COLLEGE PARK — Officially, the Maryland men's basketball team's game at Oklahoma State (8-1) on Sunday is its first on the road this season.
And while Gallagher-Iba Arena will have a more intimate and potentially intimidating feel than any venue his team has played yet, Mark Turgeon says the No. 17 Terps (10-1) already have experience as a road team.
It happened in the championship game of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic last month in Kansas City, Mo., where the then-unranked Terps upset then-No. 13 Iowa State at Sprint Center.
"We approached Iowa State like a road game," Turgeon said after practice Friday. "It was 10,000 of their friends there, in a building they play multiple games a year. ... Obviously, it's not their home court."
Turgeon said playing in Stillwater will be "a little more different animal."
It is a place with which Turgeon is familiar, having coached there many times during his four seasons at Texas A&M. The Aggies were 2-2 at Gallagher-Iba Arena and 5-3 overall against the Cowboys while Turgeon was at at Texas A&M.
"Hopefully, [we'll] play well. It's a step we have to make. It's hard to win on the road," Turgeon said. "If you look at our road schedule [in the Big Ten Conference], it's not easy. Hopefully, we'll play with poise and confidence on offense and defend and rebound the way we need to to win on the road."
Considering how the team's freshmen played in Kansas City, the Terps likely won't be overwhelmed. Point guard Melo Trimble was named the tournament Most Valuable Player, and wing Jared Nickens scored 15 points off the bench in the win over Iowa State.
"I think we're a very confident team," Turgeon said. "We know any game's tough. If you look around the country, it's never easy. I think the young guys show up and play. That's kind of in their mentality.
"Are they going to play perfect every time? Probably not. They'll be ready. I think our whole team kind of feels that way."
Senior guard Richaud Pack said Sunday's environment should not be overwhelming for the team's four freshmen.