Preview: Maryland men’s basketball gets set for matchup against Nebraska

Following a court-storming win at home, Maryland men’s basketball (18-8, 9-6 Big Ten) prepares for a road matchup against Nebraska (13-14, 6-10 Big Ten). 

The Terps played in front of their second-consecutive sellout arena at Xfinity Center on Thursday, picking up their first win against an AP top-five team since 2016. Led by graduate student guard Jahmir Young, Maryland mounted a second-half surge to defeat No. 3 Purdue, 68-54. 

“I knew we were going to win,” coach Kevin Willard said. “This was not a surprise for me.”

The big second half included a monstrous 29-4 run sparked by a Purdue technical foul. The Terps seized momentum with the help of their ear-splitting home crowd, who rushed the court following the final buzzer sound.

“It’s what college basketball is all about, especially this time of year,” Willard said. “Like I said, the court-storming was for the students, for the fans. The locker room was what it’s all about, it was great. I told them I was very proud of them. I told him that they earned it. They’ve worked hard.”

With their stout defense, Maryland held Purdue to its lowest-scoring mark this season. The Terps  out-rebounded the Boilermakers by 15, their largest margin lost all season.

Sophomore forward Julian Reese was a major part of the Terps success. Tasked with a matchup against junior center Zach Edey, Reese made things difficult for the 7-foot-4 big man while hauling in nine rebounds and scoring 10 points.

“You know, it’s definitely a confidence booster,” Reese said. “But again, we got to keep working. We can celebrate our victories now and put in the work tomorrow. It was a fun moment, just being able to get a big one like that. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment.”

Young led all scorers with 20 points and added five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Young scored 20 or more for the eighth time this season and is tied for eighth in points per game in the Big Ten.

Following Maryland’s program record 11 consecutive conference wins at home, the Terps moved up nine spots and sit at No. 19 in the NET rankings. They also rose to No. 16 in Kenpom. 

In Maryland’s last matchup against Nebraska, the Terps soundly defeated the Cornhuskers 82-63 with five different Terps scoring in double figures. The loss for Nebraska was the third amid a four-game skid. 

Nebraska has played better recently, winning three of its last four, picking up wins against Wisconsin and Rutgers — two teams that had previously beaten Maryland. However, the Cornhuskers have struggled to keep up with others in the Big Ten over the course of the season. 

Overall, teams have had success offensively and defensively against Nebraska this year, ranking in the top nine in both opponent adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency, per Kenpom. 

Junior guard Keisei Tominaga was locked up last game against Maryland, scoring just one three-pointer on three attempts. But Tominaga is tied for fifth in three-pointers made in the Big Ten and shoots an impressive 40% from long range. 

Furthermore, Tominaga has exploded offensively since the Jan. 28 matchup against the Terps, averaging 21.8 points and four made threes per game. The five-game stretch includes a career-high 30 points in a win at home against Penn State. 

Senior forward Derrick Walker led the Cornhuskers in points and posted a game-high eight rebounds last outing against the Terps. Walker was a major part of Maryland’s gameplan, throwing double teams at him down low, leading to his five turnovers. 

Walker will once again be a point of emphasis for the Terps and their quest to win the battle in the trenches. Walker is tied for ninth in rebounds per game with 7.2 and also is an efficient scorer down low with a 60% field goal percentage, fourth in the Big Ten. 

The game on Sunday will tip off at 5 p.m. and will take place at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Nebraska.