ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The tunnel resulting in the Maryland locker room was just about abandoned Sunday night time. The exception was Coach Kevin Willard, who leaned in opposition to a wall as he waited to handle the 81-46 drubbing his group had simply taken from Michigan.
Maryland
Maryland’s woes deepen as the Terps take an 81-46 trouncing at Michigan
Maryland (10-4, 1-2 Massive Ten) as an alternative departed Crisler Heart nursing its largest margin of defeat since an 85-44 loss to No. 2 Duke on Jan. 24, 2009. The Terps additionally misplaced their fourth in a row to an influence convention opponent, with the previous two coming by a mixed 62 factors.
The newest calamity included Maryland falling behind 17-0 and taking pictures 18 for 68 (26.5 p.c) general whereas getting outrebounded 49-30. The Terps trailed by 31 factors at halftime and permitted Michigan (8-5, 2-0) to shoot 28 for 56 (50 p.c).
“Clearly I didn’t have them able to play,” Willard stated. “That is on me. You recognize, these guys, we practiced good the final two days. Simply got here out, sadly simply received off to such a nasty begin. Three or 4 video games we’ve gotten off to dangerous begins [and] we simply haven’t been in a position to struggle our method out.”
Backup guard Jahari Lengthy, a switch from Seton Corridor who joined Willard on his transfer to Maryland, led the Terps with 9 factors. Maryland’s starters mixed to attain simply 22 factors and shoot 9 for 40 (22.5 p.c). Season scoring chief Jahmir Younger managed 5 factors in 19 minutes.
Maryland had no reply for Wolverines heart Hunter Dickinson, whose 32 factors featured 13-for-16 taking pictures to go along with 12 rebounds. At one level within the second half, the previous DeMatha star had 28 factors — and the Terrapins mixed had 25.
Terrance Williams II (Gonzaga School Excessive) added 11 factors and 5 rebounds for the Wolverines, who ended a two-game skid by posting the biggest margin of victory in a sequence that started in 1927 and has included 20 contests.
“Michigan performed nice, and Hunter was terrific, however we will’t come out with the power that we’ve come out with,” Willard stated. “We’ll undergo this one and have a look at it and dissect it as a result of . . . a few of these begins that we’ve had, it’s unlucky and we’ve simply received to determine it out.”
Right here’s what else to find out about Maryland’s loss:
Dickinson, a 7-foot-1 junior, was assessed a flagrant foul late within the first half following a tussle over a free ball with Maryland’s Noah Batchelor. Each gamers fell to the courtroom trying to achieve possession, and officers reviewed the sequence earlier than figuring out Dickinson had exceeded the boundaries warranting a standard foul.
The episode highlighted the distaste that Dickinson has expressed for Maryland. The 2020 All-Met Participant of the 12 months was one of the crucial coveted recruits within the nation however didn’t record the Terrapins amongst his closing decisions. Dickinson has claimed Maryland spurned him throughout the recruiting course of below former coach Mark Turgeon, however the college did supply him a scholarship within the fall of his sophomore 12 months.
Nonetheless, the animosity has lingered.
“Maryland followers would most likely assume that is all I dwell for,” Dickinson stated. “To be truthful, it did lose slightly little bit of juice with the modifications and every little thing, however Maryland remains to be the hometown group.”
Willard was so disenchanted by the dearth of effort from his beginning lineup throughout the first half that he sat 4 starters, leaving solely Don Carey on the ground to hitch Lengthy, Batchelor, Patrick Emilien and Ian Martinez because the beginning unit to open the second half.
Different reserves additionally performed prolonged minutes within the second half, when the Terps’ deficit grew as massive as 38 factors.
“It wasn’t benching,” Willard stated. “It was simply looking for slightly spark inside the guys. Clearly that first unit didn’t have a complete lot, so making an attempt to get slightly spark, get some guys that haven’t received a complete lot of minutes. Whenever you’re down 31 at half, you’re most likely not coming again and profitable.”