Maryland

TE RJ Maryland proves to be X-factor in SMU’s improbable comeback vs. Nevada

Published

4 months ago

August 25, 2024

TE RJ Maryland proves to be X-factor in SMU’s improbable comeback vs. Nevada

RENO — SMU quarterback Preston Stone and tight end RJ Maryland knew it was game over well before the clock hit zero.

Even trailing by two scores with eight minutes remaining after an uninspired three quarters of play, they pinpointed what would soon become Nevada’s fatal flaw.

“Unfortunately for Nevada, they played man against RJ, which you just can’t do,” Stone said. “No. 82 showed why you can’t do that.”

Maryland ended up becoming the X-factor for SMU in its improbable 16-point comeback win, as the junior from Southlake caught eight balls for 162 yards and the game-winning touchdown in the 29-24 victory.

Maryland recorded 116 of his yards in the final 10 minutes of the game.

The tight end was by far the most impactful skill player in the game. No other SMU receiver had more than three catches and 28 yards. Nevada’s game high — Cortez Braham — had 66 yards.

His performance also tied Kylen Granson’s record for most career receiving touchdowns by a tight end in SMU history at 14. It’s a record Maryland is sure to shatter this season.

“It’s great to be up there with all the great SMU tight ends that have gone through this program,” Maryland said. “This just shows the greatness of the players that have come before me.”

While Maryland took over in the fourth quarter, the first three were a different story.

“He played as bad a first half as I’ve ever seen him play, just like we did,” SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee said. “And he played about as good a second half as I’ve ever seen him play.”

SMU intentionally gave Maryland touches early in the second half, even if it meant the drive would stall and result in a field goal. The Mustangs knew they’d have to have Maryland involved in any potential comeback.

Their strategy worked, and he heated up at the right time, beating his man to catch a perfectly thrown ball by Stone with 1:18 remaining.

Maryland’s first outing of the season is a step in the right direction toward the tight end reaching the NFL next offseason. After a standout first two seasons on the Hilltop, he’s seeking to follow in his father Russell Maryland’s footsteps, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1991 draft by the Cowboys.

If Saturday’s performance is any indication, the SMU offense is going to rely on Maryland to make some big plays this year that may continue to put him on the radar of NFL scouts over the next few months.

On X/Twitter: @Lassimak

Find more college sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Find more SMU coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Source link

Related Topics:colleges Featured SMU Mustangs

Click to comment

Maryland

Did Iowa women’s basketball remain in the Associated Press top 25 after Maryland loss?

Published

5 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Did Iowa women’s basketball remain in the Associated Press top 25 after Maryland loss?

Following Sunday’s loss to then-No. 7 Maryland, Iowa women’s basketball could’ve taken a tumble in the latest Associated Press top 25. However, the Hawkeyes are still ranked.

Iowa (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten Conference) remained at No. 23 after the 74-66 home loss to the Terrapins that snapped the Hawkeyes’ 21-game Big Ten home winning streak. It was a game in which Iowa fell behind by as much as 25 points before rallying to make things respectable in the second half.

Iowa will look to rebound Thursday night at Illinois. The Hawkeyes are 1-1 in conference road games, having stumbled at Michigan State in mid-December before pulling out an 80-68 win at Penn State on New Year’s Day. Tipoff at Illinois is set for 6 p.m. on BTN+.

Latest Associated Press top 25

UCLA (15-0)
South Carolina (14-1)
Notre Dame (12-2)
USC (14-1)
Texas (15-1)
LSU (17-0)
UConn (13-2)
Maryland (14-0)
Ohio State (14-0)
Oklahoma (13-2)
TCU (15-1)
Kansas State (15-1)
Georgia Tech (16-0)
Duke (12-3)
Kentucky (13-1)
Tennessee (13-1)
West Virginia (12-2)
Alabama (15-1)
North Carolina (13-3)
Michigan State (12-2)
North Carolina State (11-3)
Utah (12-2)
Iowa (12-3)
California (14-2)
Michigan (10-4)

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.

Source link

Maryland

Maryland, Baltimore City declare state of emergency as winter storm nears

Published

12 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore issued an executive order late Sunday declaring a state of emergency as a powerful winter storm approached with forecasts calling for heavy snow across much of the state. Moore’s executive order noted the potential for hazardous road conditions, power outages, transportation interruptions and sustained temperatures below freezing. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott also …

Source link

Maryland

No. 8 Maryland women’s basketball picks up statement road victory over No. 23 Iowa, 74-66

Published

20 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

No. 8 Maryland women’s basketball picks up statement road victory over No. 23 Iowa, 74-66

No. 8 Maryland women’s basketball walked into a sold out Carver-Hawkeye Arena and made a statement against No. 23 Iowa. It led by 25 points less than a minute before halftime.

But the Terps had to survive a fighting comeback effort after a big first-half lead in order to take a 74-66 win over the Hawkeyes, whose 20-game home win streak dating back to last season ended Sunday.

“Really impressed with this group’s poise and composure,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “This group just found different ways to win. I loved our first half. We knew Iowa was going to come back in that second half.”

After Iowa scored first, Maryland went on a 13-0 run and didn’t let up from there, beginning the contest 5-of-7 from 3-point range.

But as great as a start Maryland put together, momentum flipped in the latter end of the first quarter. Iowa inserted a freshman-heavy lineup and went on a 7-0 run that cut Maryland’s lead to seven points after the first quarter. The Terps led by as much as 14 points in the frame, but kept missing shots despite an abundance of offensive rebounds. Five of Christina Dalce’s six rebounds in the first 10 minutes were on the offensive end.

Maryland was dominant to start the second quarter, putting together an 18-1 run to extend its lead to 24 points. The Terps outmatched Iowa on the boards, forced turnovers at will and moved the ball fluidly.

The Terps headed to the break up by 21 points after a small Iowa push, but the Terps made a statement in their biggest road test to this point.

Maryland was 9-of-17 from deep in the first half. It hadn’t converted more than 11 3-pointers in any of its previous 13 games.

Shyanne Sellers and Kaylene Smikle both scored 14 points in the first half, and Maryland’s defense did a masterful job containing Iowa. No Hawkeye scored more than four points except Lucy Olsen with 11.

Iowa came out of the half with some life. After Saylor Poffenbarger started the period with a triple, the Hawkeyes went on a 12-0 run and the crowd erupted.

“I think Iowa came out with punches [in the] second half,” Smikle said. “But we know how to play through that. We aren’t going to crumble from teams going on runs, because that’s just how basketball is.”

The Terps were held scoreless for more than four minutes before Smikle went 1-of-2 from the charity stripe. Maryland made its first field goal of the half before missing its next seven — a Bri McDaniel fadeaway jumper ended the shooting drought.

The Terps held Hannah Stuelke, who entered the game averaging 13.6 point per game, to one point through three quarters, and she was in foul trouble with four fouls.

After scoring 48 in the first half, the Terps only scored 11 points in the third period. Although they still led by 16 points, Iowa stole some of the momentum.

The Hawkeyes started the fourth on a 5-0 run to cut Maryland’s lead to 11, but a steal and finish by Smikle silenced the Iowa crowd.

The Hawkeyes brought the deficit to single-digits, as their comeback effort was in full force. It became a two-possession game halfway through the fourth quarter, and the Terps were in severe danger, succumbing to poor shot selection.

The Terps made a few clutch shots down the stretch and connected when necessary, but a late Iowa run cut the deficit to five points with 44 seconds remaining.

Once again, the Terps came through when they needed to, making free throws and playing strong defense to hold on to the win.

Three things to know

1. Big Ten road win. Maryland survived its toughest road test thus far Sunday, improving to 14-0 on the season. It could easily serve as the most difficult road environment the Terps will see all season, and they held strong.

“This is a tough place to play, and I think we played really hard and we pulled it out,” Sellers said.

2. Smikle shows off. Smikle scored a season-high 26 points Sunday. She went 4-of-5 from three, 8-of-17 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.

3. Less turnovers, but less rebounds. For the first time this season, Maryland was out-rebounded, 44-41, after a big second half on the boards for Iowa. Maryland won the turnover margin, though, with 15 steals and 22 forced turnovers.

Source link