Maryland men’s basketball out to prove upset over Illinois was no fluke

Less than a week ago, a Maryland men’s basketball season that had already killed most of the buzz surrounding the team over the offseason appeared to be spiraling out of control. The Terps trailed Big Ten bottom-feeder Michigan by a dozen on their home court at halftime.

Maryland responded with arguably the three best halves of basketball it has played all season. First, it outscored the Wolverines 43-24 in the second half to avoid a deflating loss. Three days later, the Terps went into Champaign and upset then-No. 10 Illinois for just their second Big Ten road win in as many seasons under Kevin Willard.

“I feel like beating the No. 10 team in the country is definitely a good sign for us and it’s a good stepping stone for what’s to come,” Julian Reese said after his 20-point, 11-rebound performance.

It was Maryland’s first Quadrant I victory of the season – a signature win it needed desperately, especially with UCLA’s struggles making that win look a lot less impressive. Maryland’s November losses to Davidson and UAB – both Quadrant III losses – continue to put a stain on its NCAA tournament resume that will likely carry all the way to Selection Sunday.

While a step in the right direction, Maryland has a long way to go to get itself back into the NCAA Tournament picture where it imagined it comfortably would be before the season began. The Terps sit 100th in the NET and 67th in KenPom – a pretty wide difference between the two, but both put them far off the bubble.

Another opportunity for a Quadrant I win will present itself Wednesday when the Terps (11-6, 3-3) make the trip across the state of Illinois to visit Northwestern (12-4, 3-2). The Wildcats sit fourth in the Big Ten and boast an overtime win over No. 2 Purdue. Welsh-Ryan Arena is one of the few conference road venues that have been kind to the Terps – they hold a 6-1 record there since joining the Big Ten.

Wednesday’s matchup will pit two of the best guards in college basketball – Jahmir Young and Boo Buie – opposite each other. Both were unanimous selections to the media’s Preseason All-Big Ten First Team and are leading their respective teams in points and assists. Young shined in Maryland’s win on Sunday, posting 28 points and eight assists. He was named Big Ten Player of the Week for the second time this season.

Maryland will enjoy a size advantage on the perimeter against a Northwestern team that starts four players 6-foot-6 or shorter. The Terps dominated Illinois inside, outscoring the Illini 52-26 in the paint. They still didn’t shoot it well (4-for-17 from 3-point range), but made smart decisions with the basketball, posting a 14-to-7 assist-to-turnover ratio.

It could be a winning formula for a Maryland team that struggles with the perimeter shot – its 27.5 percent mark from beyond the arc is the second-lowest among power conference teams. Controlling the paint, valuing every possession, and moving the basketball is crucial for squeezing every ounce out of what is a limited offense.

Maryland has rather quietly been very good on the other end – it holds the 16th-ranked defense in Division I in terms of KenPom’s defensive efficiency. The Terps’ effort on that side of the ball has remained constant despite the offensive struggles.

“From a defensive standpoint, it’s one of the best lineups in the country,” Willard said of his starting five. “Offensively … obviously it’s had its struggles.”

Willard said after his team’s win over Michigan that he looks at every remaining game as a must-win. Maryland will have to stack a lot of wins in conference play to make up for a poor non-conference resume, especially with the Big Ten looking weaker than it has in recent years. 

The Terps got the signature win they needed – now they’ll have to prove it wasn’t just a mirage in an otherwise lost season.