Maryland men’s basketball vs. No. 21 Northwestern preview

Maryland males’s basketball has an opportunity to complete the common season with an undefeated convention house file when it faces Northwestern Sunday at midday.

Maryland has three video games left on its schedule and only one house recreation. Maryland will journey to Ohio State and Penn State to shut out the season following Sunday’s tilt towards Northwestern.

The Terps are at the moment tied for third within the Huge Ten, so each remaining recreation has large seeding implications. Northwestern is 11-6, whereas Maryland is 10-7. If Maryland wins on Sunday, it’s going to transfer into second place within the convention.

Northwestern was one of many hottest groups within the nation, rallying off 5 straight wins earlier than Thursday’s matchup towards Illinois. Northwestern led by 18 at halftime towards the Preventing Illini on the highway however utterly collapsed within the second half, finally shedding, 66-62. Now, Northwestern has its second straight highway recreation when it performs the one staff within the Huge Ten that hasn’t misplaced at house in convention play.

Northwestern Wildcats (20-8, 11-6 Huge Ten)

Northwestern’s head coach Chris Collins entered the 2022-23 season on the recent seat after failing to make the NCAA Event in eight of the final 9 seasons. However the Wildcats have surpassed each expectation that they had this season and catapulted to close the highest of the Huge Ten standings, saving Collins’ job for no less than one other yr.

Northwestern is in sole possession of second place within the Huge Ten and has had some monster wins over Indiana, Purdue and Iowa. Nonetheless, as beforehand said, it blew a large result in Illinois in its most up-to-date contest.

Gamers to know

Boo Buie, senior guard, 6-foot-2, No. 0 — Buie is by far the most effective participant on Northwestern and among the finest gamers within the Huge Ten. He is having an exceptional senior season, averaging 17 factors per recreation. He’s the Wildcats’ greatest scoring risk however just isn’t notably environment friendly from the ground, taking pictures 41% from the sphere and 30% from lengthy vary.

Chase Audige, redshirt senior guard, 6-foot-4, No. 1 — Audige is Buie’s counterpart within the backcourt that makes for a dynamic duo. Audige averages 14.8 factors per recreation. As an even bigger guard, Audige constantly makes use of his measurement to attain and is a outstanding defender. He has 65 steals on the season — by far probably the most on the staff — and 19 blocks.

Robbie Beran, senior ahead, 6-foot-9, No. 31 — Beran serves as a strong scoring ahead for Northwestern who can battle on the block but additionally step exterior and shoot the three-ball. Together with being an inside-outside risk, Beran has the second-most rebounds on the staff.

Energy

Protection. Northwestern is an outstanding defensive staff, notably on the perimeter. It swarms opposing guards and limits groups’ finest gamers. Northwestern holds groups to 40.6% taking pictures from the sphere, the second-lowest mark within the Huge Ten. The Wildcats additionally maintain groups to 61.9 factors per recreation, the third lowest within the convention.

Weak spot

Taking pictures. Whereas it’s nice at stopping opposing groups from scoring, Northwestern isn’t nice at scoring itself. The Wildcats common the fourth-fewest factors per recreation within the convention and have the worst area objective share at 41%. For a protection as stout as Maryland’s, the Wildcats are in for a troublesome matchup in School Park.

Three issues to look at

1. Convention standings. Purdue is sort of actually going to lock up the Huge Ten regular-season title and the No. 1 seed within the convention event. However behind the Boilermakers, the seeding is an absolute crapshoot with three video games to go. Maryland would transfer into second place with a win however lose its standing in third if it loses. The highest 4 seeds get a double-bye to the quarterfinals, so each recreation is essential with 4 groups, together with Maryland, at 10-7 and plenty of groups separated by only one recreation.

2. Can Maryland comprise Boo Buie? Buie has emerged as among the finest scoring guards within the nation this season and has led Northwestern to its stellar, and shocking, file. Buie has been unstoppable at occasions in convention play. In opposition to Illinois on Thursday, he completed with a season-high 35 factors. Maryland has carried out an awesome job of limiting opposing groups’ finest gamers. Willard and his workers must craft a stout defensive recreation plan as soon as once more.

3. Which Donta Scott will present up on offense? Donta Scott’s offense this season has been inconsistent, to place it mildly. It’s a thriller as to which Scott will present up every recreation. Scott had his finest offensive exhibiting in weeks towards Minnesota on Wednesday, ending with 18 factors on 7-for-9 taking pictures, but it surely was towards the worst staff within the convention. Within the two video games earlier than that towards Purdue and Nebraska, he mixed for 10 factors. If Maryland goes to comprehend its potential in March, it wants Scott to be constantly nice offensively.