Maryland basketball begins Big Ten Conference play with a home matchup against Ohio State.
The first of 20 Big Ten games will take place at the Xfinity Center on Wednesday where the Terps look to extend their win streak to five. Conference play is a marathon, not a sprint, but Maryland must start strong, especially on their home court. Mackey Arena is looming on Sunday, making this game that much more consequential.
Ohio State suffered a heartbreaking loss at the buzzer to Pittsburgh in their last outing — Zach Austin hit a deep triple as time expired to top the Buckeyes 91-90.
Game information:
Teams: Maryland (7-1) and Ohio State (5-2)
Tip time: 6:30 p.m. EST
Watch: BTN
Listen: Maryland Sports Radio Network
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Ohio State was projected to finish eighth in the Big Ten preseason poll. Although their season has been up and down so far, they have a strong NET ranking of 12. The Buckeyes opened the season by overwhelming Texas, but losses in their other two non-conference games — to Texas A&M and Pittsburgh — have halted the train in Columbus Station.
The Buckeyes feature a high-octane, balanced attack, with five players averaging double figures. But make no mistake — Bruce Thornton is their go-to guy. The Fairburn, GA, native has established himself as one of the premier guards in the country, and he leads the way with 16.4 points per game. Thornton relies more on physicality than athleticism, which makes sense as he is built like TreVeyon Henderson, the Buckeye’s stud running back. He uses his frame to back down smaller guards and shield the ball from them. Thornton has an innate understanding of angles and timing, and watching him will remind you of Villanova Jalen Brunson.
John Mobley Jr. (14 pPPG, Devin Royal (12.4 PPG), Micah Parrish (11.1 PPG), and Meechie Johnson Jr. (10.6 PPG) shoulder the rest of the load. The Buckeyes take, and make a ton of three-pointers. They rank third nationally in three-point percentage (44.8%), with four starters shooting it at over 40%. Sean Stewart is the exception as he has only taken one three on the year.
Ohio State does not get to the line very often (159th nationally in FTA/Game), so expect a heavy dose of jump shots against the Terps, especially with Derik Queen and Julian Reese guarding the paint. Opponents are shooting 29.1% from three against Maryland, but Marquette and Villanova each shot it at above 31%.
Kentucky transfer Aaron Bradshaw is currently away from the team, and his loss cannot be understated. Bradshaw, standing at 7’1, was Ohio State’s lone inside presence and rim protector. They will likely play a lot of small ball without any viable replacements on the bench. Avert your eyes if your a Buckeye fan: after Queen and Reese this week, Auburn is up next week with potential NPOY Johni Broome.
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Experience is something that Kevin Willard preached all offseason, and so far, it has paid off as the Terps have a solid NET ranking of 22.
Maryland’s lone hiccup came against Marquette in a hard-fought battle at the Xfinity Center, but the Terps have rebounded nicely with four straight wins. It cannot be understated how crucial the 76-75 win over Villanova was — not just for the team’s confidence, but for the sake of the season. A loss to the Wildcats would have been a blow to the tournament resume.
Derik Queen is receiving “Baby Jokic” comparisons, and he looks the part of an All-American caliber player. In two games against power four competition (Marquette and Villanova) Queen is dominating with averages of 23/9/4. The Baltimore native is currently second on the team in assists per game at 2.8. It would not be surprising if he leads the team in assists by year’s end, as his role as a facilitator will only expand as conference play ensues.
With no Aaron Bradshaw, the Buckeyes are vulnerable at the rim. Queen and Julian Reese will have a clear height advantage at all times, so expect the Twin Towers to feast.
The scouting report for Kevin Willard is simple: get to the free throw line. Ohio State ranks 296th nationally in free throws allowed per game. Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Selton Miguel, and the other Maryland perimeter players must slash, not settle.
Once again, it will be interested to see how Willard deploys both Queen and Reese. Most of the Buckeyes points come from drive and kick opportunities, per Hoop Explorer. Marquette was able to spread the Maryland bigs out to the perimeter, and Buckeyes coach Jake Diebler may opt to do the same.
It’s too early in the season to deal in absolutes, but to avoid being a bubble team, a win on Wednesday is a must. The Terps will look to do so in front of a white-out home crowd.