Game Day Essentials: Game #33 vs Maryland

Maryland Info

Head Coach: Mark Turgeon
Location: College Park, MD
Conference: B1G 10
Nickname: Terrapins, Terps
Mascots: Testudo
Last time out: Beat Minnesota

Conference Record: 13-7
Typical Rotation Depth: 7+
Line: Maryland by 6
Offense: "Maryland Motion", turnover prone

Player to watch: Bruno Fernando

The 6'10" 240# sophomore averages almost a double-double and put up 18 points vs Nebraska in January. He followed that up with another double-double and fouled out Tanner Borchardt in 25 minute including the controversial non-charge and step over play.

Player to watch: Anthony Cowan

The junior PG is leading the team in scoring and went off for 19 points against the Huskers in January.  The Huskers really clamped down on him defensively in Lincoln.

KenPom Helps explain the Roster

Maryland has one of the youngest rosters in Div 1 but doesn't have the glut of one and done players like Kentucky/Duke

• 5 star Frosh Jalen Smith is the 3rd leading scorer and 2nd leading rebounder. Smtih doesn't have much of an outside shot
• Wiggins along with Cowan takes the most 3 though is shooting 41% on the year
• Ayala is shooting 42% from 3 but isn't aggressive with his shot
• 6'5" Soph Darryl Morsell is a slasher who has found some 3pt success in conference play
• Fr 170# Guard Serrel Smith is the rotation and has the green light to shoot 3s but has only made 29% this year; turnover prone
• 6'8" Fr Ricky Lindo is the backup at the 4 who plays minutes but isn't real effective
• Sr PF Ivan Bender is an effective inside scorer but simply depth at this poin

The Skinny: Nebraska showed you that they came to the B1G ready to play and more than likely had a Maryland scout put together before leaving Lincoln as one of the few advantages to being the 12 seed is knowing who your first 3 opponents would be in the tourney.

The advantages of Maryland and their gameplan should be pretty straightforward: Punish Nebraska inside with Fernando and Smith and if you need to deviate from that plan because of double teams then it's simply a matter of your 3pt shooters making shots.

For Nebraska, you need to hope that Maryland plays tight and/or sloppy like many teams do in their first game at the B1G tourney. Maryland is already a turnover prone team so it's possible they will give Nebraska points like Rutgers did yesterday. Nebraska will need those empty possessions vs a Maryland team that will win the rebounding battle and will probably shoot well.  

They say it's hard to beat a team three times.  They say that.

Prediction: Maryland 68 - Nebraska 60