Maryland men’s basketball bounces back with 111-57 win over St. Francis (PA)

Photo courtesy of University of Maryland Athletics

No such thing as rust for Maryland men’s basketball. 

Despite a nine-day hiatus from game action, the Terps (9-2, 1-1 Big Ten) got back on track on Tuesday, defeating the Saint Francis Red Flash (4-8), 111-57. It’s the most points Maryland has scored this season, narrowly beating their 108-point performance on Nov. 19 against Canisius.

“We got a lot of reps,” Rodney Rice said of the long break. “Staying in shape was a big thing, nine days off is a lot of days. But we got to shoot a lot and work on the details both offensively and defensively.”

The first 10 minutes of the match featured a back-and-forth affair with multiple lead changes. Despite being 34-point underdogs, the Red Flash kept it close through strong ball movement in their offensive end, consistently creating open shots and driving to the basket without hesitation. 

However, their bid for an upset would end quickly. In the second 10-minute stretch of the first half, the Terps would outscore their visitors 36-8. The Terps utilized a fast-paced offense, moving the ball into the Red Flash’s territory with haste. Their quick ball movement led to consistent three-point plays, including three straight possessions where they sank a shot from beyond the arc. 

Selton Miguel, who has had multiple strong first halves this season, had his best outing yet, scoring a season-high 17 points in the first half. JuJu Reese also had a strong start, recording nine points and nine rebounds in the first frame. 

“This is what we saw on film with him at South Florida,” head coach Kevin Willard said about Miguel. “He’s playing for his fourth different team, it’s not going to magically happen right away for a fifth year. To Selt’s credit, he’s stayed extremely positive and his work ethic has been great. You’re seeing the result now of him just getting more comfortable.”

Nothing would change in the second half besides the Terps’ appetite for dominance. Just as they’ve done in most other games this season, the Terps deployed a full-court press in the second half, forcing an already beleaguered Saint Francis to find a new offensive recipe. 

The Terps would finish the game shooting 42-for-68 (61.8%) from the floor, including 15-for-26 (57.7%) from three, easily their best marks in each category so far this season. Their 15 made threes are the second-most in any game in program history. 

“We’ve really hurt ourselves from an analytic standpoint in the last six minutes of some of these games,” Willard said. “I think these guys understand how important analytics are now and realize what every shot means. We’ve been focused on being patient and getting good possessions every time.”

All five of Maryland’s starters would finish with double-digit points. Miguel would lead the way (24), supported by Rice (16) and Derik Queen (15), while Tafara Gapare and Jay Young offered strong off-the-bench performances, each finishing with nine points. Gapare would add eight rebounds while Young contributed four assists. 

“Coach Willard just told me to be more aggressive, so I did that,” Miguel said.

Finally, Reese would notch his fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

“Derek and JuJu are such willing passers for big guys,” Willard said. “We demand the ball to get thrown inside, but those two guys are willing to kick it back out. I think when you have unselfish big guys, especially a guy like JuJu, a senior that’s been around the block, guys feed off of it.” 

Now, the Terps will turn their attention to hitting the road again, this time for their second neutral-court matchup. They’ll take on the Syracuse Orange in the Gotham Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Tipoff is set for noon on Saturday.