No. 25 Maryland men’s basketball destroys Iowa, 101-75, behind dominant second half

Written By ApurbaDa February 16, 2025 Add Comment

The Terps scored their most points in a Big Ten game since joining the conference.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Despite scoring 47 points in the first half, No. 25 Maryland men’s basketball trailed Iowa by four, in jeopardy of dropping a crucial home game to an inferior and injured opponent.

But Rodney Rice opened the second half with eight unanswered points. Minutes later, Ja’Kobi Gillespie embarked on a 7-0 run of his own to push Maryland’s lead to 15 points.

The Hawkeyes once-efficient offense was stumped by the Terps in the second half, as Maryland coasted to a 101-75 win at Xfinity Center Sunday. It was the most points the Terps have scored in a Big Ten game since joining the conference.

Gillespie posted perhaps his best game as a Terp with 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals. Derik Queen was also crucial in the second-half outburst, making up for a slow start with 14 points and seven rebounds in the final 20 minutes.

After falling seven spots in this week’s Associated Press top-25 poll due to a three-point loss at Ohio State, the Terps will almost certainly rise on Monday, now winners of three straight games and seven of their last eight.

Maryland started the game about as hot as a team could; it did not miss a shot in the first 4:40 en route to 20 points in that span.

The Terps starting guards — Gillespie, Rice and Selton Miguel — were the catalysts behind the offensive dominance, knocking down tough shot after tough shot. Rice started the scoring on the game’s first possession with a pullup midrange jumper, which was followed by three 3-pointers from Miguel, who encouraged the crowd after each make.

Maryland’s offense fizzled out almost as quickly as it ignited, though. The Terps scored 13 points over the next nine minutes, including a near four-minute drought, and turned the ball over six times in the first eight minutes.

Fast starts have been customary for the Terps this season. Heading into the day, Maryland averaged 41.5 first-half points, which ranked fourth in the nation and the best in the Big Ten over the last 15 seasons. The Terps bested that total by 5.5 points Sunday, but still found themselves down at halftime.

While jump shots stopped falling, Maryland’s guards continued to shoot as if they hadn’t. After a 3 for 3 start, Miguel missed his next six shots and Rice missed his next three. Meanwhile, Reese dominated in the paint with 10 points and five rebounds in the first half, but he was often overlooked in favor of a perimeter shot.

But no matter how it comes, shooting 56.7% from the field and 61.5% from three in the first half usually results in a lead at the break. Enter the Sandfort brothers.

Payton Sandfort kept the Hawkeyes in the game early with eight quick points, while Pryce Sandfort helped take the lead with 13 first-high points on 3-of-4 shooting from three. Sophomore Seydou Traore — who averaged just 6.2 points per game entering Sunday — also scored a game-high 14 first-half points.

After Rice and Gillespie’s outbursts, the Terps protected the ball and played tough defense to preserve their lead. Eleven first-half turnovers dwindled to three in the second half, while Iowa shot 11-of-37 (29.7%) from the field and 0-of-13 from three in the final 20 minutes.

After a questionable start, Maryland put together one of its best halves of the season to secure an important win.

Three things to watch

1. Tafara Gapare returned. After missing the last two games, Gapare returned to the court Sunday, but did not see much action. He played just four minutes, while fellow backup forward Jordan Geronimo saw 12 minutes, recording six points, two rebounds, a steal and three blocks.

2. Queen and Reese were unstoppable down low. While much of Maryland’s highlights and offensive bursts came from the perimeter, Queen and Reese were consistent and efficient throughout the game. The frontcourt duo combined for 34 points and 25 rebounds Sunday.

3. Maryland controlled the Sandforts in the second half. Much of Iowa’s production in the first half came from Pryce and Payton Sandfort. The brothers were held to eight points on 4-of-15 shooting in the second half, though.

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