Read below for a full Indiana vs Maryland prediction and preview.
Indiana basketball hosts Maryland as they continue their Big Ten play. These two teams last met on March 3, 2024, and they won 83-78. The Hoosiers are currently 6-4 over the Terps in the last 10 matchups.
Game Information:
Teams: Indiana (14-6, 5-4) and Maryland (15-5, 5-4)
Tip time: Noon EST
Watch: CBS
Listen: 105.1 FM in Bloomington, 93.1 FM in Indianapolis.
Latest on Indiana basketball:
Indiana basketball is coming off a 79-70 loss to the Northwestern Wildcats on Wednesday. The Hoosiers didn’t perform well.
While the Hoosiers remained in the game during the first half, they were completely outscored in the second. Throughout the game, Indiana was bailed out by the Wildcats’ lack of offensive accuracy. Northwestern missed a whopping eight straight threes toward the end of the first half and the beginning of the second.
In the second half, when the Wildcats found success on offense, Indiana’s defense just could not fight. There was an opening 24-11 Wildcat run after halftime, which badly hurt any sort of Hoosier momentum. At the most crucial part of the whole game, Indiana lost to a closing 21-4 run by Northwestern. Shooters were left with no defender, Ty Berry was unstoppable from downtown, and the Hoosiers simply lacked communication. Letting up 54 points in the second half (62.5%) is not what dominant teams do. Head coach Mike Woodson was undoubtedly questioned about the lack of offense during the postgame press conference;
“Our switches, we weren’t together on switches, where we were connected the first half, and they made us pay for it.” Said Woodson.
This is the first game that Junior forward Malik Reneau has participated in since the opening minutes of the Rutgers game on Jan. 2. He wasn’t playing as her had before his right knee injury, however. So, while the two big lineups were put back into place, it wasn’t beneficial for the Hoosiers in the last game.
Mackenzie Mgbako finally scored some solid points, shooting 7 of 7 3-pointers and totaling 20 points, a team-high.
Taking a step back, the Hoosiers are 5-4 in Big Ten wins. However, they recently defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes only by a one-point margin (77-76). Before this, they were embarrassed by both Iowa and Illinois. They had a strong run going before, but at this point, that seems like forever ago.
“What do you think is holding this team back?” Woodson is asked in the postgame after Northwestern.
”I wish I knew. I’m still trying to figure it out.” he said.
It has certainly been a season of high and lows for Indiana, however at what point will the streak of low’s stop?
Latest on Maryland basketball:
The Terrapins upset No. 17 Illinois 91-70 on Jan. 23. Their strong defensive presence forced 16 Illini turnovers. The Terps were dominant on both ends of the court, frustrating Illinois and their previous strong gameplay. The Terps’ half-court press played a role in this. They kept the energy up and scored 17 fast-break points.
However, it is important to note that Tomislav Ivisic, the Illini’s leading rebounder, didn’t touch the court due to illness. He grabs about 8.5 rebounds per game, which definitely cuts the Terps some slack.
Julian Reese and Derik Queen ran the offensive show. Reece led the team in points with 27 and grabbed 17 rebounds. Queen came close to this with 25 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
Maryland only had a 38-35 lead going into halftime. However, they were able to come out on top because of their energy on the defensive side. They were certainly smart to take advantage of Illinois’ lineup change.
The Terps are coming off an exciting upset win, while the Hoosiers are still trying to get back on their feet. Therefore, Indiana will have a tough time. However, Maryland is now playing against a full lineup with solid bench players.