Maryland basketball (13-7, 4-5 Big Ten) took care of business against a struggling Wisconsin Badgers (12-7, 4-5 Big Ten) at home to secure their first victory of a three-game home stretch.
Both teams were red hot in the first half
Both teams got out to a great start as shots were falling down one after the other. It made for an exciting matchup to watch as the teams made it through the first six minutes without a whistle. Each team took care of the ball well. Jahmir Young had a game-high seven points as the Terps had an 18-17 lead. Earlier in the half, he got the crowd hype with a one-handed slam off of dribble penetration.
But after both teams opened to shoot over 65% from the floor through the first seven minutes, both teams suffered scoring droughts and were a combined 1-of-13 from the field later in the first half. Inside the five-minute mark, the Terps jumped out to an 8-0 run that was capped off by a Donta Scott three-pointer. The Terps led 28-23. They went into the halftime break with a four-point lead, 32-28, thanks to a late three-pointer by forward Steven Crowl.
Maryland basketball could have expanded their lead to double-digits, but foul trouble prevented that from happening. Young had 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting, followed by Scott and Julian Reese combining for 17 points and seven rebounds. Essegian and Crowl combined for 16 of the Badgers’ 28 points.
Maryland dominates the boards
Maryland would have its handful at times with Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl as they combined for 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting, but the Terps also leaned on Donta Scott and Julian Reese inside as they were able to control the paint on both ends of the court. Maryland finished the game with a +10 rebound margin and outscored the Badgers by 16 in the paint to guide the Terps to a 56% shooting night from the floor.
Maryland’s depth would be tested with Emilien still limited after playing just four minutes, but Julian Reese then picked up a pair of quick fouls at the end of the first half to send him to the bench early. But Jahmir Young helped pick up the slack on the offensive end, slashing to the rim and leaning on his quickness to force the Badgers’ defense out of position.
The Terps took control in the second half
That was nifty. đź‘€@keem___3 x @TerrapinHoops pic.twitter.com/UJqSEGAIuK
— Maryland On BTN (@MarylandOnBTN) January 26, 2023
Terrapins made all eight of the shots to start the second half, and Reese was not only scoring with ease, but he also was setting screens and using his size to send a message. The Terps jumped out a 49-36 lead and had a 32-14 advantage in paint points. Again, they got this momentum behind their aggressiveness on the defensive end. That’s where it all started. They kept everything in front of them and it paid dividends.
Hakim Hart hit a Wisconsin defender with a mean step-back three-pointer and had something to say after the highlight. Maryland was in full control of this game with a 61-49 lead. The Badgers couldn’t buy a bucket for almost four minutes as this game wound down.
Maryland basketball got one step closer to .500 in Big Ten play with this win in the Xfinity Center. This was a win they needed after the close loss with No. 1 Purdue (19-1, 8-1 Big Ten). What a way to start off a three-game home stand. Young finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Scott had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Reese had 14 points.
Essegian’s 19 points weren’t enough to carry the Badgers.
The Terps take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-11, 3-7 Big Ten) Saturday, at 4:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
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