The first time Ohio State took on Maryland this season, it desperately needed a win. The Buckeyes were hoping to end a three-game losing streak at home, but the Terrapins thoroughly outplayed them and left Columbus with a decisive 75-61 victory.
| Who | Where | When | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland (20-7, 11-5) | Xfinity Center (College Park) | 2 p.m. | ESPN |
The two teams will meet for a second time in just over a month at 2 p.m. Sunday, this time in College Park, Maryland. And just like the last time they met up, Ohio State could really use a win.
With just five regular-season games remaining, the Buckeyes only have so many more opportunities for a resume-boosting win. Though they don't have any egregious losses and only one loss in a Quadrant-three game, which came at home to Illinois, they don't have a single top-25 win. The victory against Cincinnati is the team's best victory, but the second-best win came against Nebraska which is rated three spots lower in NET than Ohio State.
Viewed somewhere between a ninth and 11th seed, the Buckeyes can't afford to finish the season without beating a ranked team. Four of their final five games will come versus top-25 opponents, and the game versus Maryland is their first of four last opportunities to pull an upset.
Toppling a team that just beat Ohio State by 14 points at the Schottenstein Center in January will likely prove challenging. Maryland has won three of its past four games, and all three victories came versus NCAA tournament-quality teams.
"They're really complete in how they play," Chris Holtmann said. "I think they’ve held four of their last five opponents under 35 percent from the field. And they've been really, really efficient offensively."
Opponent Preview
In the first matchup against Ohio State, five players – Bruno Fernando, Jalen Smith, Anthony Cowan, Darryl Morsell and Aaron Wiggins – scored in double figures. Cowan led both teams with 20 points and averages a team-high 15.9 points.
Holtmann called Cowan "one of the elite point guards in the country." He has only hit 39.6 percent of his shots, but he's a solid 3-point shooter (34.1 percent) and has run the offense well this season while recording a team-best 4.6 assists per game.
"Obviously they've got a couple of those sophomores in Bruno and Cowan who played a lot last year, were instrumental in their team," Holtmann said. "And then they've added a collection of some really gifted freshmen."
Part of the reason the Terrapins have been so difficult for opponents to deal with has been their ability to score from multiple levels, and that begins with Cowan and Fernando.
In January, Fernando had 15 points and 13 rebounds, which wasn't far from his season averages of 14.4 points and 10.6 rebounds. He's a double-double machine who also has nearly two blocks and two assists per game.
Eric Ayala and Wiggins combined to make 5-of-6 shots from beyond the arc versus the Buckeyes in January, and both have hit at least 42 percent of 3-point attempts this season. They have a tendency of making teams pay for focusing too much on Cowan and Fernando.
Teams have struggled to win in the Xfinity Center this season. Maryland has a 13-3 home schedule, but all three losses came to non-conference opponents. The Buckeyes hope to change that.
Ohio State Preview
The last time Ohio State played Maryland, the Terrapins made a ridiculous 58.1 percent of their shots. For the offensively deficient Buckeyes, that can't happen again. But even if Maryland's offense loses some of its efficiency, the Buckeyes likely won't be able to completely stifle them, increasing the importance of them finding a rhythm on offense.
Ohio State hasn't topped 63 points in the past four games. During that stretch, Luther Muhammad has hit just 4-of-29 shots. He has to rebound from his rut in order to give his team a chance to pull off an upset, and that'll only become more important if C.J. Jackson is hindered with a shoulder injury.
Holtmann said he expects Jackson to play, but noted his point guard wasn't able to practice much on Thursday. Jackson has struggled with turnovers, but the team's lack of point guard depth makes him a key cog. He hasn't been the only one dealing with an injury, though.
Kyle Young has played in the past five games, but the stress fracture that kept him out four games has kept him out of almost all practices since he returned to action.
Beyond beating the injury bug, Ohio State will have to figure out a way to beat Maryland's defense, which held it to 39-percent shooting in January. Kaleb Wesson, who will have the tough task of matching up with Fernando, had 22 points and eight rebounds on Wednesday and once again will be charged with sparking the offense. He managed just 11 points and six rebounds in the first game versus the Terrapins, who did their best to ensure he wouldn't beat them, but will get a second chance against Fernando and Maryland's frontcourt on Saturday.
How It Plays Out
Maryland's offense will pose quite a challenge, for it's unlikely Ohio State will be able to keep up if the Terrapins knock down shots at a rate anywhere near what they did in the first matchup of the year.
But the Buckeyes have also had their fair share of troubles scoring, too, especially against teams as skilled as Maryland. Wesson and Muhammad need big games, and Jackson has to control his turnovers for Ohio State to have a chance. The Terrapins are 6.5-point favorites.
Prediction: Maryland 75, Ohio State 64
