COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland’s 14-point win over Bryant Dec. 29 not only signified the end of the Terps’ two-game losing streak, but it also marked the debut of highly anticipated, 7-foot-2, freshman center Chol Marial, who didn’t disappoint.

The South Sudan native was a late addition to Maryland’s 2019 recruiting class, signing with the Terps in May and giving head coach Mark Turgeon three four-star freshman centers for this season. That number was reduced to one with the recent news of Makhi and Makhel Mitchell entering the transfer portal midseason.

Marial has worked rigorously to get back on the court after surgery over the summer to repair stress fractures in both his legs. It was unclear for a while when — or even if — Marial would make his Terps’ debut, but with the Mitchell twins now out of the picture, his health is reaching the right level at the right time and his preparation to this point allowed him to give Maryland “good minutes” in its first game without the twins.

Being eased into Maryland’s rotation, Marial made the most of his first game as a Terp, shooting 3-for-4 from the field on his way to six points, five rebounds, an assist, and a block in 14 minutes of action.

“It was good to see Chol [Marial] play and play well,” Turgeon said after the game. “He gave us some really good minutes on both ends...For him to do what he did tonight was pretty impressive. He was good, his attitude was good, and what he did was energize the building. He energized our team.”

The Terps are forced to lean on Marial more now that their frontcourt is thin, but the former blue-chip prospect who was once considered one of the top players in his class was not phased by the pressure of his first game and was ready to step in when Maryland needed him most.

“It felt amazing, and it was really great,” Marial said. “I’m always so excited to come in and to see the guys, to see everyone. That was amazing. I was ready for it. I’ve been working for it for about two months now. So, I was ready for it. I didn’t have anything to worry about. I wasn’t nervous, I was just too hyped. And I was just really hyped to play on the big stage. I wasn’t nervous.”

Terps senior point guard Anthony Cowan Jr., who rooms with Marial, admitted after the game that he was surprised by Marial’s lack of nerves, but he wasn’t shocked by the success he had at both ends of the floor because of how he has seen the freshman handle himself since arriving in College Park.

“He is such a positive dude,” Cowan said. “Throughout his surgery, me and him got to be around each other a lot, so I am happy for him. He was able to come out and produce on the defensive end and offensive end. So, he did what we needed him to do.”

Marial’s teammates like Cowan and sophomore wing Aaron Wiggins have seen his arduous journey back to the court firsthand, leaving them more appreciative of the big man’s contribution on Sunday afternoon.

Most didn’t know what to expect from Marial early in his collegiate career, but having seen him practice for the last couple of weeks, the Terps — and Marial himself — knew he was ready.

“I mean he hasn't played a game in a long time, and a couple of days ago before practice, he was like, ‘I'm ready,’ and I told him, ‘Just be patient and it will come,’” Wiggins said. “I was really excited for him I know he had enjoyed his time he had a ball so it was really fun to see him out there. The energy was just completely different when he subbed in. He got a standing ovation when he walked in, he had a big smile on his face. Everybody on the court was really excited for him the energy was, it was great today.”

At 7-foot-2 with a 7-foot-8 wingspan, Marial is hard to miss on the court. His mere presence on the floor can change a game, and the timing of his arrival will certainly help Maryland’s newfound lack of depth in the frontcourt.

Bryant was already a team that was undersized against the Terps, but Marial’s impact on the game certainly didn’t go unfelt by the Bulldogs head coach, Jared Grasso.

“He’s huge,” Grasso said. “He changes the game with his size. I've seen him play quite a bit. He was in Connecticut for a while, so I've kind of followed him. I think he's going to continue to get better. Great size, great shot blocker. It changes the game when that kind of size and life is on the floor.”

Marial admits that his path back to playing basketball wasn’t an easy one, but a positive attitude is what he used to keep himself pushing forward. Now that he has returned to the court and is contributing to the Terps, he’s in good spirits and hoping his role continues to increase.

“[Staying positive throughout recovering] was hard, but I didn't take it in a bad way,” Marial said. “It was a learning process. And I know I have a good people around me so I didn't have to worry about anything.”