Maryland men’s basketball destroys Saint Louis in opening game of 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off, 95-67

Donta Scott reached the free-throw line late in the second half with the Terps win already secured. Scott drained both free throws, reaching 25 points on the day, tying his career-high. 

Scott led the way for the Terps with his efficient shooting. The senior shot 8-13 from the field and a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line to help pace Maryland basketball to a 95-67 dominant win over Saint Louis. 

The three-point shooting ability was on full display for the Terps. After shooting a horrific 15.3% from three over their past two games, the Terps knocked down an efficient 40.6% of their looks from downtown against Saint Louis. 

“A lot of our bad shots [were] because we’re up 30 and guys were open and they’re taking the first shot they got,” coach Kevin Willard said. “I think they understood who they were playing today, they understood we had to get great shots every time. This is a very good shooting team, I have confidence 1-5 with guys shooting.”

The Terps and the Billikens both got off to a slow start, struggling to shoot the ball from deep. That all changed when the Terps hit back-to-back deep threes, one being an and-one at the top of the key by graduate student guard Don Carey.

Shortly after draining his first three, Carey let another fly, and nailed his second three in a matter of minutes. Seconds later a Billikens turnover led to a Hakim Hart fastbreak euro-step layup.

Saint Louis struggled to get their stars going early shooting just 3-14 with 11:35 to go in the first half. Their leading scorer so far this season Gibson Jimerson started out 0-3 from deep despite his elite shooting ability.

Maryland’s tempo and rhythm on offense and hounding defense shocked Saint Louis from the jump. Saint Louis started forcing shots that weren’t there and began turning the ball over. At one point the Billikens were shooting under 25% from inside the arc. 

A Julian Reese chase-down block led to a Jahmir Young three in transition, giving bookending a 10-0 run. Maryland’s lead climbed to 15, forcing Saint Louis to take a timeout.

Billikens head coach Travis Ford was called for a technical foul at the end of the half, as his star players, Yuri Collins and Javonte Perkins, struggled to get anything going. Collins shot 0-8 from the field in the first half, while Perkins finished the first half without any points.

Carey, Hart, and Scott all reached double figures in the first half, as the Terps offense rattled off 51 points in the first 20 minutes of action. Defensively, the Terps also came to play, registering eight forced turnovers and eight combined blocks and steals in the first half.

Perkins started the second half with five quick points, and back-to-back layups by Collins shortly after kept Saint Louis within 20.

Scott soon put an end to the Billikens momentum with an and-one off a blocking foul by Perkins. Moments later, Scott slammed down an emphatic dunk on a fastbreak to grow Maryland’s lead to 24.

Maryland’s defense continued to force turnovers as the half went on, earning easy looks in transition on the other end. 

Maryland reached a 30-point lead with 2:38 to go in the second half; they went on to win 95-67.

“I thought if we could out-rebound them, we’d have a great chance of winning because they had really dominated the glass in their first three games,” Willard said. “The biggest thing for us was if we can get rebounds, we can get out in transition, and I think our transition offense is getting better.”

The Terps outrebounded the Billikens 41-35 and, because of that advantage, controlled the battle in second-chance points and fastbreak points.

Five Terps reached double-figures, led by Scott’s 25. Carey and Hart each notched 16 points.

Ian Martinez scored 14 of Maryland’s 23 off the bench.

Willard and the Terps improved to 4-0 with four straight wins by 20 or more points.

Maryland will play in the championship game against the winner of Miami vs. Providence tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.