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Maryland
Maryland men’s basketball vs. Minnesota preview (game two)
Maryland males’s basketball — sitting at 18-9 total, 9-7 in Huge Ten play and comfortably within the NCAA Match subject — returns house for a rematch in opposition to Minnesota on Wednesday.
Winners of seven of their final 10 video games, the Terps are taking part in a few of their greatest basketball of the season. After final week began with a 68-54 house win over Huge Ten chief and No. 3 Purdue, the signature second of the Kevin Willard period, it ended poorly. Maryland had a number of probabilities to shut out an inferior Nebraska workforce on the highway Sunday, however the Terps simply couldn’t get the job carried out, falling 70-66 to the Cornhuskers.
The Terps are nonetheless excellent at house in Huge Ten play. Wednesday’s recreation, which can start at 7 p.m. on Huge Ten Community, is Maryland’s penultimate house recreation of the season. The Terps have simply 4 video games remaining earlier than the Huge Ten Match commences.
What occurred final time
Maryland picked up its first convention highway win of the season on Feb. 4 through an 81-46 demolition of the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis.
The Terps had considered one of their best offensive performances of the season, lighting up the field rating with 1.33 factors per possession (per KenPom.com), 52.4% capturing total and 42.9% capturing from deep. Loads of offensive stability existed within the victory, with sophomore ahead Julian Reese, graduate guard Jahmir Younger, senior ahead Donta Scott and junior guard Ian Martinez combining for 54 factors.
Minnesota, alternatively, was depressing offensively. The Golden Gophers turned the ball over 16 occasions, resulting in 23 Maryland factors. Maryland’s strain and depth prompted points for Minnesota, which shot simply 11-of-24 on twos and 2-of-14 on 3-pointers.
The end result marked Maryland’s largest highway victory in its Huge Ten historical past. Minnesota beginning heart Dawson Garcia didn’t play with an ankle damage.
What’s occurred since
Maryland has gone 2-2 in its 4 video games since its first assembly in opposition to the Golden Gophers.
The Terps fell 63-58 at Michigan State on Feb. 7, a recreation the place the Spartans scored the primary 15 factors and held off a ferocious Maryland comeback.
After falling to the Spartans, Maryland returned house for a two-game homestand, which it swept. The Terps squeaked by Penn State, 74-68, on Feb. 11 regardless of 12 Nittany Lion 3-pointers. They held serve with their defeat of the Boilermakers 5 days later, a season-defining second for the Terps. Maryland’s loss to Nebraska final Sunday was its most up-to-date outing.
Minnesota’s loss to the Terps was the seventh leg of a 10-game shedding streak. The Golden Gophers had been extra aggressive in each their 68-56 loss to Iowa on Feb. 12 and their 76-69 defeat to Penn State on Feb. 18.
Minnesota may have fewer than 48 hours of relaxation after Monday’s 78-69 loss at Illinois. It was the Golden Gophers’ second loss to the Combating Illini in 2023.
Dawson Garcia has since returned for the Golden Gophers. The North Carolina switch is averaging 20.5 factors and seven.5 rebounds per recreation in two video games since coming again.
Three issues to observe
1. What is going to the rotation appear like? Whether or not it was looking for an offensive spark or optimum defensive matchups, Terps head coach Willard tweaked together with his rotations in opposition to Nebraska. Beginning capturing guard Don Carey performed eight minutes complete — zero within the second half — in opposition to the Cornhuskers, the second time in 4 video games he was benched after the primary half. Backup guard Jahari Lengthy seemed to be falling out of the rotation however performed 9 minutes in opposition to Nebraska, his most for the reason that first assembly in opposition to Minnesota. Sparsely-used redshirt freshman guard Ike Cornish additionally performed six minutes within the first half.
One would assume Willard’s rotation returns to his regular seven, however maybe Carey’s taking part in time will see extra of a shift shifting ahead.
2. Can Donta Scott get again on observe? Maryland’s energy ahead had a tough offensive efficiency in opposition to Nebraska, scoring 5 factors on 2-of-16 capturing from the sector — 1-of-8 from deep. Scott has shot a minimum of 50% from the sector in simply one of many Terps’ final seven video games. Contemplating his shot quantity, Maryland will want Scott to be extra environment friendly.
3. Will Hakim Hart’s sizzling capturing proceed? The senior guard has at all times been an underrated, indispensable offensive participant. Nevertheless, Hart had been on a troublesome capturing stretch, going 16 straight video games from Dec. 6 to Feb. 7 with out making a number of threes in a single recreation. Hart has since made a minimum of two threes in every of Maryland’s final three video games, capturing 57.1% (8-of-14) on 3-pointers. If he continues as a go-to sniper from deep, it should change Maryland’s offensive complexion for the higher.
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Maryland
Getting to know Michigan State football’s Week 2 opponent: Maryland
Game two is coming up for Michigan State football as the Spartans hit the road for an early season Big Ten matchup against Maryland. The Terps have had MSU’s number in recent years, but the Spartans’ new-look team is ready to change that narrative this weekend.
Jonathan Smith and his staff have a lot to work on this week after a lackluster 16-10 win over Florida Atlantic, but we’ve become more than used to slow starts for MSU in their first game so it’s not time to panic just yet.
While the team wraps up their preparations for Maryland, let’s take a quick look at the Terps and see what we can learn about them before the big game on Saturday.
Maryland is off and running in their 2024 campaign and had an absolutely dominant week one performance. The Terps took on UConn at home and came away with an impressive 50-7 win. Sure UConn is an awful football program, but we saw how poorly Michigan State just did against a similar opponent.
Not only was the final score lopsided, but ever major statistical category was as well. Maryland doubled UConn in first downs and rushing yards, threw for nearly 400 passing yards and even won the turnover battle 3-0. The Terps also only had five penalties for 45 yards which is significantly better than MSU’s 12 for 140 yards against FAU.
Sure all of this took place against UConn, but it appears that Maryland is in a very good spot heading into this big week two matchup.
One thing that I thought would be a positive for Michigan State in this game is that Maryland is breaking in a new quarterback as well. The Terps’ quarterback, Billy Edwards Jr., went off against UConn and completed 20-of-27 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns. He also is a capable runner and added 39 yards on the ground, so Michigan State will have its hands full on Saturday slowing him down.
The Terps don’t have one standout running back in the backfield, so that does benefit MSU. They do however have two solid backs in Roman Hemby and Nolan Ray who both ran for over 60 yards and one score each.
The one player however that Michigan State needs to pay the most attention to is wide receiver Tai Felton. He had one of the best Week 1 performances in the country as he recorded seven receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Thankfully MSU’s defense and secondary looked much improved against FAU, so hopefully that carries over into this weekend’s matchup.
The opportunity in front of MSU on Saturday is massive. The Spartans are big underdogs in this matchup which they probably deserve, but a win would do wonders not just for the overall perception of the team but for their confidence moving forward.
I’ve got a strange feeling that we’re going to be very happy around 7 p.m. ET Saturday night.
Maryland
Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some
More than 700,000 Marylanders should be able to file their state and federal income tax returns online for free next year, saving residents hours of work and hundreds of dollars on tax software and prep services.
Maryland joined dozens of states Wednesday in a voluntary federal program called Direct File after a test run received positive reviews and showed possible cost savings. Filing paper returns by mail will still be an option.
“It’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns,” Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman said at a news conference in Annapolis.
The first-term Democrat called the program a game changer for Maryland taxpayers that will modernize her agency. It targets low-to-moderate earners with relatively simple tax returns, and is expected to expand over time.
Lierman’s office will partner with the nonprofit Code for America to integrate the Maryland tax filing system into Direct File. Eligibility requirements will be announced in January, the comptroller’s office said.
Gov. Wes Moore, State Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, members of Maryland’s congressional delegation, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo and nonprofit partners joined Lierman for the announcement.
Funds from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 helped build and test the system. The IRS and Treasury Department then invited states to participate.
The IRS has been considering a free e-filing option for low-income American taxpayers for decades, according to the Congressional Research Service. When tax prep companies pushed back, the federal government agreed not to compete with them if they provided free help and e-filing to low-earning taxpayers.
However, many qualified taxpayers were pushed toward paid services, according to an investigation by nonprofit news outlet ProPublica.
The IRS piloted Direct File in 12 states this year. Filers used a laptop, tablet, cellphone or other device to submit income returns and request certain tax credits offered to low-earning individuals and families.
In a survey, nine out of 10 Direct File users ranked their experience as “Excellent” or “Above Average.”
U.S. Rep Steny Hoyer, a Democrat representing Maryland’s 5th District, called paying taxes the “price of our democracy.”
“We ought to make it as easy as possible for people to comply with a legal obligation that they have to support their country, their state and their communities,” he said. “And this system of Direct File does that.”
Robin McKinney, CEO and co-founder of CASH Campaign of Maryland, said easy, free online filing makes the government work more efficiently for citizens and should deliver refunds and credits to taxpayers faster.
McKinney’s nonprofit promotes economic advancement for low- to moderate-income Marylanders and provides free tax help, among other services.
Economic Security Project, a nonprofit that advocates for guaranteed income and economic equity for working families, found that adopting Direct File could mean $355 million in costs and time saved for Maryland’s low- to moderate-earners.
Maryland recently has expanded tax credits for working families, but about $152 million goes unclaimed each year, according to the Security Project’s analysis.
They also estimated that about $148 million could be saved in filing fees and $56 million could be saved in time spent filing taxes.
That money could have gone into Marylanders’ pockets, CASH Campaign’s McKinney said, and it could have gone back into the state’s economy.
Maryland
Maryland joins IRS Direct File program, offering free tax filing for up to 700,000 taxpayers – Maryland Matters
Some Maryland taxpayers will be able to use a free electronic filing tool for their federal taxes rather than having to pay a tax preparer or buy tax-filing software next year, when Maryland will offer the IRS’s new Direct File service.
The service was tested in 12 states this year, where 140,803 people filed with Direct File, saving an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees. Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D) estimated Wednesday that as many as 700,000 Maryland taxpayers could be eligible for the program when it debuts in the state next year.
“While we value our relationship with tax preparers and CPAs (certified public accountants), it’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns,” Lierman said at a news conference announcing the program.
The IRS and the U.S. Treasury still have to finalize eligibility rules for the program this fall, but Lierman said it will be a “game changer” for those families who do qualify, which could be as much as 20% of individual taxpayers in the state.
“Taxes are a part of the glue that keeps our state and our nation together, functioning, producing, protecting and thriving,” Lierman said. “Yet in America, we make it uniquely challenging to pay those taxes and file a return — until now.”
According to the Treasury, taxpayers spend “approximately 13 hours and $270 preparing their taxes each year.” Many Americans use tax filing services or software, such as TurboTax and H&R Block, to ensure that their taxes are filed correctly, despite most of the information being readily available state and federal tax collection agencies.
It’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns.
– Comptroller Brooke Lierman
Direct File launched this year in 12 states for people to file their 2023 federal returns — Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said the program is aimed at helping middle-income tax filers with “relatively simple” filings.
“What I can tell you is our goal for us is to build a system that’s going to work for working class and middle class Americans. So you get a W-2, and you’re somebody who’s a teacher, you’re a fireman, you’re a doctor who’s earning most of your money from a W-2, we want to make sure we’re building a system that potentially works for you,” said Adeyemo, who was in Annapolis for the announcement.
“The thing we’re not going to do is build a system that works for big corporations or wealthy individuals. Next year we’re going to expand the system so that more Americans are able to participate in it,” Adeyemo said.
The Biden administration invited all 50 states and the District of Columbia to join the program next year, when people will be filing their 2024 taxes. The Treasury said that Maryland joins Oregon, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Connecticut, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Maine in taking up Direct File.
“I know to some, this announcement may seem inconsequential — and I know how exciting tax announcements are,” Gov. Wes Moore (D) joked at the announcement. “But the details matter. They matter to the families who are impacted by this work. They’re going to matter to the families, who … dread tax season because it feels complicated. Who dread tax season because it seems expensive, or oftentimes have to deal with the consequences of getting something wrong.”
The Direct File program came out of the Inflation Reduction Act signed in 2022, which also secured additional funding to help the IRS modernize and provide better services to Americans.
But Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who chairs a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, said Direct File program and other services under the Inflation Reduction Act could be “under threat.” While his subcommittee wants to fully fund the IRS and keep Direct File going, House leaders want to cut funding for both.
He also said that the industry is lobbying against the free tax filing system.
“There are people who didn’t want us to do this, including a lot of the middlemen” who currently profit from tax preparation, Van Hollen said. “They’re lobbying against this kind of thing.”
In addition to Van Hollen, Moore, Lierman and Adeyemo, Wednesday’s event drew a number of Maryland Democratic heavyweights: U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer John Sarbanes and State Treasurer Dereck Davis.
Hoyer put it simply: “Nobody likes taxes.”
“We don’t really get excited about paying our taxes. But we know that it is the price of our democracy,” Hoyer said. “We ought to make it as easy as possible for people to comply with a legal obligation that they have to support their country, their state and their communities.”
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