After a potentially season-altering road victory over No. 10 Illinois on Sunday, Maryland basketball stares directly at two more major opportunities to continue its ascent toward the NCAA Tournament bubble as conference play kicks into high gear.
Maryland, who improved to 11-6 on the season and 3-3 in Big Ten play with the 76-67 stunner in Champaign, could pick up two more Quad 1 wins in battles against Northwestern and Michigan State looming this week.
The Terps travel to Northwestern for their second consecutive road tilt on Wednesday with a chance to continue building their resume with a win in another tough environment. Northwestern (12-4, 3-2 Big Ten) sits at 69th in the NET rankings entering the week, mostly due to its victory over then-No. 1 Purdue on Dec. 1.
If Maryland can bottle the formula it used to knock off Illinois and snag back-to-back road wins, a home-tilt against Michigan State awaits on Sunday which could push the Terps further toward the postseason conversation.
The aforementioned formula is clear; Maryland needs to rely on its offensive interior presence and defensive identity.
In Sunday’s win, the Terps outscored Illinois 52-26 in the paint and only attempted five three-point shots after halftime. It is no secret that Maryland has struggled to find any consistency beyond the arc this season, as the Terps are shooting a lowly 27.5%, but Sunday’s dominant paint effort further proved the recipe for success as we get into the thick of conference play.
Jahmir Young and Julian Reese have been the driving force of any success that Maryland has had this season, and their performance on Sunday displayed the type of offensive firepower that many analysts and fans expected from them all season long.
“I mean those guys, that one-two punch, that’s what we’ve been wanting,” former UMass coach Matt McCall said about Young and Reese on this week’s Field of 68 podcast.
The left-handed duo combined for 48 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists at Illinois, getting into the paint at will against a team that has struggled without its best player, Terrence Shannon Jr. Maryland shot 2-12 from three-point range in the first half, but for the most part abandoned the outside shot in the second half as it took control inside.
When they did shoot threes in the second half, they were timely and by role players whom Illinois attempted to neglect more as Young and Reese got into their rhythm.
DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jordan Geronimo, who are shooting 17% and 11% from three-point range respectively, each knocked down a triple in the second half at very key moments. The shooting struggles have impacted Maryland’s ability to be more than one-dimensional on offense, but the attention that Young and Reese require has opened up some opportunities for open looks on the wing.
A major staple of Maryland’s offense this season has been to play through Reese in the post and allow the junior to make the correct read. As the team has struggled to shoot, the double-teams that opposing defenses send at Reese have been effective due to the lack of shooting threats on the perimeter.
In Reese’s 20-point, 11-rebound performance on Sunday, very few times did he see more than one defender on him, which allowed him to get to the rim at ease. The offensive blueprint worked wonders, but as teams adjust, there will be more emphasis on the role players stepping up and making shots when he is doubled.
Looking ahead to Northwestern, head coach Kevin Willard will have to expect a different defensive scheme from the Wildcats in an attempt to thwart the dominance of Young and Reese.
Northwestern is yet again led by senior guard Boo Buie, who averages 18.3 points and nearly five assists per game. Buie is one of four double-digit scorers for the Wildcats, who are fresh off an eight-point defeat at Wisconsin on Saturday.
Maryland will need to continue to see the kind of defense from its lineup that Willard called “one of the best in the country,” which was showcased in the second half of the Illinois win. The Terps held the Illini to just 22% from the field and 1-14 from three after halftime.
With postseason implications riding on every game, Maryland can climb up the conference standings and carve a path toward the bubble. It’s the type of run they now need in order to salvage postseason aspirations, but they’ll get the chance to do so back in Xfinity.
The Terps return home for another Quad 1 opportunity when Michigan State comes to College Park on Jan. 21. Maryland will look to continue its home dominance and potentially continue a new streak of home victories after its 19-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of Purdue on Jan. 2. Five of Maryland’s next eight games will be played at home.
With students back on campus for this game, expect a raucous environment at the Xfinity Center. The Terps will also unveil throwback “Script” uniforms in honor of former head coach Lefty Driesell and the teams of the 1970’s. The game will be televised nationally on CBS at noon.
Before this big-time home matchup, Maryland needs to handle its business on the road. With a win at Northwestern, the Terps can improve to 5-12 in true road games under Willard and over .500 in conference play. The game is set for Wednesday at 9 p.m. on BTN.
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