No. 25 Maryland men’s basketball starters make statement in 83-75 win at Nebraska

Photo courtesy of Maryland Terrapins

At least 13 points in at least 34 minutes for all five starters and zero bench points is not a reliable or conventional way to win a road game in the Big Ten.

But No. 25 Maryland men’s basketball (19-6, 9-5 Big Ten) did just that Thursday night at Nebraska (16-9, 6-8), winning 83-75 in an intense atmosphere at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.

Freshman center Derik Queen had a strong follow-up to his career-best 29 and 15 on Sunday, going 9-for-11 en route to 24 along with 11 rebounds. Nebraska fifth-year Braxton Meah gave Queen a bit of trouble in the first half, leading to three turnovers, but the young five-star adjusted and did not give the ball away in the second.

“[Queen]’s understanding the league. He’s adjusted to the league really well,” head coach Kevin Willard said. “It just tells you how smart of a player he really is.”

Senior forward Julian Reese had another great night away from College Park, ending with 13 and 12 for his fourth-straight road double-double.

Fifth-year wing Selton Miguel, sophomore guard Rodney Rice, and junior guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie were also terrific, combining for the team’s 7-for-15 from behind the three-point line.

Nebraska’s Brice Williams, who leads the team in points, assists and minutes played, had 20 despite battling an illness. Head coach Fred Hoiberg said he and junior guard Connor Essegian were both game-time decisions. Essegian played just 9 minutes, failing to score on an 0-for-6 night.

Fifth-year Husker forward Juwan Gary stepped up, dropping 22. His 3-for-6 from three-point range matched a season-best, only shooting 28.6% from beyond this year.

The Terps found their groove offensively out of the under-16 timeout in the first half, going on a quick 9-0 run. But a subsequent three-minute drought let Nebraska fight back and keep the crowd in the game.

One particularly rough sequence for the Terps saw Reese commit an off-ball flagrant foul on a Gary three, leading to a five-point possession for the Huskers after Weah converted both free throws.

Still, Maryland stayed consistent on offense, taking a 42-35 into the locker room behind a dominant 20-11 rebound margin.

The Terrapins’ momentum carried over into the second half, grabbing the game’s first double-digit lead after four minutes of action. However, senior forward Andrew Morgan was the answer for Nebraska, finishing strong in the paint three times as the Huskers began to creep back.

The intensity of the atmosphere ramped up halfway through the period, including another tangle under the basket involving Weah – this time with Terp wing Jordan Geronimo – where both received a flagrant. Reese picked up a technical foul after not getting a whistle on a driving layup moments later.

With 8:30 to go, a free throw by Rice made him the last Maryland starter to enter double figures. The Terps bench – consisting of Geronimo, DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jay Young with Tafare Gapare ruled out – did not score.

“When you have Selton Miguel, Rodney Rice and Ja’Kobi Gillespie out there shooting threes, it makes your life a lot easier,” Willard said.

Willard continued to lean on his starters down the stretch, as Queen and Reese began to dominate on both ends. The lead dwindled to two on several occasions, but the Terps answered each time and closed out a resilient victory.

Ultimately, Maryland was more efficient on offense, shooting 58.5% to Nebraska’s 43.1% and winning the rebound battle 34-22. The performance was an undoubtedly refreshing sight for Terp fans, who have watched their team lose late leads in road games several times this season.

“We’ve gotten better every year on the road,” Willard said. “I love the fact that this team’s growing.”

With the win, Maryland improves to 14-4 all-time against the Cornhuskers and has won three consecutive matchups.

The Terps will host Iowa (14-10, 5-8 Big Ten) Sunday at 5 p.m.