Maryland men’s basketball was picked to finish third in the Big Ten this past preseason. Instead, the Terps, ranked 10th in the conference with three regular season games remaining, will attempt to claw their way out of the bottom four of the conference to earn a single bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
These are not the circumstances coach Kevin Willard expected to face during his second season in College Park. Maryland ranks 156th in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency, the second-worst number in the Big Ten, and has lost eight out of its 10 Quadrant 1 games.
Even with all the struggles, frustration and disappointment, Maryland (15-13, 7-10 Big Ten) has an opportunity to finish the season with a .500 record in Big Ten play, just one win shy of last year’s team.
The Terps’ final three games come against Northwestern, Indiana and Penn State, the former two at home. They sit as KenPom’s 44th-best team in the country and are 67th in NET. They won’t face another Quadrant 1 opponent in the regular season — Northwestern and Penn State are Quad 2 games and Indiana is a Quad 3.
“This time of year, you could either pack it in a little bit and have a shitty attitude, or you can try to keep on fighting to make something happen,” Willard said. “They’ve had a great attitude all year, we’ve played hard all year, we’ve just struggled in close games.”
The first of Maryland’s three remaining opponents is the Wildcats (19-8, 10-6 Big Ten), who are tied for third in the conference standings, in position for a double bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
They boast the eight-best scoring offense in the conference, led by Boo Buie’s 18.9 points per game. The fifth-year guard averages the fourth-most points in the Big Ten, shooting a career-high 41 percent from 3-point range on 5.7 attempts per game.
Maryland and Northwestern last played just over a month ago in Evanston. The Wildcats came out on top, 72-69, iced by a Buie layup with about 20 seconds left in regulation. It was largely a Buie vs. Jahmir Young battle down the stretch — Buie recorded 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds, while Young scored 36 points and 15 of the Terps’ last 19.
Young has struggled with his efficiency since then, shooting just 34.7 percent on field goals over his last 10 games. The fifth-year guard made a season-low two field goals in Maryland’s last game against Rutgers. But while his shots weren’t falling, Young turned into a facilitator, dishing out a season-high nine assists.
Against the Scarlet Knights, a 63-46 win, four Terps scored in double digits for just the fifth time in Big Ten play. It was a balanced scoring attack for a team that generally has its scoring concentrated between two or three scorers.
Julian Reese also had a strong showing Sunday. The junior forward recorded his highest point total in over a month — 20 points on 11 shots — while adding six rebounds and two blocks.
He dominated the matchup against Clifford Omoruyi, the Big Ten’s leader in blocks, who picked up two first-half fouls and played just 17 minutes. It was Omoruyi’s lowest minute total of the season — the senior was held to half of his season average in points and rebounds.
“Just staying patient, playing the slow game,” Reese said on his approach throughout the contest. “As the season went on I kind of learned how to score out of double teams. Just pass out and sometimes I can’t force it…getting those singles and eventually we can get a home run.”
Maryland has had an immensely frustrating season. But with a winnable last three games, and the chance to catch fire and go on a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament, the Terps’ Big Dance hopes are still alive, even if slim. Wednesday’s game against Northwestern is a must-win for those dreams to stay alive.
