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Maryland won its biggest game of the season Thursday knocking off No. 3 Iowa at home to move closer to the top spot in the Big Ten. Next up is a rematch with the Buckeyes, who the Terps destroyed by 35 points just two weeks ago. Can you say letdowm?
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HOW THE MARYLAND TERRAPINS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
For the past two weeks, there were questions about Maryland’s toughness and talent. Were the Terps like so many other top 10 teams this season, a bit soft and more than a little overrated? in a game they needed to win, the No. 8 Terps responded with their biggest victory of the season and one of the biggest in coach Mark Turgeon’s five seasons.
Maryland stopped the Big Ten’s hottest team, beating No. 3 Iowa 74-68 on Thursday night to finally get a signature victory to add to what had been a pretty skimpy NCAA tournament resume. And they did it with little help from preseason Big Ten playoff the year Melo Trimble.
The Terps got it done mostly by playing with the kind of intensity that had been missing lately, and locking down defensively on Iowa’s stars. They also got a lift from guard Rasheed Sulaimon and forward Robert Carter Jr., who each scored 17 points to pick up the slack for Trimble. And that’s how the Terps have enjoyed success this season with teammates picking each other up when one is having an off-night.
HOW THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES CAN COVER THE SPREAD
The wounds of a 35-point thumping Ohio State took at Maryland two weeks are still fresh and should serve as some sort of motivation for the youthful Buckeyes. Some inconsistency is to be expected. The roster does, after all, resemble a preschool class.
In trying to get the uneven team to reach another level, coach Thad Matta has tried everything from reciting inspirational quotes to benching starters JaQuan Lyle and Trevor Thompson last week. Matta has tried a number of tactical motivational maneuvers on his club, but what he wants is five guys to be prepared to go on the floor.
Lyle has been the biggest mystery. He either shows up or he doesn’t, and Matta never knows what he’s going to get. But Lyle is a special talent, one the Buckeyes can build off. They desperately need Lyle and leading scorer Marc Loving to be motivated in the rematch with the Terps. The two combined to score 12 points on 5 of 20 shooting in a dismal effort.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Maryland has been hanging around the top 10 all season but the lack of a signature win during their 15-1 start kept them from climbing into the top spot. The Terps entered Thursday’s matchup with Big Ten leader and No. 3 ranked Iowa in a bit of lull after splitting their previous four games. But all is good after Maryland secured a victory and pulled within a half-game of the conference leaders. The only thing that can prevent the Terps from beating Ohio State is if the bus stalls on the way to the arena. But seriously, Maryland could experience a letdown following a huge win and facing the team it destroyed by 35 points two weeks ago. The Terps won’t lose, they have better talent than Ohio State, but expect the Buckeyes to put up more of a fight than in the last meeting. OSU is also feeling pretty good following a pair of victories, including an overtime win at Illinois on Thursday. The Buckeyes will at least keep it close on their home floor.
Maryland 92, Ohio State 78
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