COLLEGE PARK, MD — A lot can change in a year. In Maryland men’s basketball’s case, change is a welcome sight.
The Terps started Big Ten play by welcoming The Ohio State Buckeyes into Xfinity Center, Wednesday night. Maryland entered the game with a two game losing streak against Ohio State which included a gut-wrenching double overtime loss last season.
The Terps shot under 40 percent in that 79-75 defeat a year ago, in what ended up being a heavily disappointing sophomore season for head coach Kevin Willard and company.
This year couldn’t be anymore different.
Maryland scored 50 points at the half against the Buckeyes, turning that hot start into a 83-59 victory to open conference play.
“Just come out and make a statement,” said transfer forward Tafara Gapare after the win. “Tell people who we are and what we’re doing this season.”
The Terps shot 46.8 percent from the floor, 28 percent from three-point range, and scored on 38 of their 74 offensive possessions. This type of performance isn’t an anomaly either.
Maryland entered Wednesday’s game scoring 86.8 points per game — good for third in the Big Ten. Four players in the starting lineup entered the game averaging double-digit points, led by freshman phenom Derik Queen (16.5).
Of that group, Julian Reese is the only player that played for Maryland last season.
Reese and fellow upperclassmen Jahmir Young and Donta Scott were the only three in the double-figure scoring club last season when they traveled to Indiana for their first conference game. The Terps’ offense at that point scored an average of 70.7 points per game shooting 42 percent from the floor.
Maryland’s shooting is massively improved this season, registering a 49.5 shooting percentage following the win over Ohio State. The Terps’ improved from behind the arc from a season ago as well, raising their three-point percentage by a little over four percent following their first conference win of the year.
The one carry over from Maryland’s lost season a year ago is its dominating defense that ended last season first in the Big Ten, allowing just under 66 points per game to its opponents. The crazy part is that Maryland seems to have improved on the Big Ten’s best from a season ago.
Maryland entered its game against the Buckeyes allowing 58.6 points per game — second only to UCLA in the Big Ten rankings. The Terps entered the game holding teams under 38 percent from the floor and under 30 percent from three-point range.
The defenses’ stellar reputation improved following Wednesday’s win.
The Terps’ defense held Ohio State to 17 points in the first half and forced a good Big Ten offense to its lowest scoring total of the season. The Buckeyes finished the game shooting under 38 percent from the floor and under 22 percent from three. All well below their season averages.
“We’ve been kind of doing it all year,” said head coach Kevin Willard after defeating Ohio State. “But to do it in a conference game I think was the most important thing.”
The only two games Maryland allowed its opponent to score 70 or more points came in the only two games of the season decided by five or less points.
The first was the Terps game against then No. 15 Marquette — an early season test they lost by four points. The other was their matinee matchup against Villanova which they won by a single point.
The Terps are 1-1 in games decided by five or less points this season, already matching their win total in such games from a year ago. Another piece of evidence in the difference a year can make.
