Before heading into conference play, Maryland men’s basketball racked up another dominant nonconference win Sunday, beating Alcorn State, 96-58, at Xfinity Center.
The Terps were stuck in a first-half battle before ultimately pulling away for good. The Terps, led by balanced scoring attack, now enter Big Ten play 7-1.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
A close start
The game was tied at 20 apiece with 8:42 left in the first half. For nearly the first 12 minutes of play, Alcorn State more than held their own against Maryland.
The Terps shot poorly, starting just 1-of-6 from deep. The majority of their success came in the paint, as Julian Reese and Derik Queen continued their dominance against smaller defenders. Both scored quick buckets inside and worked well off one another as their chemistry continues to improve.
But other than that, Maryland’s offense was limited in comparison to its other starts against similar competition. Its flow of offense was so stale that free throws were desperately needed to add to its point total — which Reese and Queen contributed to.
Meanwhile, Alcorn State was hot from the field, sinking a pair of 3-pointers and pacing the game on the offensive side of the ball. Unlike some prior matchups, head coach Kevin Willard was not initially as bullish on implementing a full-court press, which gave the Braves time to set up their offense.
Alcorn State’s early ball movement was impressive, too, as its sets created confusion on the Terps’ interior and manufactured room for its shooters. But its buckets weren’t just the product of stellar shooting. The Braves made six layups in that first-half span, showcasing their ability to handle the Terps’ size.
Maryland came alive to end the opening half
The Terps finished the first half on a staggering 25-4 run. After going 1-of-6 from 3-point range to start, it followed up with a 4-of-5 stretch.
But it was the team’s defense that led to the proficient offensive output.
Willard started bringing more pressure directly off inbounds plays, which sped up Alcorn State. As a result, the sloppy plays started to pile up, and Maryland became the beneficiary. Suddenly, the Braves didn’t have any momentum on the offensive side of the ball.
After the 8:42 mark of the first half until the end of the frame, Maryland took the ball away only two times, but the way the Terps exploded after gaining possession was crucial. They garnered nine fast break points in the frame, with point guards and bigs alike running the length of the floor.
This speed opened up a bevy of open shot opportunities in transition, which the Terps’ best shooters — namely Rodney Rice and Ja’Kobi Gillespie — had no trouble knocking down.
A balanced scoring attack
Five different players scored in double digits for Maryland Sunday afternoon.
Rice (12), Queen (20), Reese (14), Miguel (14) and DeShawn Harris-Smith (10) all had solid offensive performances and contributed in different facets of the contest.
Miguel and Reese who got things started for the Terps, with Reese knocking down a pair of free throws and Miguel sinking a 3-pointer. Miguel has been impressive as of late, hitting a number of shots and being far more aggressive around the rim. He offers an inside-outside punch, keeping defenses guessing as a sizable guard who can do a little bit of everything.
Harris-Smith’s day was perhaps most encouraging for Terps fans and Willard. He struggled over the Terps’ first seven games, averaging about four points per contest. But his 10 points on 60% percent shooting was a welcome sight.
In other games, he had often deferred the ball, choosing to pass out of open looks or dump off to bigs in the paint. But on Sunday, he was looking for the ball in the restricted area, even making some nice cuts to the rim. He also made a 3-pointer, which bodes well for his confidence going forward.
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