COLUMBUS, Ohio — Maryland has gone on the street and received towards a Huge Ten opponent solely as soon as this season, a defeat of last-place Minnesota in early February.
Maryland
Maryland’s road woes continue with loss at Ohio State
The loss leaves Maryland (20-10, 11-8) tied with Indiana, Iowa and Northwestern in a packed convention race. The Terps, who path first-place Purdue and Michigan, shut out Huge Ten play Saturday at Penn State with seeding at stake in subsequent week’s convention event in Chicago.
The Buckeyes (13-17, 5-14) jumped out to an early 14-4 lead earlier than Maryland Coach Kevin Willard known as a timeout simply over 4 minutes into the primary half. Throughout that stretch, the Terps missed three three-pointers and turned the ball over as soon as; Ohio State scored on the different finish every time, a development that repeated itself all through the night time.
“Their protection initially was actually good,” Willard mentioned. “They had been aggressive on [point guard] Jahmir [Young]. We had some alternatives on the rim that we missed, and I believed [Ohio State] performed very nicely.”
After Willard’s first timeout, sophomore ahead Julian Reese broke the scoring drought and Younger made Maryland’s first three on the subsequent journey down the ground, reducing the Buckeyes’ result in 5. Ohio State pushed its lead again to double figures halfway by means of the primary half, however the Terps didn’t let the Buckeyes draw back. Senior ahead Donta Scott scored seven factors within the ultimate 4:49 of the primary half, serving to Maryland head to the locker room with solely a 35-29 deficit.
As an alternative of poor capturing, which has doomed the Terps early in street video games all through the marketing campaign, it was turnovers that restricted them within the first half. They turned the ball over seven occasions and Ohio State scored 9 factors off these turnovers, in comparison with the 4 factors Maryland scored off the Buckeyes’ 5. The Terps cleaned up the turnovers within the second half and completed with 10 complete, however that repair wasn’t sufficient.
Ohio State discovered its stride offensively after intermission, stretching its result in 13 and forcing Willard into one other early timeout. This time, the stoppage didn’t present the reset Willard desired.
The problem was Maryland’s protection. The Terps merely couldn’t get the stops they wanted.
Junior guard Ian Martinez, who entered the sport averaging 5.8 factors, scored eight straight factors on two threes and a protracted leap shot, however Martinez’s efforts to maintain the Terps inside placing distance had been to no avail. His second three received the lead again inside single digits, however the Terps had been unable to keep up any momentum.
Almost each time the Terps minimize into the Buckeyes’ lead, Ohio State answered with one other basket. If the Buckeyes didn’t rating, they got here up with the cease that Maryland couldn’t.
With 1:34 left, Don Carey made two free throws to get inside seven factors, the closest the Terps had been because the starting of the second half. However the glimmer of hope was shortly dashed as Ohio State calmly made six straight free throws down the stretch.
Reese led the Terps with 17 factors and 12 rebounds. Carey completed with 14 factors, together with three three-pointers, as the one different participant who scored in double figures for Maryland.
“Tonight was a bit of irritating simply because I didn’t suppose we performed nicely,” Willard mentioned. “We’ve performed nicely on the street the final six video games. We’ve given ourselves possibilities to win it or tie it. However give [Ohio State coach] Chris [Holtmann] and his workers credit score. I believed they performed nice. … Everybody’s received expertise on this league. It’s important to be able to play each recreation.”