LINCOLN, Neb. — Simply three days after a signature house victory capped by a court storming, the Maryland males’s basketball workforce tried to take care of that momentum at Nebraska. The Terrapins took on a Cornhuskers squad that has performed a lot better these days, so Sunday evening’s matchup — given the lengthy journey and the short turnaround — had all of the components for a letdown.
That’s precisely what the Terps ended up with. Nebraska secured a 70-66 time beyond regulation win by chipping away at Maryland’s second-half lead after which capitalizing on its late errors.
The Terps had 4 turnovers throughout time beyond regulation, together with Hakim Hart’s giveaway on an inbound move with 35 seconds remaining. Nebraska led by one on the time, and Coach Kevin Willard had simply mentioned a plan together with his gamers throughout a timeout. Willard hoped to get the ball to level guard Jahmir Younger, after which, together with his workforce within the bonus, maybe Hart might get downhill in quest of a go-ahead basket or a pair of free throws.
Hart thought Younger was open. As a substitute, Nebraska’s Sam Hoiberg intercepted the move, raced downcourt and scored a layup. That gave Nebraska a 67-64 edge with 31 seconds to go, and Hart’s shot was blocked on Maryland’s subsequent possession. The Terps (18-9, 9-7 Huge Ten) might solely foul from there, and so they ended up with their seventh loss in eight convention street video games.
The turnovers stemmed from a “lack of focus [and] simply being certain of all the things,” Younger stated. “That’s actually what it was. As a veteran lineup, that’s on us.”
Coming off Thursday’s marquee win over No. 3 Purdue, the Terps weathered a torpid begin to construct an eight-point lead with 7:10 remaining in regulation, However Nebraska (14-14, 7-10) rallied, and Derrick Walker tied the rating on a layup with 29 seconds to go. Out of a timeout, Younger missed what might have been a successful jumper, sending the sport to time beyond regulation.
The Cornhuskers led by 9 early within the second half, however the Terps generated a 17-2 run in response. Hart had a pair of three-pointers throughout that stretch, which was paying homage to Maryland’s second-half surge towards Purdue. However this time, the Terps couldn’t end.
Reserve guard Ian Martinez, a pesky defender who had three factors in 34 minutes, stated the Terps “didn’t are available with the fitting mind-set,” however he didn’t attribute that bother to the emotional excessive of the win over Purdue. The Cornhuskers have gained 4 of 5, and the victory over Maryland will probably be a spotlight of their season.
“We knew this was a giant sport for them,” Younger stated. “It was a giant sport for us, too, seeding-wise. It’s disappointing. It’s irritating that the main target wasn’t there. We knew what the stakes had been coming in right here.”
Younger and Julian Reese led the Terps with 16 factors apiece, and Reese added a career-high 16 rebounds. Hart completed with 14 factors whereas making 4 of 6 makes an attempt from three-point vary. However Maryland’s different starters struggled: Senior ahead Donta Scott had 5 factors on 2-for-16 taking pictures (together with 1-for-8 from three-point vary), and guard Don Carey (zero factors) performed simply eight minutes and didn’t seem within the second half or time beyond regulation.
As a workforce, Maryland shot simply 33.3 %. Its offensive struggles had been exacerbated by the turnovers: The Terps completed with 12, greater than in any outing since a loss at Iowa on Jan. 15.
“We’ve acquired to return able to punch the opposite workforce within the mouth,” Martinez stated. “We’ve acquired to return out able to dominate. We weren’t prepared for that immediately.”
Right here’s what else to find out about Maryland’s loss:
Tominaga’s surge
Nebraska guard Keisei Tominaga has been on a tear, coming into Sunday having scored not less than 22 factors whereas making not less than 4 three-pointers in every of his earlier 4 video games. Tominaga, who averaged simply 5.7 factors final season, powered a Cornhuskers run that included wins over Penn State, Wisconsin and Rutgers and dragged them out of the dregs of the Huge Ten.
In opposition to Maryland, he had 20 factors however made simply 2 of 6 makes an attempt from three-point vary. Tominaga hadn’t made a shot from past the arc for the reason that sport’s opening minutes — however then he hit one to open time beyond regulation, the start of a robust 5 minutes that helped the Cornhuskers prevail.
The Terps restricted Nebraska to 3-for-16 taking pictures from three-point vary, however Walker (23 factors) was a problem within the paint.
Street woes
Maryland has confronted main struggles away from Xfinity Heart, and people endured Sunday. The Terps had one other gradual begin: 2-for-16 taking pictures, six factors and 5 turnovers within the opening 10 minutes.
“I can’t put my finger on it,” Willard stated of the rationale for the poor begins on the street. “… It simply looks like it takes us a little bit little bit of time to get into the stream of the sport.”
At house in convention play, the Terps have gotten a big enhance on the free throw line. They’ve tried a median of twenty-two free throws in contrast with simply 10.4 for his or her Huge Ten opponents at Xfinity Heart. However on the street, Maryland hasn’t had the identical fortune. The Terps try about half as many free throws — 11 per sport coming into Sunday.
When Maryland defeated Nebraska at home last month, the Terps went 24 for 26 on the foul line whereas the Cornhuskers completed 9 for 15. Maryland couldn’t replicate that outing Sunday: It completed 13 for 19, and Nebraska was 19 for 25.
