Maryland’s slow Big Ten start is in the past. Now the 18th-ranked Terps are rolling

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Kevin Willard didn’t panic when Maryland stumbled early in the Big Ten schedule. He just wanted his Terrapins to be in solid position as the calendar turned to February.

They’re right on time.

Now Maryland has its first AP Top 25 ranking in nearly two years entering Thursday’s trip to Ohio State and Sunday’s home game against Rutgers. The 18th-ranked Terps have won four straight and six of seven to dig out of a 1-3 start to league play, which included two Pacific Northwest losses at the western reaches of the Big Ten’s expanded footprint.

“They could’ve let a lot of negativity affect them,” Willard said after Wednesday’s win against then-No. 17 Wisconsin. “Their attitude has been just phenomenal. I think that’s the biggest thing, is that they’ve been really resilient through out the first part of this conference schedule.”

Maryland (17-5, 7-4) has been steady at both ends of the court. As of Monday, KenPom ranked the Terps as one of nine teams nationally to rank in the top 25 in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency, with Maryland averaging 119.0 points per 100 possessions (21st) and allowing 95.1 (23rd) at the other end.

They also rank second in KenPom by blocking 5.4% of opponents’ 2-point shots and third by tallying steals on 6.9% of opponents’ possessions.

The most impressive win of the current run was a 91-70 win at then-No. 17 Illinois on Jan. 23, with the Terrapins scoring 53 second-half points and finishing with their best road output against a ranked team since January 2002 — a season that ended with the program winning the NCAA title.

The current run has Maryland in the poll for the first time since spending a week at No. 21 in late February 2023. And it’s all part of a focus that forward Julian Reese described as “just trying to play our best brand of basketball” after the Wisconsin win.

“I think the biggest thing was just getting through January,” Willard said. “I knew January was going to be hard with the (cross-country travel). I think…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/marylands-slow-big-ten-start-070325829.html

Author : Associated Press

Publish date : 2025-02-04 07:03:00

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