Coach Kevin Willard has shared a blunt fact together with his level guard, Jahmir Younger: Generally, particularly within the Huge Ten, you aren’t going to play properly. It occurs even to high gamers, however Younger remains to be arduous on himself. Willard observed a kind of slumps and a few indicators of frustration early in Maryland’s matchup with Ohio State on Sunday, so he advised Younger: “You’re going again into that cycle. Get out of your cycle.”
Maryland
Jahmir Young brings the energy as the Terps dump the No. 24 Buckeyes
Younger rebounded by delivering a career-best efficiency and main the Terrapins to an 80-73 win over the No. 24 Buckeyes at Xfinity Heart. He attacked the rim, drew fouls, grabbed rebounds and posted 30 factors to tie his finest scoring outing from his first three school seasons at Charlotte.
Younger, who performed at DeMatha, transferred to Maryland earlier than this season — a step up in competitors — and has continued to generate standout showings. His season-high 11 rebounds have been simply shy of his career-best 12, and he drew 10 fouls.
“He simply stayed after it and stayed after it,” Willard stated. “His vitality and his tenaciousness was actually the distinction.”
Younger powered the Terps (11-5, 2-3) to a crucial win that ended a five-game dropping streak towards main convention opponents and snapped a two-game skid general. Sunday’s victory offers Maryland a lift because it enters a stretch that includes tough matchups at Iowa, vs. Michigan and at No. 1 Purdue.
Past Younger’s double-double, Maryland had 4 different gamers rating in double figures: Hakim Hart (12), Donta Scott (12), Don Carey (10) and Julian Reese (10). That manufacturing provided optimism for an offense that had struggled currently. Maryland was a power within the paint and shot 46.2 p.c from the sector towards the shorthanded Buckeyes (10-5, 2-2), who have been lacking ahead Zed Key due to a shoulder harm.
Ohio State had a 39-34 edge at halftime, however Willard’s group engineered a dominant stretch to begin the second half and take management. In the course of the break, Willard had his group watch movie, and the Terps made an adjustment of their press that was efficient. On the Buckeyes’ first 9 possessions after halftime, that they had 5 turnovers, missed six photographs and scored no factors.
“We didn’t have quite a lot of deflections going into the second half,” Younger stated. “So popping out, we simply needed to make an emphasis on that — making an attempt to get deflections, making an attempt to hurry them up and switch them over. We did that and have been in a position to get good photographs in return.”
The Terps constructed a 14-point lead, then stalled a bit. Reese bought referred to as for a technical foul with 9:40 to go, and a pair of Buckeyes free throws kick-started a 13-2 run that trimmed Maryland’s result in three with 6:15 remaining.
Ohio State narrowed the margin to 3 factors three extra occasions, however Maryland continued to reply. Willard referred to as a timeout when the Terps held a 72-68 lead with 1:29 to go, and Younger then made a hook shot to assist put the sport away.
Right here’s what else to find out about Maryland’s win:
The Terps hadn’t scored greater than 20 factors within the first half of their earlier 4 video games towards main convention opponents. In Maryland’s earlier two Huge Ten matchups — losses at Michigan and Rutgers — the Terps had simply 4 area objectives within the first half towards the Wolverines and 6 towards the Scarlet Knights.
Willard hoped these points would disappear when Maryland returned house, and at first of this recreation, the Terps confirmed promise. They made 9 of 13 area objective makes an attempt to seize a 23-16 lead, highlighted by a stretch during which they scored on seven straight possessions. However then Ohio State tightened up on protection, the Terps went chilly, and the Buckeyes chipped away till that they had a five-point halftime lead.
Within the closing 11 minutes earlier than halftime, Maryland missed 15 of 16 photographs. However within the second half, the Terps shot 60.9 p.c to retake the lead and by no means relinquish it.
“I used to be not anxious that we might play dangerous offensively in the present day,” Willard stated. “We’re house.”
Ohio State principally performed with a small lineup. With out Key, a 6-foot-8 ahead, 6-11 freshman middle Felix Okpara began, however he logged simply 12 minutes. Not one of the different Buckeyes who performed are taller than 6-7.
The Terps have Reese, a 6-9 middle, however aren’t constructed to bully Huge Ten groups within the paint. This recreation provided a uncommon alternative for them to be the aggressor. Reese didn’t capitalize as a lot as he might have, making simply 4 of 10 area objective makes an attempt, however Maryland outscored the Buckeyes 34-22 within the paint and had a 40-26 rebounding edge.
“We missed [Key’s] physicality,” Ohio State Coach Chris Holtmann stated. “We missed [the] skill to publish him and play via him at occasions.”
Maryland made 5 three-pointers on a season-low 13 makes an attempt. With their measurement benefit, the Terps as a substitute relied on getting inside and attacking the rim. In a whistle-heavy matchup, Maryland made 27 of 33 free throws.
Willard was significantly happy that his group continued to get into the paint because it was heading off the Buckeyes’ late push. Maryland tried simply 5 three-pointers within the second half, making two.
“We are able to’t at all times shoot threes,” Willard stated. “We’re within the double bonus — drive it, drive it. Put strain on a protection. I assumed we took step there the place we didn’t settle and we have been extra aggressive.”