Preview: Maryland men’s basketball prepares for weekend matchup against Penn State

After a grueling defeat on the road, Maryland men’s basketball (16-8, 7-6 Big Ten) returns to College Park on Saturday, poised to remain undefeated in Big Ten home games against Penn State (14-10, 5-8 Big Ten). 

Maryland saw its four-game win streak vanish, falling to Michigan State on the road, 63-58. The loss was a tough one for the Terps, as they rallied back in the second half after going down 15-0 in the first few minutes, only to fall short in the final minutes. 

The game showcased the first half struggles of Maryland, highlighted by a poor shooting performance. The Terps shot 31% from the floor, including 2-13 from three. Still, the Terps headed to the locker room only down nine. 

Despite the lackluster start, Maryland came out of halftime with a strong second half and led by as much as four with 9:15 remaining. 

“I just thought we came out a little bit with a sense of urgency on the offensive end,” coach Kevin Willard said. “I just thought we came out so lackadaisical on the offensive end in the first half. It just led them getting out on the fastbreak which they’re terrific at, especially in this building.”

But in the end, Maryland was unable to contain seniors Joey Hauser and Tyson Walker, who combined for 37 points and shot 6-11 from three. Unlike the Terps, the Spartans shot the ball exceptionally well as a team at 45%. 

Although Maryland fell short, it played well in other aspects of the game. The Terps controlled points in the paint, outscoring the Spartans 30-12. They were also the better team taking care of the basketball. With only eight turnovers, it marked the seventh-straight games of ten turnovers or less for the Terps.

Graduate student guard Jahmir Young was the Terps’ leader in points with 17. Young eclipsed the 1,800 career scoring mark and is averaging 19.7 points over his last nine games. 

“I think Jahmir has been as good of a guard there is in the country,” Willard said. “I was a little disappointed he wasn’t on the Cousy Award list for the minutes he logging, what he’s done, where the program was last year, where it is now. I think a ton of it has to do with how good Jahmir Young has been.”

Sophomore forward Julian Reese added 11 points, scoring 10 or more in seven of his last nine games. Reese shot 5-9 from the field and now holds the single-season program record for field goal percentage (minimum 100 made field goals). 

Maryland has a chance to bounce back at home where it is 6-0 in conference play. 

“It’s always fun to be able to play in front of your fans and in front of your family,” Young said. “So I feel like the atmosphere when we’re here is always great. Students do a great job of coming out and showing support.” 

Penn State enters the matchup 1-6 on the road and amid a three-game losing streak. The Nittany Lions have struggled to play in the Big Ten, sitting 11th in the conference standings. 

Penn State’s offense stacks up well against its Big Ten counterparts. The Nittany Lions slide right into the middle in terms of points per game, but they do shoot a Big Ten best 55.4% from the field and 38.4% from three.

Penn State also leads the conference by a large margin with 259 three pointers made, 63 more than second place.

Leading the efficient Penn State offense is senior Jalen Pickett. The 6-foot-4 guard ranks sixth in the Big Ten in points (17.3), seventh in rebounds (7.8) and first in assists per game (7.0). Pickett even ranks third among division one players with a 3.23 assist/turnover ratio. 

“I think Jalen Pickett is probably as effective a player as I’ve seen from the guard position in a really long time,” Willard said. “He is as efficient as a player for the minutes he’s logging, the amount of possessions he has. He is unbelievable.”

Senior guards Andrew Funk and Seth Lundy provide the elite scoring from three. Funk leads all Big Ten players with 73 three pointers made and Lundy trails at three with 64. Both players are shooting at impressive clips over 40%. 

Per Kenpom, Penn State’s offense ranks No. 24 in adjusted offensive efficiency, but its defense ranks No. 107 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Penn State shoots well from long range but so does its opponents, as its defense allows 7.7 threes a game, which ranks No. 237 among all Division One schools.

Since joining the Big Ten, Maryland is 6-6 all-time against Penn State head-to-head. The programs last met Feb. 22 when the Terps defeated the Nittany Lions 67-61 in College Park.

The game will tip off at noon and will take place at the XFINITY Center.