Go Iowa Awesome – Preview: Iowa vs Maryland

WHO: Maryland Terrapins (11-5, 2-3 Massive Ten)
WHEN: 3:30 PM CT
WHERE: Carver-Hawkeye Area (Iowa Metropolis, IA)
TV: BTN (Dave Revsine and Brian Butch)
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Community (Gary Dolphin and Bobby Hansen) | Sirius/XM 383
MOBILE: www.foxsports.com/cellular
ONLINE: www.foxsports.com/reside
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome | @IowaHoops | @IowaonBTN
LINE: Iowa -5.5
KENPOM: Iowa -3 (62% likelihood of profitable)

Iowa
G Tony Perkins (10.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.4 bpg, 38.0 FG%, 28.9 3FG%)
G Ahron Ulis (5.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.2 bpg, 34.1 FG%, 28.2 3FG%)
F Connor McCaffery (7.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.0 bpg, 43.8 FG%, 36.8 3FG%)
F Kris Murray (21.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.7 spg, 1.2 bpg, 51.5 FG%, 37.5 3FG%)
F Filip Rebraca (14.4 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.6 spg, 1.5 bpg, 57.6 FG%, 40.0 3FG%)

Maryland
G Jahmir Younger (14.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.6 bpg, 42.0 FG%, 29.5 3FG%)
G Donald Carey (7.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.0 bpg, 34.8 FG%, 29.0 3FG%)
F Hakim Hart (11.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.3 bpg, 52.0 FG%, 35.8 3FG%)
F Donta Scott (12.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.1 bpg, 41.4 FG%, 28.8 3FG%)
C Julian Reese (10.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.9 bpg, 66.3% FG, 0 3FG%)

The Terrapins went 15-17 final 12 months, their first dropping season in virtually 30 years. Former coach Mark Turgeon resigned and was changed by assistant Danny Manning, who guided the Terps to a 10-14 report the remainder of the season. They misplaced twice to Iowa, together with a memorable 110-87 shellacking in Faculty Park final February. Manning wasn’t retained after the season and was changed by Kevin Willard, who had spent the final 12 seasons at Seton Corridor, the place he had guided the Pirates to 5 NCAA Event appearances in his last seven seasons (although only one NCAA Event win in that stretch). Willard acquired off to an 8-0 begin in his debut season at Maryland, together with a win in his Massive Ten opener in opposition to Illinois. That was adopted by an in depth highway loss to Wisconsin and a slender impartial court docket loss to Tennessee, earlier than the three-game dropping streak culminated with a 27-point residence loss in opposition to UCLA. Since returning to Massive Ten play, the Terps have gone 1-2, getting trounced by Michigan and Rutgers however recording a really strong win over Ohio State final Sunday.

The energy of this Maryland workforce to this point has been its protection, significantly in contesting pictures and denying attractiveness to opponents. Opponents are posting an efficient subject aim proportion of simply 44.9% in opposition to the Terps, which ranks nineteenth finest nationally. Opponents are making solely 29.9% of their 3-point tries and 45.0% of their 2-point makes an attempt, each of which rank within the prime 35 nationally by way of defensive stats. Maryland does not pressure lots of steals (solely 7.9% of opponent possessions finish in a steal), however they do get a decent variety of blocks (10.1%, 118th nationally) and are superb at forcing non-steal turnovers (10.7%, 52nd).

On offense, the Terrapins are good at making pictures contained in the arc (54% on 2-point makes an attempt, forty sixth nationally) and really unhealthy at making pictures behind the arc (31.4% on 3-point makes an attempt, 286th nationally). Clearly, we have seen loads of otherwise-poor taking pictures gamers (or groups) come right into a sport in opposition to Iowa and all of a sudden discover their taking pictures contact, however the stats positively counsel that forcing Maryland to aim extra bounce pictures is perhaps a profitable technique. And, certainly, in all 5 of Maryland’s losses this season, the offense truly fizzling out has been a key issue. Maryland hasn’t topped 60 factors (or 41% from the sphere) in any of these 5 defeats.

Maryland has one of many extra skilled groups in Division I, routinely beginning 4 seniors and a sophomore, although these starters do not essentially have lots of expertise enjoying collectively. The Terps beginning backcourt final season, Fatts Russell and Eric Ayala, departed after the season and Willard has changed them with skilled faces from the switch portal, Jahmir Younger (6’1″, 185) and Donald Carey (6’5″, 187). Younger, a Charlotte switch, leads the workforce in scoring (14.9 ppg) and assists (2.8 apg), however hasn’t been a very good shooter (42% FG, 29.5% 3FG). Carey, on his fourth workforce in 5 seasons, has been a fair worse shooter (34.8% FG, 29% 3FG).

The Terps’ frontcourt options three gamers (Donta Scott, Hakim Hart, and Julian Reese) who’re all 6’8″ or 6’9″ and averaging double-digits in scoring and 5+ rebounds per sport. Reese has been Maryland’s finest shooter (66% FG), primarily as a result of he takes his pictures close to the basket. Hart has been Maryland’s finest exterior shooter amongst gamers making an attempt not less than 50 3s this season, changing 35.8% from deep on the 12 months.

A quick begin would go a protracted strategy to serving to Iowa get a victory over Maryland on Sunday. The Terps have fallen behind by double-digits within the first ten minutes of all 5 of their losses this season (together with deficits of 19-7, 21-4, and 15-4 in opposition to UCLA, Michigan, and Rutgers, respectively). They clawed their manner again into the video games in opposition to Tennessee and Wisconsin earlier than dropping narrowly, however early deficits nonetheless proved expensive. If Iowa could make some pictures early and construct a lead, it could put lots of strain on a Maryland offense that is not constructed to attain lots of factors in a rush.

One factor to observe at present — does Fran McCaffery tinker with Iowa’s beginning lineup or rotations? Iowa acquired glorious minutes (and helpful manufacturing) off the bench from Josh Dix and Payton Sandfort in Iowa’s win over Michigan on Thursday — may one among them change Ahron Ulis or Tony Perkins, each struggling of late, within the beginning lineup? Or are they extra helpful in offering a set off the bench?