The Georgia Southern Eagles don't always grab the headlines when it comes to big-time college basketball. However, they're looking to buck that notion when they take on the Maryland Terrapins come Saturday afternoon.
Recently, the Eagles have come close to getting that marquee win, losing twice to major teams in the Wake Forest Demon Deacons of the ACC and the Auburn Tigers of the SEC.
Head coach Charlton Young wants to land a high-profile win to prove his team can compete on the highest of levels, according to the statesboroherald.com.
"We've got to change our perception as a program," Young said. "We've got Virginia Tech and UAB after this, and people will say, ‘Those are games you're not supposed to win.' Last year, against Wake Forest and Auburn, we didn't finish the deal, but we didn't look like we weren't supposed to be there. I think people are starting to expect the Eagles to be in the fight. They've got to start expecting the Eagles to win."
Georgia Southern will need big performances from its stars, such as junior Eric Ferguson who is averaging 13.8 points and eight rebounds per game. Freshman Cleon Roberts is also getting the job done, averaging 13.5 points on the board each night.
The toughest task may come on the defensive end, where the Eagles find themselves somewhat undersized. Maryland possesses a terrific center in Alex Len, who puts up 17 points and eight rebounds per game.