COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Derik Queen caught the ball high above his head just left of the basket. Two Rutgers defenders descended upon him leaving fifth year senior Jordan Geronimo all alone on the right block. Queen didn’t hesitate and rocketed a pass in his direction.
The New Jersey native caught the ball and leaped toward the basket. Geronimo slammed the ball through the netting, sending the matinee crowd at Xfinity Center into a frenzy. The dunk put the Terps ahead by eight with seven minutes to play in the first half.
No. 18 Maryland bounced back from its loss to Ohio State on Thursday, defeating the Scarlet Knights, 90-81, Sunday afternoon.
“On the short roll they [were] focusing on me and JG was open … I just tried to make the right pass,” Queen said.
Queen finished as the game’s leading scorer and rebounder with a career-high 29 points in addition to his 15 rebounds — the most he’s had in a conference game this season — and five assists. In front of over 45 NBA scouts and executives, Queen cemented himself as the most impactful player on the court.
“I’ve seen that all year,” said head coach Kevin Willard. “I don’t think it matters who’s playing or who’s watching. He’s just that good of a player.”
The Terps needed every bit of that impact to overcome their slow start in the first half.
Maryland began the game 0-8 from the floor and struggled to score. The Terps’ withstood the early turmoil because of Queen and his ability to score, pass, and rebound.
The Baltimore native finished the first 20 minutes of action with a double-double — 13 points and 10 rebounds — contributing three assists as well. Queen’s first half stat line was the first time he’s recorded a first half double-double since the Manhattan game.
Selton Miguel joined Queen as the only other Terp in double figures scoring 14 points — 12 of which coming from beyond the arc.
“I feel like when I make my first shot, after that I feel like I will make everything else I take,” Miguel said.
Maryland’s defense completed the difficult task of controlling the scoring of one of the Big Ten’s best duos, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. The pair shot a mediocre four-for-ten from the floor amassing a total of 14 points through the first half.
“I think the biggest thing was for us, knowing they were young, knowing they’ve never seen pressure in this building, was to just keep pressuring them,” said Willard. “Our whole focus was the first half, making sure that they really were not comfortable in the first half.”
The Freshmen duo couldn’t get much accomplished in the second half either.
Bailey only played seven minutes in the second half and left the court with about four minutes remaining due to an illness that head coach Steve Pikiell said has made its way through the team. Harper finished with 20 points on 41 percent from the floor.
The pair staged a minor comeback at the start of the second half whittling Maryland’s lead down to three with just over 14 minutes remaining in the game. But, the Terps turned to Rodney Rice to kill the momentum.
With the Terps up four, Rice planted his feet just to the right of the top of the key. The Virginia Tech transfer shot as Harper came barrelling towards him. Rice’s shot hit nothing but the net and he converted his trip at the line doubling the Maryland advantage.
Rice hit his second 3-pointer of the half on the next possession squashing any residual momentum the Scarlet Knights collected. Rice finished the game as Maryland’s second leading scorer — with 19 points.
The Terps finished the game a point shy of tying their highest point total in conference play, which came in their upset victory over then No. 17 Illinois on January 23. Maryland finished the game shooting 45 percent from the floor, 37 percent from 3-point range, and 65% from the foul line.
Maryland will be back on the road for its next game against Nebraska. The Terps earned a three point victory when the Cornhuskers visited College Park in January. The game is scheduled for an 8:30 p.m. start time on Thursday.
