This game could not be more different from the team’s first matchup 18 days ago, where Michigan pummeled the Terps, destroying them 81-46. In that game, Wolverines center Hunter Dickinson exploded for 32 points and 12 rebounds.
On Thursday night, the former DeMatha player returned home to play in Xfinity Center for the first time with fans in the building, and the fans gave Dickinson an earful every time he touched the ball.
Dickinson scored the game’s first basket, but Maryland men’s basketball (12-6, B1G 3-4) took over from there, going on a 7-0 run claiming the lead, and held the lead the rest of the game to seal a 64-58 victory behind guard Jahmir Young’s stellar 26 points and three steal performance.
The Terps picked up a critical win as they remain on the bubble in many of the NCAA tournament field projections and remained undefeated at home in conference play.
The Terps got offensive production from seven players in the first half, with Young leading the way with 11 first half points. The Terps also benefited from forcing turnovers, grabbing four steals in the first half and getting fast break points, finishing with 14.
Halfway through the first half, forward Donta Scott forced a steal, grabbing the loose ball right before the shot clock sounded. Scott tossed the ball up the court where guard Hakim Hart corralled it and drove the rest of the way, throwing down a slam. Hart’s dunk was one of five dunks the Terps dropped against the Wolverines.
Little used center Caelum Swanton-Rodger played seven meaningful minutes as Patrick Emilien didn’t play because of his ankle injury and made the most of them. Swanton-Rodger made two baskets with Dickinson as the primary defender, including a poster dunk.
“I’ve always had the mindset that whenever I get the ball, I try to dunk it,” Swanton-Rodger said. “I got it and I went up. I didn’t think he would jump first, but he did…and it was great to see my teammates cheer me on.”
“Coach would have cussed him out if he didn’t dunk it,” Young said while interrupting Swanton-Rodger.
Swanton-Rodger added three rebounds and a block to his seven critical minutes.
“I think Cal’s seven minutes were probably the most important seven minutes we’ve had all season,” head coach Kevin Willard said. “He’s going to have to play [seven to eight minutes in the Terps next games] cause you have to have at least some size and presence in there.”
The Wolverines cut Maryland’s lead to seven after guard Jett Howard made his third three-pointer of the night. Michigan continued its hot streak hitting six of their final eight shots of the half as Dickinson closed out the first half hitting back-to-back three-pointers to cut Maryland’s lead to 34-32 at halftime.
Maryland opened the second half on a 4-0 run, including a Scott dunk and forcing Dickinson to make a bad pass, throwing the ball to the seats.
Michigan tied the game at 42-42 with 11:55 left in the game after Wolverines forward Terrence Williams II and Clinton, Maryland native knocked down back-to-back layups.
Hart knocked down a three-pointer to break a 44-44 tie a minute later. Hart’s basket jump started a Maryland 15-5 run to build a 59-49 lead with 4:30 left in the game.
The Terps managed to contain Dickinson to only 19 points and 10 rebounds, as the crowd’s boos never seemed to faze him.
“I think the biggest thing was they understood how we had to play them,” Willard said. “I think playing him a second time, especially Julian, had such a better feel for what he had to do.”
Dickinson hit a three-pointer with 4:05 left in the game, but neither team could find a basket for the next two and half minutes.
The Wolverines made two more field goals to cut Maryland’s lead to 60-56 with 40 seconds left, and the teams traded free throws from there. Young made his final four attempts to seal the win for the Terps and exact revenge on the Wolverines after that embarrassing loss 18 days ago.
