Kevin Willard on Donta Scott, Maryland's Turnover Issues, Buckeyes' Strengths

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP1ONDoOFxo Maryland will look to end its three-game skid in conference play when 24th-ranked Ohio State steps inside the Xfinity Center on Sunday afternoon. The Buckeyes are coming off a close loss to Purdue in their first defeat of Big Ten play but have been clicking offensively and enter Sunday as one of the top scoring teams in the country. “It's weird. They're playing totally different than they played last year. I think Chris is letting the young guys play,” Maryland head coach Kevin Willard said Saturday. “I think it's they're a little bit different just cause their personnel's a little bit different. Obviously, Zed , you know, if he does play, which I think he is anybody that dislocates his shoulder and then goes, tries to foul, big Zach after dislocating his shoulder a pretty tough dude in my book.” Maryland is also coming off a season-high 20 turnovers in the loss to Rutgers, a weakness that isn’t lost on Willard. “I just think a lot of our turnovers are just kind of, I hate to say nervous, but you know, just kind of not playing under control, trying to make a little bit quick passes and we talked a lot about that . You can't have 45 assists and 75 turnovers in five games and think you're gonna win a game. We have to improve on that and that's something that, you know, offensively we're working on, and and going forward we're kind of messing with the offense a little bit to maybe cut those down just a little bit.” Maryland will also look to get Donta Scott going against the Buckeyes after finishing in double figures in just two of the last seven games while shooting 31.1% from the field. The veteran forward is averaging just eight points through Big Ten play as Maryland finds ways to get him going. “It's a matter of him getting adjusted to that game, being that number one target, learning how to beat defenses, burn defenses. I think he lasts three games he's just forced a whole lot of stuff. He's a great passer. I just think he's gotta let the game come to him a little bit and I think this is all new to him,” Willard added. “And I always say that to people. It's like, you know when, when you haven't been the main guy and you jump into being the main guy, it's real. It takes some time to get adjusted to. Sandra was the same way. Sandra was a third and fourth guy for us, and then his senior year, he's touching the ball, he is shooting the ball 22 times and they really struggle at the beginning of Big East play and by the time the end of the Big East player, he was Player of the Year. So, I got a lot of confidence in Donta. It's just everyone's gotta be a little patient and just let him kind of work through it and let him work through mistakes.” Maryland will also have to limit freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh, a three-time Big Ten freshman of the week selection whose led Ohio State in scoring in six of the last seven games. Sensabaugh is averaging 16.3 points per game on 53.5% shooting, sitting fourth nationally among freshmen. “There's a couple good things about some of the freshmen in this league that they won't be around next year. I think what's really impressive is, a lot of freshmen take tough shots. Brice takes 'em and makes them and he makes 'em at a clip that's I'm talking about. They put him on the right block. He jabs, he goes middle, and he shoots a little fall away, 14-footer. He probably does it six times a game and he makes four of 'em, where the average freshman would make one of them. He gets out on the break and I think the biggest thing he is shooting 45% from three as a freshman. I mean the kid, he's a high-level player and he is also a high-level pro. I have no problem saying that because I've seen a couple now.”