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Maryland men’s basketball finished second-to-last in the Big Ten during the regular season. By all metrics, the Terps were on a collision course with the offseason. But Buzz Williams and company had different plans.
In the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, Maryland squared up with Oregon in Chicago. The same program it fell to by 10 in January, it took down Tuesday by the same amount, 70-60.
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Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s action.
Playoff intensity
The first half of Tuesday’s action was simply an anomaly. It was as polished a half on defense as Maryland has had all season, and its ball security and decision making was sublime. But more than this, it was the vigor the Terps played with that stood out.
It’s no secret that Maryland was outclassed from a size perspective. Nate Bittle and Kwame Evans Jr. have been some of the most prolific paint players in the Big Ten this season, combining for over 14 boards per contest.
But Maryland’s frontcourt has combatted some of the premier rebounding teams in the Big Ten this season. Solomon Washington — averaging a whopping 9.2 rebounds — and company held Big Ten leading rebounder Hannes Steinbach to just three boards. The Terps nearly outdid No. 9 Illinois — the conference’s leader in rebounds — on Sunday.
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Some of the pulldowns Tuesday were largely effort-based. On a handful of occasions, the ball would glance off the rim and bounce around in the open court, waiting for someone to snag it. And nearly every time, a Terp would sprint to the spot before a Duck could get there.
George Turkson Jr. hasn’t seen too much time on the court this year. A redshirt freshman, he made the trek up to College Park alongside Williams from Texas A&M. But Turkson’s feisty attitude on the glass saw him rip down six rebounds in the first half, two of which came on offense.
Williams and his squad didn’t hear a bell.
The Terps don’t hold Oregon to 3-of-22 shooting in the first half — each of those…
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Publish date : 2026-03-11 00:24:00
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