Maryland vs. Lehigh
When: Tuesday, Dec. 28 || 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: XFINITY Center || College Park, MD
Watch: Big Ten Network - Matt Schumacker (Play-by-Play), Brian Butch (Analyst)
Listen: 105.7 FM (Balt) / 980AM (DC) - Johnny Holliday, Chris Knoche, Walt Williams
After a 16-day hiatus, Maryland basketball returns to action on Tuesday night when Lehigh takes the floor in the Xfinity Center.
Lehigh wasn’t the opponent that Maryland was originally prepared to play, but a surge in COVID cases from Loyola (MD) left the Terps scrambling to find a new opponent. Though the staff began preparing for the Greyhounds, interim head coach Danny Manning said the game’s cancelation happened at the right time as the team had yet to work on installing the game plan. “It was going to be that day when the game was canceled that we were going to start implementing game plan,” Manning added on Monday.
With the logistics of the game now set, Maryland returns for the first of two home games over the next three days as they put the much-needed winter break in the rear-view mirror. “It's just one of those situations where you get those days, and you have to recharge your batteries and come back, and we all get a chance to be involved and do something that we'd love to.”
For Lehigh, it will be the first of two games in two days as they’re set to host Eastern on Wednesday night. After a 73-70 overtime loss to Rutgers in the season-opener, Lehigh has dropped seven of their last eight games with Patriot League play looming. Lehigh also had their December 18 contest at Syracuse postponed due to COVID but lost at home to Albany by 16 points just three days later. Junior guard Evan Taylor enters as Lehigh's leading scorer and one of three in double-figures entering Tuesday night, but despite being outscored by an average of nearly ten points per contest, Manning wants to see the Terps get back into their groove before conference play.
“This is probably the longest break I've ever experienced with a basketball team. And so, for us, it's you want to knock the rust off, getting up and down the court,” Manning said, “and you get a chance to do that in a game environment, which is always good. And so, we're excited to get back out on the court and play a game. We have to continue to build on what we did the last time we stepped out on the court with Florida and go from there. So, we're looking forward to getting on the court.”
Maryland is also expected to get Ian Martinez back as he returns from a concussion suffered back on December 5. The Terps are 5-0 this season when Martinez has made at least one three-pointer as he gives the backcourt necessary stability. “Ian has been on the practice court with us, and we are we feel good about him being able to play an upcoming game against Lehigh. And we certainly missed them and, and we need them out on the court. He's dynamic, he's explosive. And, you know, he just gives us another good player that we can utilize in our rotation.”
Tipoff is set for 8:30 PM.