Takeaways from Maryland men’s basketball’s loss to Tennessee – WMUC Sports

Photograph Courtesy of Maryland Athletics

Regardless of the Terps’ abysmal first half, they completed the sport taking pictures higher than the Volunteers. Maryland shot 32.7% whereas Tennessee shot 28.8% from the sector. Listed here are some takeaways from No. 13 Maryland males’s basketball’s (8-2, B1G 1-1) second straight loss. 

Following the two-loss week, Maryland dropped to No. 20 within the newest AP Ballot.

Freshmen seeing motion 

With the Terps struggling to attain buckets, head coach Kevin Willard determined to combine it up, subbing within the crew’s two true freshmen within the first half. 

The Terps’ two true freshmen had not seen that many high quality minutes, however each heart Caelum Swanton-Rodgers and ahead Noah Batchelor entered the sport within the first half. With Tennessee dominating the Terps, Willard put in his 6 ’11 heart, Swanton-Rodgers, with about six minutes left within the first half. 

Batchelor entered the sport with 1:32 left within the first half contributing a defensive rebound and two made free throws earlier than beginning the second half. 

They mixed to play 9 minutes earlier than the remainder of the starters broke out within the second half.  

Jahmir Younger continues to shine, Maryland’s finest participant

Guard Jahmir Younger continues to seem unfazed from the transition of taking part in basketball at Charlotte, a mid-major to the Massive Ten, placing up massive numbers irrespective of the sector. Younger has constantly been one among Maryland’s finest gamers, and that continued on the Barclays Middle. 

Younger was the one Terp to attain double-digit factors and made certain to get his teammates concerned. The Charlotte switch dished out a brand new season-high seven assists, all coming within the second half, discovering guard Hakim Hart twice late to maintain Maryland’s possibilities alive. 

The Terps’ level guard was capable of drive to the basket scoring a number of layups and offering a spark that made the sport attention-grabbing late. The Terps turned to Younger on their ultimate two possessions in a one-possession sport, however Younger couldn’t get his jumper to fall and air-balled a game-tying three-point try on the buzzer on an evening the Terps struggled mightily from deep.

“Simply attempting to get a superb shot for our crew to win,” Younger mentioned. “Sadly they didn’t fall, however I actually wasn’t enthusiastic about the final one [against Illinois], you understand, I used to be simply attempting to win the sport.”

Maryland confirmed toughness and resilience 

The rating appeared a lot nearer than the sport appeared. Maryland struggled mightily firstly of this sport, discovering themselves trailing by 21 with 1:49 left within the first half.

The Terps flipped the script within the second half, slowly chipping away at Tennessee’s lead. After sitting for a lot of the primary half in foul bother, ahead Julian Reese returned for the beginning of the second half and instantly made an affect. 

Reese grabbed some defensive rebounds and compelled a steal earlier than discovering his groove 5 minutes within the second half scoring back-to-back baskets to maintain Maryland’s deficit at 13. 

The Maryland native added his second steal a couple of minutes later and turned the Volunteers’ turnover right into a layup to make it a single-digit sport with 8:42 left. 

Reese additionally laid down a vital dunk to shrink Tennessee’s result in 51-48 off a wonderful no-look move from Younger for the help. 

Ahead Donta Scott and Hart additionally contributed 9 factors, with all of Scott’s area objectives coming within the second half, serving to jump-start the rally. 

Good free throw taking pictures from Maryland 

Maryland obtained into the bonus with six minutes remaining within the first half and over eight and a half minutes remaining within the second half. The bodily sport put three Volunteer starters in foul bother enabling the Terps to make their comeback. 

That free throw taking pictures helped preserve the Terps afloat within the first half. 9 of Maryland’s 17 first-half factors have been from the free-throw line. General, Maryland shot 77.3% from the free throw line, solely lacking 5 pictures there, preserving themselves within the sport.

Tennessee’s protection is legit 

The Volunteers entered the Barclays Middle as the most effective defensive groups within the nation, holding opponents to 51.2 factors a sport, the second lowest in NCAA. Tennessee has held opponents to 32.7% area objective taking pictures proportion and 21.6% from past the arc, the second lowest and prime numbers within the nation. 

Maryland shot 32.7% from the sector and scored barely extra factors than Tennessee’s common courtesy of constructing 17 free throws. 

Maryland shot 2-24 from past the arc, with 16 three-pointer makes an attempt coming within the first half. The Terps generated open appears from past the arc, however its pictures weren’t falling all sport. 

“We now have to win the three-point battle,” Willard mentioned. “We’ve misplaced the three-point battle the final two video games. That’s the reason we misplaced…we’re simply not going to physicality anyone, that’s not the best way we’re constructed.” 

Associated