now. But the Terps have many of the ingredients that have benefited past Big Ten contenders, from depth and experience to a defensive tenacity that drew the spotlight Tuesday.

Sophomore big man Jalen Smith, whom Turgeon said was expected to play power forward before being pressed into the starting role at center, got the better of his matchup with Ohio State star Kaleb Wesson. He held the 270-pound center to 15 points 5-of-13 shooting while also drawing multiple offensive fouls.

Ayala, Anthony Cowan (20 points) and junior Darryl Morsell played key roles in a similarly stingy performance on the perimeter. The Terrapins are holding opponents to just 37.2% shooting this year, which ranks among the top 20 in the country.

“They’re really good (defensively),” Buckeyes coach Chris Holtmann said. “They’re disciplined. They don’t foul. I’ve always felt like Mark’s teams are really smart in how they defend you. Even their young guys make a lot of smart plays.”

Holtmann credited Turgeon and his staff for that defense, but it’s also a byproduct of experience. And Maryland has plenty of that, too. The rotation that Turgeon used Tuesday goes 10 deep, with a healthy mix of upperclassmen — like starting guards Cowan and Morsell — and experienced sophomores like Smith, who played significant minutes a year ago.

The two exceptions are Donta Scott, a freshman from Philadelphia whose drawn rave reviews from teammates, and newcomer Chol Marial, an intriguing 7-foot-2 center who recently returned from a stress fracture.

“I’m encouraged, because I don’t think we’re playing great yet,” Turgeon said. “But we beat a really, really good team (in Ohio State) that I think can win a national championship, if things go the right way for them in March.”

Morsell said Tuesday’s win showed “that we have the potential to be one of the best teams in the country.” But they’re not satisfied yet, he added. They still have a long ways to go.

The next step will come Friday night at Iowa, the first game in a stretch of four of five on the road. A trip to Columbus, a home game against No. 18 Michigan and two meetings with Big Ten favorite Michigan State loom in the distance. 

Turgeon said parity is always a given in the Big Ten. He believes there are so many quality teams in the league this year that “we’re going to beat each other up.”

“There will be a couple teams that separate themselves. I just don’t know who it’s going to be yet,” Turgeon said. “Hopefully we’re one of those teams.”

Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.

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