Takeaways from Maryland men’s basketball’s 83-64 loss to Iowa in Big Ten opener

Maryland men’s basketball’s conference slate started off about as poorly as it could have imagined.

The Terps looked out of sorts and outmatched by an Iowa team that projects to be middle-of-the-pack in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes led by 16 at halftime and by as much as 26 before Maryland ultimately fell, 83-64, on the road at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

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Here are three takeaways from the night.

Iowa got every look it wanted

The Hawkeyes are the third straight high-major team to shoot over 50% from the field and over 40% from deep against Maryland. One strong opponent shooting lights-out is an anomaly — three in a row is not.

Bennett Stirtz is one of the best college basketball players in the country. Even with a strong defender in Solomon Washington tasked with him for much of the afternoon, he finished 10-of-17 from the field and 4-of-8 from 3-point range en route to 25 points.

But Stirtz’s outburst isn’t what reflects poorly on Maryland. It’s the abundance of wide-open looks for everyone — especially from beyond the arc — that spell trouble going forward.

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The Terps’ lack of 5-on-5 practice is extremely evident on the court. They’re simply not connected in rotation. Shooters were left open repeatedly, and Iowa capitalized early and often. It dished out 19 assists to Maryland’s seven, and its 8-of-13 showing from deep in the first half eclipsed the Terps’ six made 3-pointers (from 20 attempts) all game.

The personnel on the court didn’t help either. Darius Adams — a notably high-effort defender — earned two early fouls and played just five minutes in the first half. George Turkson Jr. is a physical presence at 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, and came off the injury report for the game. He didn’t see the court.

But perhaps most puzzling was 6-foot-10 freshman Aleks Alston’s omission. He provides much-needed size, especially if Pharrel Payne needs a breather. Alston also proved he can produce against stronger opponents, averaging 7.0…

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Publish date : 2025-12-07 02:22:00

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