If Saturday’s exam at Duke is an accurate indicator, the guards are better prepared for success in the second semester.

In the 73-55 loss in Durham, N.C., Faust totaled 15 points and a career-high eight rebounds and Parker (12 points) scored his most points ever in a game. Perhaps the most encouraging development was that in the most hostile arena in the ACC, the inexperienced pair played like veterans.

When Maryland (14-10, 4-6 ACC) plays host Thursday night to Boston College (8-17, 3-8), which starts four freshmen, the Terrapins seek more signs of growth and consistency from Faust and Parker.

Early in the year, with Howard out with a broken foot, Faust was force-fed playing time. Most of his minutes came at the point, and he struggled to get shots in his preferred spots. With his unconventional knuckleball spin, Faust has made just 20 percent from beyond the arc.

“He hasn’t had the year he wanted to have. But Nick’s a winner,” Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. “He practices well, brings it every day, does everything I ask. [He] shoots a little bit too much sometimes, but we need him to score.”

In the open floor, the 6-foot-6 freshman can best employ his quickness, length and ball-handling ability. But Turgeon also wants Faust (7.5 points, 3.9 rebounds per game) to use those assets in the halfcourt with drives to the hoop.

“I want Nick to be Nick. That’s kind of the way he played at Duke,” Turgeon said. “You have to take a little bit of bad with a lot of good with Nick. What Nick has to do most is stay out of foul trouble.”

The 6-foot-5 Parker has made strides after failing to win a spot in the rotation in his freshman season under coach Gary Williams. As a sophomore, Parker has had a few no-show outings and been out of the lineup quickly. But for the most part, he has held his spot in the rotation, becoming a growing factor as a perimeter defender.

“Mike can help us on the break. Mike can help us on the boards. Mike can help us defensively,” Turgeon said. “I thought he did those three things Saturday. He made [all six of] his free throws. He was efficient.”

If Faust and Parker can continue their solid work, the future of the Maryland backcourt will be all the more promising.

Still, Howard’s loss changes Turgeon’s expectations the rest of the way.

“To be quite honest with you, we were all a little stunned with the [Howard] injury,” Turgeon said of the sophomore’s torn ACL. “I thought we were starting to be a lot better than everybody thought we were going to be. I thought we had a chance to win a lot of games down the stretch.”

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