While you’re away on winter break …

While the rest of the university uses the time between semesters to recharge batteries and spend time with friends and family, have no doubt the Terrapins men's basketball team will take advantage of these precious days without class to give its game a boost.

The Terps will take the floor nine times over winter break, including four matchups with ACC opponents. Here are five storylines to follow while the rest of you are away:

1. PE'SHON'S RETURN: In the best news the Terps have received all season, sophomore point guard Pe'Shon Howard is apparently well ahead of schedule in his recovery from a broken bone in his foot suffered in training camp. His tentative return date is Dec. 23, when the Terps welcome Radford to College Park.

The importance of Howard's return can't be overstated. The combination of Nick Faust and Terrell Stoglin at point guard has improved, but Howard will finally give the Terps a true ball handler.

With him back, Stoglin can continue to put up points as a shooting guard and Faust can establish himself as the sharpshooting wing he was recruited to be.

The most important part of Howard's return, though, is the timing. A month ago, people were wondering whether we'd even see him this season. Now we know he'll be coming back in time to get into a rhythm against four middling nonconference opponents before the Terps' ACC slate begins Jan. 8.

It's important to remember Howard has been on the shelf since late October, though, and that he's unlikely to regain his form from last season right away.

Either way, he gives coach Mark Turgeon some more options, and a legitimate point guard should help this team find its offensive identity.

2. LEN'S DEBUT: One game after Howard's expected return to the court, Terps fans will get their first chance to see 7-foot-1 center Alex Len.

The Ukrainian freshman's 10-game suspension for violating the NCAA's amateurism rules will end after the game against Radford, and on Dec. 28, he'll finally suit up for the Terps against Albany.

Turgeon emphasized throughout the early stages of the season that Len isn't "the answer," and he's probably right. Len will have to adjust quickly to the more physical style of play in the United States.

But he gives the Terps some much-needed frontcourt depth, and will help take some of the pressure off forward James Padgett in the paint. Considering some of the big-time post players in the ACC, the Terps are going to need all the help they can get.

3. THE ACC: The Terps have gained some solid experience in nonconference play this season. Against opponents like Alabama and Illinois, the team got a glimpse of the kind of talent it'll have to deal with when it gets to the meat of its schedule.

The Terps just haven't been too good against them. For every performance as solid as a Dec. 4 win over Notre Dame, there have been games like last Wednesday's, when the Terps snuck past Mount St. Mary's in a three-point win.

Once ACC play starts Jan. 8, we'll find out who the Terps are really going to be this season. There won't be any more cupcakes; they'll need their best performance every time they step onto the court if they hope to compete.

The Terps have looked better than many expected to at this point in the season, and it will be interesting to see if they enjoy more success in conference play than anticipated.

4. FAUST FIGURING IT OUT: When Faust decided to honor his commitment to the program after Gary Williams' retirement last spring, he was all but anointed the savior of the program.

So far, he's been anything but. Faust has struggled to adjust as a point guard in Howard's absence, averaging just 6.9 points and posting two more turnovers than assists so far.

But such growing pains are to be expected for a freshman, and a month without classes will give Faust a chance to focus solely on his game and allow Turgeon to mold him into the player many expect him to be.

That increased focus on his game, coupled with Howard's return as the team's primary ball handler, will be huge for Faust. Expect to see a different, more polished player when the spring semester rolls around.

5. DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT: Just as Faust should benefit from the added focus on basketball between semesters, the Terps will use this time off to further adjust to Turgeon's schemes and refine their game.

Expect improvement to come largely on the defensive end. Turgeon has been adamant that this team will play defense, and to his credit, the Terps have played very solid defense at times this year.