March can be something of a brutal month in Maryland. As the saying goes, it comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. Along the way, there’s a lot of cold and rain — dark days often lacking the warmth of summer or even the coziness of winter. And then there’s the matter of setting the clocks to daylight saving time and losing an hour of sleep. But what can make life in the Free State especially testy for sports fans is how it so often seems like a black hole between the end of the Ravens season and the beginning of the Orioles (Opening Day is March 27 at Toronto for those keeping track).

Yet behold, salvation.

For those who haven’t noticed — who have perhaps grown accustomed to so-so results coming out of the men’s basketball program in College Park — the Terrapins are back. Oh, the women haven’t gone anywhere. They still reliably make it to the NCAA tournament under Coach Brenda Frese including last year. The men? Not so much. But check the sports pages: The men of the University of Maryland are currently ranked 11th in the nation, their highest position since 2019-2020 and after a 14-6 regular season finish in the Big Ten (matching their best ever), they are the tournament’s second seed and will play Friday night after a double-bye. Not too shabby for turtles.

How did this happen? Those who follow the sport closely credit Coach Kevin Willard and his staff but you must also take a look at the talent on the court, especially the so-called “Crab Five” starters. Baltimore’s Derik Queen, the freshman center, has been the star averaging more than 15 points per game. Not far behind is forward Julian Reese and guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie who lead the team in rebounds and assists, respectively. And did we mention that Reese, the younger brother of Angel Reese of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, is from Charm City, too?

How far might this team go? Hey, don’t bet the farm (even if a portion of sports wagering in Maryland might help address the budget deficit), but it seems entirely possible that whatever happens in Indianapolis with Big 10 teams this weekend, the Terps could go deep in March Madness with a Sweet 16 or Elite 8 game in their future. Dare we hope for more? Hey, we can also root for the Ravens to draft a talented edge pass rusher and the Orioles to somehow overcome the loss of pitcher Corbin Burnes and outfielder Anthony Santander and prove themselves a strong American League contender.

For now, it’s just great to see the men join their female counterparts in College Park to be relevant in March again — and with that Charm City connection. Go Terps.