Game Day Essentials: Game #24 at Maryland

[hhcmatt]

Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-16) at #9 Maryland Terrapins (19-4)

 

Date: Tuesday Feb 11th, 2020
Time: 7:30 p.m. 
Arena: Xfinity Center (17,950, 14th largest in D-I)

Broadcast:  BTN

Maryland Info

Head Coach: Mark Turgeon
Location: College Park, MD
Conference: B1G 10
Nickname: Terrapins, Terps
Mascots: Testudo

KenPom rank: 8

Point Spread: Maryland by 17.5

Depth: 6+

Offensive Style: Love the 3

Defensive Style: Force a bad shot

Key Injuries for Nebraska 

• Dachon Burke- out
• Haanif Cheatham - questionable with a calf injury

 

Hoiberg Presser

 

Hoiberg recaps the Iowa game. Fielded a question about layups and then talked about how they do practice layups, which was in no way depressing.

 

Players to watch:  Jalen "Sticks" Smith

The lanky Sophomore Center is a formidable rim protector and is shooting lights out not only at the rim but currently shooting 47.7% from 3 in conference play. The future NBA stretch 4 is a double-double waiting to happen

 

Players to watch:   Anthony Cowan

Cowan is the key to the Maryland offense. The senior PG leads the team in points, assists, and steals and rarely comes off the court.

 

Roster points

	PG	SG	SF	PF	C	Pct
1	1 Anthony Cowan 6-0  180  Sr	5 Eric Ayala 6-5  195  So	11 Darryl Morsell 6-5  200  Jr	2 Aaron Wiggins 6-6  200  So	25 Jalen Smith 6-10  225  So	30.8
2	1 Anthony Cowan 6-0  180  Sr	5 Eric Ayala 6-5  195  So	11 Darryl Morsell 6-5  200  Jr	24 Donta Scott 6-7  225  Fr	25 Jalen Smith 6-10  225  So	21.5

 

Turgeon basically plays 6 guys major minutes with 3-4 more guys playing spot minutes as needed

• Wiggins is probably the 3rd option on offense and is more like to slash to the rim. Doesn't have the 3pt accuracy he did last year
• Morsell is one of Maryland's best defenders and a 'glue guy'
• Ayala is capable of handling the ball. Has really struggled with his outside shot. Look for his man to sag off him to double in the post at times
• Freshman Scott has struggled with his outside shot as well.
• SG Serrel Smith is a defensive whiz, offensive liability
• PF Ricky Lindo has been squeezed from the rotation but is a formidable rebounder and efficient 5th option scorer
• Jr Center Joshua Tomaic is post depth
• 7'2" Chol Marial is a giant athletic freak but is raw and hasn't played much

 

The Skinny:

A shorthanded Nebraska team rolls into #9 Maryland on Tuesday just 3 days after being taken apart by Iowa.  Dachon Burke didn't make the trip due to the flu and it's questionable whether or not Haanif Cheatham will be able to play thanks to a calf injury suffered in that Iowa loss.  Given Burke has started every game this season we'll see Nebraska's 6th different starting lineup tonight.

 

Maryland possesses  one of the best defenses in the country as they've held several conference opponents to under 60 points at home. Their length and ability to guard without fouling essentially means most teams will have to beat them from 3. When you have a team like Nebraska who has trouble converting layups when no one is guarding them, expect that to be the game plan. With Burke out this might be a game where you let Jervay Green rip and and see what happens.

 

Offensively, the Terrapins tend to make up for their average shooting by forcing their way to the free throw line.  Nebraska is generally a team that defends well without fouling but this will be paramount tonight given we're possibly down to 8 available players. Zone might be on the menu tonight and hopefully that won't result in too many back-breaking offensive rebounds.

 

Maryland just beat Illinois on the road and travel to play Michigan St on Saturday.  How much energy are they bringing tonight vs this reeling Nebraska team?

 

Prediction: Maryland 84 - Nebraska 64

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[AuroranHusker]

Hmmm, from watching the Iowa game, I had thought Haanif's injury was to his calf.

[jayschool]

[hhcmatt]

28 minutes ago, AuroranHusker said:

Hmmm, from watching the Iowa game, I had thought Haanif's injury was to his calf.

 

You're right. Shouldn't have had chicken for lunch

[hhcmatt]

Burke's 3pt shooting in 2020: 3-30 (10%)

 

 

[HuskerFever]

20 minutes ago, hhcmatt said:

 

You're right. Shouldn't have had chicken for lunch

 

Better than crow...

[hhcmatt]

I'm having tacos tonight #BigTuesday

[hhcmatt]

59 minutes ago, hhcmatt said:

When you have a team like Nebraska who has trouble converting layups when no one is guarding them, expect that to be the game plan

 

 

This game plan, visualized

 

[AuroranHusker]

54 minutes ago, hhcmatt said:

Burke's 3pt shooting in 2020: 3-30 (10%)

 

 

 

Yikes. He seemed on fire against Indiana at Assembly Hall, but that was back in Dec. 2019.

[hhcmatt]

14 minutes ago, AuroranHusker said:

 

Yikes. He seemed on fire against Indiana at Assembly Hall, but that was back in Dec. 2019.

 

He went 8-15 between Purdue and Indiana

[AuroranHusker]

10 minutes ago, hhcmatt said:

 

He went 8-15 between Purdue and Indiana

 

Yeah, and it'd be amazing to have Burkey make a single three, now. Crazy.

 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by AuroranHusker

[jayschool]

1 hour ago, hhcmatt said:

Burke's 3pt shooting in 2020: 3-30 (10%)

 

 

Glynn Watson went 2-for-22 in a five-game stretch in late January-early February 2019. The Huskers lost all five and found themselves on the outside-looking-in at the NCAA Tournament.

[Cazzie22]

I have the faint hope that Maryland is disinterested tonight.

[Handy Johnson]

All the Akol Arop fans should pull up a seat cushion tonight...!