Coming off its second-straight conference loss, Maryland men’s basketball (10-5, 1-3 Big Ten) is back in action for the third time in seven days to take on No. 24 Ohio State (10-4, 2-1 Big Ten) on Sunday.
Maryland is coming off of another double-digit loss on the road, this time to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Thursday, 64-50. Even though Maryland tried to come back in the second half, shooting 59% from the field in the final 30 minutes, it wasn’t enough to overcome the amount of turnovers the Terps had committed, 20 over the course of the game.
Coach Kevin Willard touched upon how he believes the turnover problem is just something that will keep preventing the Terps from winning with the way the team is constructed.
“We just can’t hurt ourselves, and when you’re small at every position you just can’t be giving free possessions away and that’s kind of what we’re doing right now,” Willard said.
Graduate student guard Jahmir Young has been Maryland’s best player this season, scoring a team high 13 points against Rutgers and averaging 13.9 points per game this season. He’s also leading the team in assists, averaging three per game.
Senior forward Donta Scott has been struggling in the last two games despite being Maryland’s second-leading scorer. He hasn’t scored in double digits during this stretch, putting up five points against Michigan and six points against Rutgers. Scott averages 12.2 points per game on the season.
Coach Chris Holtman leads the Buckeyes, who look primed for another NCAA Tournament birth the way they’ve started this season. Ohio State’s record and ranking is not as impressive as its efficiency on the floor, as the Buckeyes rank ninth in the nation in adjusted efficiency margin according to Kenpom.
The Buckeyes suffered a tough two-point loss to No. 1 Purdue at home their last time out. Three of their four losses have come against ranked opponents.
Ohio State’s offense could be a lot for the Terps to handle because it makes shots at a high rate, and also has a commanding presence on the glass. The Buckeyes rank second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (49%), three-point percentage (37.8%), and combined team rebounds (39.9 per game) on the season.
It’s been some game changing shooters that lead Ohio State’s great shooting, led by freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh. He has started off the season on fire, averaging 16.3 points per game on 53.5% shooting from the field and 45% shooting from three-point range.
“A lot of freshmen take tough shots, Brice takes them and makes them,” Willard said. “They put him on the right block, he jabs, he goes middle and shoots a little fall away fourteen footer; he probably does it six times a game and makes four of them when the average freshman would make one of them.”
The other key player for the Buckeyes is junior forward Zed Key. Key is extremely efficient around the basket, averaging 12.4 points per game on 62.9% shooting from the field, while also being the team’s leader on the boards, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game. It is not sure if he will play after he sprained his shoulder during the Purdue game, but if he does he’ll be a challenge for sophomore forward Julian Reese around the rim.
Redshirt senior forward Justice Sueing has also been a factor this season, averaging 13.6 points per game.
The game will start at 1 p.m. and will take place at the XFINITY Center in College Park.
