Morsell graduating from being glue guy

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Throughout his career at Maryland, Terps senior Darryl Morsell has heard the term “glue guy” perhaps one too many times. The Baltimore native is playing this season as if he’s looking to put that label behind him and take the next step as a leader of his team.

This has been evident through his play in Maryland’s first three games this season. Morsell is still doing it all and stuffing the stat sheet for the Terps like he always has, but this year he has propelled himself into being “the guy” instead of just “the glue guy” known for doing the dirty work.

Morsell is currently top three in scoring (12.3 ppg), rebounding (5.7 rpg), and assists (4.0 apg) for Maryland. He has scored in double figures in every game so far this season and is showing a newfound confidence in his jump shot that has helped take his offensive game to greater heights.

“I’m very confident,” Morsell said after Maryland’s 82-52 win over Navy Nov. 27 in which he scored a game-high 15 points. “I think I’ve always been confident in myself, but this year is a little bit different. I have to assert myself a little bit more.”

Morsell’s added confidence and improved shot have been obvious to anyone watching Terps basketball this season, including his coaches and teammates, who are happy to see his growth.

“He’s gotten so much better offensively,” Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon said. “His shot, I mean, you think about where he was when he got here and where he is with his shot now, it’s pretty amazing. I think it’s going in every time...He’s played so many minutes. He’s had such a great career. Obviously he has taken his offense to another level and he has taken his leadership to another level.”

Terps junior wing Aaron Wiggins came to College Park when Morsell was a sophomore coming off of a freshman season where he made just three shots from beyond the arc (3-for-25).

Morsell has already made two of his three attempted three-pointers this season and is making defenses respect his shot, which has helped open things up for Wiggins and the Terps as a whole.

“[Morsell] has improved every aspect of his game for sure,” Wiggins said. “When I came in my freshman year, I think he was coming off of his freshman year and he had only shot like three threes in his freshman season. So his jump shot has come a long way. And I think just because of that his confidence has gone through the roof because he knows a lot of teams don’t think he can shoot. So he has a lot to prove.”

One area Morsell has never lacked in, even as an underclassmen, is leadership. A hard-nosed, gritty guard who has played just about every position on the floor at one time or another for Maryland, Morsell might be taking on a bigger offensive role this season, but he is the same great leader the Terps have come to expect.

“His leadership and his experience, he’s able to make plays, whether that’s scoring or making passes, or whether that’s rebounding. He’s a guy who can really do it all on the court. So when a few of us aren’t going and he is, we just kind of feed the hot hand. And if one of us is going and he has the ball, he’s going to make sure we get the ball. So he’s a really well-rounded player.”

As one of just a few seniors on Maryland’s roster this year, and by far the most impactful one, Morsell’s leadership is at a premium.

While also helping to fill the scoring void left by the departures of Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen “Stix” Smith, Morsell knows he also has an important role of making sure the underclassmen on the Terps’ roster are developing and doing things the right way.

Because of his toughness and consistent effort, Morsell leads by example on the court. And he is not the type of guy any of his teammates want to disappoint by not giving their all.

“To have someone like Darryl is big for our team because he’s our leader and we look up to him. So if he brings energy, we all bring energy,” Terps sophomore wing Hakim Hart said.

In addition to leading the Terps in assists and rebounds so far this season, Morsell is the team’s third-leading scorer and also still one of Maryland’s best defenders with three blocks and two steals through three games.