Melo Trimble didn’t need to watch. He already knew what would happen.
So after the Terrapins men’s basketball star point guard bounced the ball into the hands of a cutting Diamond Stone, Trimble turned around and headed back to the defensive end. When Stone deposited the ball into the net with a thunderous dunk moments later, Trimble briefly turned around, stuck out his tongue and pumped a fist.
That assist from Trimble, the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, was one of seven he had Saturday and part of a 16-2 run that ended with the Terps up 10 points with about a minute remaining.
While Trimble struggled shooting the ball Saturday — he went 2-for-12 from the field — he didn’t let that issue affect the other parts of his game. Instead, Trimble relied on his playmaking skills to make an impact in the No. 4 Terps’ 72-61 win over No. 18 Purdue at Xfinty Center on Saturday afternoon. Stone was often the beneficiary, with six of his 12 points coming off passes from Trimble, who had just one turnover.
“He does what he needs to do,” Terps forward Robert Carter Jr. said of Trimble. “He’s got players who can make shots. He gives them the ball, and he gets assists.”
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While Trimble was the Terps’ leading scorer heading into Saturday with 14.8 points per game, he’s struggled to score in other games this season. In those contests, he’s often become a facilitator. In a 100-65 win over Ohio State on Jan. 16, Trimble had eight points but recorded nine assists and three turnovers. More than a month earlier, he had three points but seven assists against St. Francis (PA).
Even when Trimble was struggling Saturday, he never appeared to get frustrated. He celebrated teammates’ baskets, including Stone’s dunk, and grabbed five rebounds.
“Melo plays like he’s 30,” Terps coach Mark Turgeon said. “He’s seasoned. He’s played a lot of minutes. He never gets emotional.”
While Trimble didn’t register a point for the first eight minutes Saturday and didn’t notch a field goal until the second half, he assisted on two of the Terps’ first four baskets. He ended the half with two points and four assists to just one turnover.
In the second half, Trimble attacked the rim more, drawing fouls or finding open teammates under the basket. He finished with 14 points, third on the team, as he went 10-for-11 from the free-throw line.
And during crucial moments, Trimble elevated his game. In the Terps’ 16-2 run, Trimble was involved in nine of those points. He doled out two assists, including the dish to Stone, and had four points.
“He’s smart,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said of Trimble after the game. “He gets to the free-throw line. He gets other people involved.”
Last year, Trimble averaged three assists per game and 2.5 turnovers. While he led the Terps in scoring with 16.2 points per game, he didn’t fit the mold of the traditional point guard.
This season, Trimble is averaging 5.4 assists and has the same turnover rate as last season. That ability was always there, Carter said, even though the general public didn’t get to see it last spring.
Carter sat out last season after transferring from Georgia Tech, but he often scrimmaged with the Terps. Carter would play with Trimble at times, and they developed a rapport.
So Carter always knew Trimble could be a distributor, and now Trimble is showcasing that ability on a larger stage.
“This year he has more players around him who can make plays,” Carter said. “Last year, his role was different. We needed him to go and get 15 to 17 points a game in order for this to win. This year we need him to get five assists, four assists instead of 17 points.”
