No. 13 Maryland men’s basketball downs Northwestern 74-61 in season finale

Photo courtesy of University of Maryland Athletics

Regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s game, No. 13 Maryland Basketball had secured a top-four seed and a double bye in the Big Ten tournament due to Penn State beating No. 12 Wisconsin earlier in the day.

The Terps’ only goal in the game was to honor their five seniors – Ben Murphy, Jay Young, Jordan Geronimo, Selton Miguel, and Julian Reese – in the final game at Xfinity this season. All five were greeted with a standing ovation by a sold-out crowd.

But the crowd was the loudest for Reese. The forward spent all four seasons with the Terps despite a coaching change, exiting College Park with the second-most rebounds and ninth-most blocks in program history.

Reese left the Xfinity Center for the last time with a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double, both of which were team leaders, en route to a 74-61 victory over Northwestern (16-15, 7-13).

“I think he really embraced his last time being here,” head coach Kevin Willard said. “I think we’re probably looking at one of the last guys to ever spend four years at Maryland. I think it was really special.”

Both teams started sloppy, combining for 19 turnovers and 17 fouls in the first half. Three-point shooting was a non-factor, as both teams concluded the first frame shooting 20% from beyond the arc. 

Despite an ugly half, the Terps (24-7, 14-6 Big Ten) led 32-29, primarily due to their efforts on the glass, outrebounding the Wildcats 21-12. The rebounding edge paid dividends in the paint, as Maryland consistently drew fouls and converted from the free-throw line. 

Defensively, the Terps did not have an answer for Wildcats’ guard Nick Martinelli. The junior entered the locker room, leading the team with 16 points, while no other Northwestern player had more than four. Martinelli would finish with a game-leading 28 points.

“He’s not a good matchup for anybody, that kid’s a warrior,” Willard said. “That kid has willed that program to seven wins, which is ridiculous considering how many injuries they’ve had. I voted him for first team because, without him, they’d have no chance.”

The Terps continued to turn the ball over to start the second half, but Miguel got the team going from beyond the arc. He scored their first eight points of the half, including back-to-back 3-point shots. 

Miguel was not the only one to break the Terps’ 3-point woes. Rodney Rice finally converted on his fifth attempt, while Ja’Kobi Gillespie hit his first two of the day. The first broke a scoring drought for the Terps and moved him into fifth all-time for three-pointers made in a season in program history with 75. 

Northwestern’s defense continued to make things tough down the stretch, but the Terps’ strong ball movement and better communication down the stretch opened up more open looks on the perimeter and inside. The Terps continued to draw fouls and convert.

With the game winding down, “The Crab Five” once again accomplished what earned them their nickname in the first place – all five reached double-digit points with 3:48 remaining in the game with a Derik Queen dunk. Queen, just as he has done all season, joined his frontcourt partner by securing another double-double.

In an emotional moment, the Terps took a shot clock violation with the time winding down, bringing in Murphy for Reese — both of whom gave massive bear hugs to Willard. 

“I was really grateful in that moment,” Reese said. “I’m grateful to have had an impact on a number of peoples’ lives and for the love they showed today.”

Now, the Terps’ attention turns to the Big Ten tournament, which begins on Wednesday in Indianapolis. With regular season play continuing into Sunday, the Terps await their seed, not having to play until Friday.