Turgeon nearing contract extension, per reports

Maryland men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon is finalizing a contract extension, according to multiple reports.

Thenewdealwouldquiet immediate questions about the 56-year-old’s future withtheschoolafterathletic director Damon Evans was noncommittal on an extension when asked at various partsofthe2020-21season— Turgeon’scontractwassetto endafterthe2022-23season.

It would be the second extension for Turgeon since heoriginallysignedaneightyear deal with the school in 2011tosucceedHallofFame coach Gary Williams. In 2016, then-athletic director Kevin Anderson rewarded Turgeon,whohadjusttaken the Terps to their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2003, with a four-year extension.

Maryland,whichfinished 17-14 and 9-11 in the Big Ten Conference this past season, has appeared in five of the past six NCAA tournaments, but the lone Sweet 16 appearance in 10 seasons has unsettled a fan base longing for more postseason success. Turgeon’s team in 2020, which won a share of the Big Ten regular-season title, was considered capableofreachingtheFinalFour but that year’s tournament was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

With a flawed roster, one without a true point guard or center, Turgeon rallied the Terps from a 1-5 start in conference play to a No. 10 seed in the NCAA tournament and an opening-round win over seventh-seeded Connecticut before No. 2 Alabama eliminated Maryland in the Round of 32. After the loss, Turgeon characterized the season as a “rebuilding year” as the Terps adjusted to the departure of Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith (Mount SaintJoseph),twofirst-team All-Big Ten players, without finding clear replacements through recruiting or the transfer portal.