Maryland men’s basketball obliterated by Wisconsin, bounced from Big Ten Tournament
Related
Maryland was never competitive with the Badgers, who marched to the quarterfinals.
MINNEAPOLIS — With Maryland down 83-49 to Wisconsin with 4:07 left, Jahmir Young looked over at the bench. At that moment, the Upper Marlboro, Md. native let reality set in — his collegiate career was over. Every player, staff member and manager hugged the fifth-year guard before he sat down in the middle of the bench, head in his hands, a towel wiping away his tears.
Despite Young’s team-high 18 points, the Terps were dismantled in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament by Wisconsin on Thursday, 87-56, effectively ending their season. It was Maryland’s largest margin of defeat this season, and the third-largest score difference in Big Ten Tournament history.
Against Rutgers the previous day, Maryland came out firing from deep, creating a lead that proved too large for the Scarlet Knights to overcome. Wisconsin returned the favor Thursday against the Terps, making its first six 3-pointers and getting out to a convincing lead. The Badgers finished the afternoon with 16 made threes on 25 attempts just one game removed from a 5-for-24 outside shooting performance against Purdue on March 10.
Maryland made just six triples in the game, with players not named Young going 14-for-41 from the field.
Wisconsin’s lead continued to grow from then on out, with the Terps proving themselves incapable of responding. Maryland’s deficit reached 18 before 12 minutes were gone, and when the first-half buzzer rang, it was down 47-26.
Young scored 15 of the team’s first-half points, but received no help from his peers. He shot 7-of-11 from the floor and recorded a pair of steals. The rest of the team combined to make five of 17 shots.
Defensively, it was an uncharacteristic showing from the Terps, specifically on the perimeter. John Blackwell was particularly potent from deep, making all four of his first-half 3-point attempts.
And when the Badgers’ shots didn’t fall — a rare sight — they had players willing to work down low to grab offensive rebounds, of which they grabbed 12 on Thursday.
Maryland entered Thursday boating the second-best second-half point differential in the Big Ten. But it showed a minimal response in the final 20 minutes against Wisconsin, allowing 16 consecutive points to begin the period. Wisconsin led 65-29 with 15:15 left and never let up.
Three things to know
1. Wisconsin turned the Target Center into a shooting gallery. The Badgers hit 16 threes, including 10 in the first half to bury the Terps.
2. Young’s Maryland career is over. When Young transferred to Maryland, few predicted he would have the impact of his last two seasons. A two-time all-conference selection who scored over 1,000 points as a Terp, Young’s final game will be remembered as a disastrous end to a disastrous year.
3. What’s next? After finishing below. 500 for the second time in two years, changes are likely to come for Maryland. With Young and Donta Scott no longer in the fold and the realities of the transfer portal certain to induce changes, nothing is certain of what head coach Kevin Willard’s roster will look like for his third season with the program.
from Testudo Times - All Posts https://ift.tt/Fdx0uJ5
0 Response to "Maryland men’s basketball obliterated by Wisconsin, bounced from Big Ten Tournament"
Post a Comment