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Florida and Maryland commence the battle of reptiles in the Sweet 16 round of the 2025 men's NCAA Tournament on Thursday.
The No. 1 Gators (32-4) take on the No. 4 Terrapins (27-8) at 7:39 p.m. ET from the Chase Center in San Francisco with a chance to move on to the Elite Eight. Florida is coming off a blowout win over Norfolk State (95-69) and a comeback victory over two-time defending champs UConn (77-75) in the first two rounds.
Meanwhile, Maryland opened the tournament with a win over Grand Canyon (81-49) and a controversial game-winner from Derik Queen against Colorado State (72-71).
While most people can quickly identify what a Gator is, many fans are going to wonder, "What exactly is a Terrapin?"
REQUIRED READING: Maryland vs. Florida predictions, picks, odds for men's March Madness Sweet 16
Here's what you need to know about why Maryland is nicknamed the Terrapins, what a Terrapin is and its history:
According to PreservationMaryland.org, terrapins are identified by their beautiful and unique shells, which are marked with concentric circles. Terrapins thrive in brackish water with a higher salt concentration than freshwater but lower than seawater.
The Chesapeake Bay, which is located on the eastern shore of Maryland, is an ideal spot for them to flourish.
The diamondback terrapin became Maryland's official state reptile in 1994. However, in 1932, then-football coach Dr. H. Curley Byrd recommended that it be used as the school mascot in response to the Diamondback's (school newspaper) search for a new "official mascot."
Maryland teams were long the "Old Liners" before the search.
Byrd, who hailed from Crisfield, Maryland, famous for its terrapins, liked the idea of the school's new nickname.
Testudo has been the official mascot of the University of Maryland for 80 years. While the mascot has been around for a while, the origin of its name is still a mystery. Here are three theories the school's website shares:
A 300-pound bronze terrapin sculpture was designed by Edwin C. Mayo, President of Gorham Manufacturing in Providence, Rhode Island, using a live diamondback as a guide. Mayo is also a former quarterback and a member of the Class of 1904.
Testudo was introduced to the world on June 2, 1933. Initially, it was placed outside Ritchie Coliseum, but the mascot was left unguarded, which resulted in vandalistic crimes including painting, defacing the pedestal and kidnapping.
In 1947, John Hopkins students captured Tetudo, and Maryland students rushed to Baltimore to "lay siege " to the mascot's location. The siege turned into a party, even with 200 police officers called in to "control the riot."
Two years later, Byrd, now the president, received a call from the University of Virginia for Maryland to remove Tetudo from the lawn of a Virginia fraternity. To prevent future crimes, the mascot was stored in a campus carpentry shed until 1951. Eventually, students uprooted and carried Testudo to his new home, overlooking McKeldin Mall, in 1965.
The mascot still resides there, where students rub its nose for good luck and even leave offerings during finals.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is a Terrapin? Maryland basketball nickname, explained
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The No. 1 Gators (32-4) take on the No. 4 Terrapins (27-8) at 7:39 p.m. ET from the Chase Center in San Francisco with a chance to move on to the Elite Eight. Florida is coming off a blowout win over Norfolk State (95-69) and a comeback victory over two-time defending champs UConn (77-75) in the first two rounds.
Meanwhile, Maryland opened the tournament with a win over Grand Canyon (81-49) and a controversial game-winner from Derik Queen against Colorado State (72-71).
While most people can quickly identify what a Gator is, many fans are going to wonder, "What exactly is a Terrapin?"
REQUIRED READING: Maryland vs. Florida predictions, picks, odds for men's March Madness Sweet 16
Here's what you need to know about why Maryland is nicknamed the Terrapins, what a Terrapin is and its history:
What is a Terrapin?
According to PreservationMaryland.org, terrapins are identified by their beautiful and unique shells, which are marked with concentric circles. Terrapins thrive in brackish water with a higher salt concentration than freshwater but lower than seawater.
The Chesapeake Bay, which is located on the eastern shore of Maryland, is an ideal spot for them to flourish.
Why is Maryland called the Terrapin?
The diamondback terrapin became Maryland's official state reptile in 1994. However, in 1932, then-football coach Dr. H. Curley Byrd recommended that it be used as the school mascot in response to the Diamondback's (school newspaper) search for a new "official mascot."
Maryland teams were long the "Old Liners" before the search.
Byrd, who hailed from Crisfield, Maryland, famous for its terrapins, liked the idea of the school's new nickname.
What is Maryland's mascot?
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Testudo has been the official mascot of the University of Maryland for 80 years. While the mascot has been around for a while, the origin of its name is still a mystery. Here are three theories the school's website shares:
- The name's origin is that it was derived from the scientific classification for turtle, testudines
- The name is from testudo gigantia, a species native to the African country Seychelles and the remote island Aldabra
- The derivation of the word testudo itself comes from the Latin word for a protective shelter used for Roman soldiers’ heads, similar to a tortoise shell
A 300-pound bronze terrapin sculpture was designed by Edwin C. Mayo, President of Gorham Manufacturing in Providence, Rhode Island, using a live diamondback as a guide. Mayo is also a former quarterback and a member of the Class of 1904.
Testudo was introduced to the world on June 2, 1933. Initially, it was placed outside Ritchie Coliseum, but the mascot was left unguarded, which resulted in vandalistic crimes including painting, defacing the pedestal and kidnapping.
In 1947, John Hopkins students captured Tetudo, and Maryland students rushed to Baltimore to "lay siege " to the mascot's location. The siege turned into a party, even with 200 police officers called in to "control the riot."
Two years later, Byrd, now the president, received a call from the University of Virginia for Maryland to remove Tetudo from the lawn of a Virginia fraternity. To prevent future crimes, the mascot was stored in a campus carpentry shed until 1951. Eventually, students uprooted and carried Testudo to his new home, overlooking McKeldin Mall, in 1965.
The mascot still resides there, where students rub its nose for good luck and even leave offerings during finals.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is a Terrapin? Maryland basketball nickname, explained
Continue reading...
