Terps are 66-55 Probably the most impressive show of the season, winning Tuesday night at the Xfinity Center. The Hoosiers are on his fifth straight win and rely on outstanding senior and prolific top scorer Trace Jackson for his Davis. But Willard’s team responded whenever Indiana (15-7, 6-5) was threatened, while the Terps (15-7, 6-5) limited the normally high-scoring Hoosiers.
For Terps, Tuesday’s win will help allay fears of missing out on the NCAA Tournament. With three games left against Big Ten bottom-placed Minnesota and Nebraska, Maryland shouldn’t have much trouble picking up at least his nine conference victories. In terms of tournament resumes, Maryland beat out three of his Big Ten opponents ranked — Illinois (No. 16 at the time), currently in a slump Ohio (No. 24) and Indiana.
The Terps shot only 34 percent on Tuesday, but their defense and composure (only five turnovers) won the game.
Jackson Davis, whom Willard described as “the best college basketball player right now,” was leading the way in January, averaging 23.6 points, 13.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists coming into Tuesday’s game. Terp looked vulnerable with a thin frontcourt and prone to foul trouble for Julian Rees. But Maryland held back Jackson Davis. He finished with his 18 points and 20 rebounds. Impressive Stats He’s the line, but not enough to take over.
Willard said of Reese’s defense against Jackson Davis, “I thought it was amazing.” [much of] big player. It just shows how far Julian has come. ”
Maryland also included Indiana’s outstanding freshman point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, who missed his first 11 field goal attempts and scored 3 on 1-of-14 shooting. . Willard said he thought the Terps press was “extremely effective in breaking the freshman rhythm.” That left the Hoosiers without enough options, leaving Maryland’s Jermia Young (20 points) and Donta Scott (19 points) to lead the game instead.
Reese said the Terps “definitely felt neglected” as he believed Indiana “overlooked” them ahead of Saturday’s matchup with No. 1 Purdue.
The Terps had an eight-point halftime lead, but the Hoosiers cut the deficit to two within four minutes. Maryland responded with her 10-for-2 run, again providing the cushion. Willard conceded several second-half offensive rebounds to help Tarp expand his possessions and limit Indiana’s opportunities.
Terps handled 3 game homestands Wisconsin, Nebraska Indiana with composure wrapping up this streak before heading back on the road in search of their first conference win away from the Xfinity Center. Maryland has the best chance of reversing that trend when they play Saturday at the bottom of the Big Ten, Minnesota.
Here’s what else you should know about Maryland’s victory.
Hampered early by a 10-1 shot from a 3-point range, the Terps gave Indiana a 7-point lead with 9:18 in the first half. After Willard called a timeout, Maryland’s awkward pressing sent the Hoosiers into a mistake and an offensive slump. From that point until halftime, Indiana scored only his three goals on the field, and on a 22-7 run he led the Terps to a break. Maryland posted a 10-0 burst during that stretch, which included five Indiana turnovers.
During a time-out, Willard jokingly told his players, “The bald guy would be really happy if someone got a shot.” He thought they needed to relax. “I thought we were off to a good start.
Despite shooting 35.7% in the first 20 minutes, the Terps managed a 37-29 halftime lead by relying on their solid defense and ability to get through halftime without a turnover. .
Young’s Stellar Stretch
Young, who moved from Charlotte, has matured as he familiarized himself with the Big Ten. Terps scored 3 points he struggled in range (22 for 5) but marked 3 of 6 and also successfully attacked the rim. Young has scored at least his 20 points in five of his last seven games and has been vital to Maryland’s turnaround.
The Terps had a season-low five turnovers against Indiana. Willard said the team has been passing the ball into the hands of Young and Hakim Hart more often, which has led to improvement.
Reese (10 points and 11 rebounds) handled much of the defensive load against Jackson Davis, but reserve forward Patrick Emilien also contributed to the effort. Emilien played 13 minutes, recording 2 points, 3 rebounds and 1 block.
Another bench player, guard Ian Martinez, played a key role in Maryland’s energetic defense, scoring seven points in 20 minutes.
