Preview: No.16 Maryland men’s basketball hosts highly anticipated matchup against No. 8 Michigan State

Photo courtesy of University of Maryland Athletics

The nation will have its eyes on College Park, Maryland on Wednesday night. 

No. 16 Maryland Basketball (21-6, 11-5 Big Ten) will play host for the biggest game in college basketball this week, as they welcome the No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (22-5, 13-3) to a sold-out Xfinity Center. 

The Terps enter victorious in four straight games, most recently defeating USC last Thursday, 88-71. All five of Maryland’s starters, recently dubbed “The Crab Five” on social media, scored 10+ points for the third consecutive game. The five average 70.4 points per game combined, the highest amongst all starting fives for major conference teams. 

On Thursday, guards Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice led the way, with 20 and 22 points respectively, while the frontcourt duo of Derik Queen and Julian Reese both notched a double-double, Queen’s fourth in a row and Reese’s third. 

A month ago, the Terps were one of 22 teams to rank top 57 in offensive efficiency and top 37 in defensive efficiency according to KenPom, which every national champion since 2004 had accomplished. Now, the Terps are one of just nine teams to fit that criteria, and the only Big Ten team to do so. The team itself is well-versed in KenPom metrics, thanks to head coach Kevin Willard.

“For me, showing them KenPom is getting them to understand the net margin of victory: who you’re playing, when you’re playing, where you’re playing,” Willard said. “I think it changed this team’s mentality a little bit. Understanding the importance of every game. When you’re at some other conferences, you can not play well in January and February, it doesn’t really matter. It matters in this conference and at this level.”

Over the past three games, the Terps have had just nine points come off their bench, two from Jordan Geronimo, one from Tafara Gapare against USC and six from Geronimo against Iowa. Although it’s very unconventional, they continue to win, and now sit at No. 10 nationally in points per game with 83.7.

However, that recipe will likely have to change. The Spartans, led by legendary head coach Tom Izzo, whose teams are known for their aggressiveness on defense, currently rank No. 12 in defensive efficiency according to KenPom and have held opposing teams to just 28% from beyond the arc.

“Their pick and roll defense is really, really good,” Willard said on Tuesday. “Their bigs do a great job hedging and their guards work to get over screens. Their big guys do a great job of making guards make an extra pass, and they really just run you off the line.”

Michigan State ranks No. 5 in the nation in bench scoring (35.67 points per game), and has 10 players averaging at least 14 minutes per game. If the Terps’ starters get off to a slow start, the bench will need to have their biggest game yet. 

The Spartans, first in the Big Ten, also enter Wednesday’s game off a break with four days of rest. They have won three straight, including victories over No. 19 Purdue at home and No. 13 Michigan on the road. 

Overall, the Spartans rank No. 3 in the nation in fast break points (16.85 points per game), No. 3 in rebound margin (+9.4), and No. 20 in rebounds (39.63 per game). A point of emphasis from Willard will need to be avoiding as many fouls as possible, as the Spartans also rank No. 5 in free throw shooting (79.9%) and No. 9 in free throws made per game (18). 

Michigan State’s offense is led by senior guard Jaden Akins with 13 points per game and freshman guard Jase Richardson with 10.8 points per game, while the defense is anchored by junior guard Tre Holloman, who has nearly a steal per game (0.9), and junior forward Jaxon Kohler, who has 7.6 rebounds per game and just under a block per game at 0.8.

However, the Spartans have one distinct weakness, which is three-point shooting. They rank tied for 347th out of 364 teams in three-pointers made per game, with just 5.6, while shooting only 19 threes per game (331st). That comes out to just 29.6% from long range on average, 350th in the country. Richardson is the only player for the Spartans to average at least 40% beyond the arc.  

Wednesday’s game will not only have major implications for the Big Ten tournament in two weeks but also for seeding for March Madness. The Terps have lost six straight games to the Spartans, their last victory coming in the 2021 Big Ten tournament. However, a raucous striped-out Xfinity Center awaits them, where they are 16-1 overall and victors of 13 straight, including 8 straight in the Big Ten. 

Willard and the Terps know how big of a game it is and just how good the team and coach they’re playing are.

“I think Coach Izzo is the reason why Big Ten basketball is Big Ten basketball,” Willard said. “I think he’s the main reason why, arguably, year in and year out, this is the best college basketball conference. And Akins and Holloman, they’re dogs man. Like, they don’t care who they’re playing, where they’re playing, what they’re up against. They’re coming at you.”

Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and can be viewed on the Big Ten Network.