The Maryland basketball team was able to grind out a win in Ann Arbor against Michigan on Saturday afternoon.
Now the Terrapins return to College Park with perhaps their toughest test yet on tap in Indiana.
After a deflating loss against Nebraska on New Year’s Day, Maryland bounced back in a big way this past weekend with a 77-70 triumph over the Wolverines. The Terps got big performance from center Damonte Dodd (15 points and four rebounds) and forward Justin Jackson (15 points and six rebounds).
Maryland is trending the right way in terms of getting healthy. This was Dodd’s second game back in the lineup since missing five games with a sprained MCL.
Dodd came off the bench against the Cornhuskers, but drew the start against the Wolverines. He was very effective around the basket and his 15 points were a career high.
The Terps did a number of things well in this game.
They shot 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from beyond the arc and got four threes from Jared Nickens. Maryland also won the battle on the glass by a 33-26 margin.
Star guard Melo Trimble scored 14 points or fewer for the second consecutive game. This comes after he reached the 20-point plateau in the previous three contests.
Keys to the game
1.) Battle of the backcourts – There’s very few that have a backcourt that rivals Maryland. However, Indiana definitely does in James Blackmon Jr. and Robert Johnson. Both rank in the top 12 in scoring in the Big Ten and shoot over 41 percent from three. Anthony Cowan is going to face his toughest test yet in trying to slow these guards down and running Maryland’s offense throughout the night. If the Terps can outscore the Hoosier backcourt, it’ll go a long way towards deciding this one.
2.) Guard the perimeter – The Hoosiers possess five shooters that connect on at least 35 percent of their attempts from three. Blackmon and Johnson are the biggest threats as was mentioned above. While he doesn’t attempt a ton of threes, center Thomas Bryant can step out and drain a few if the defense is lagging off of him. This is a group that shoots 39.7 percent from beyond the arc, which ranks second in the Big Ten.
3.) Crash the boards – Maryland has come up on the short end in terms of rebounding in several games this season. While the Terps did hold a 33-26 advantage on the boards against the Wolverines, that was against a very small lineup. The Hoosiers are one of the top rebounding groups in the conference, so the Terps are really going to have to battle for every loose ball in this one. Dodd is going to be very key in this one, so it’s great to see him healthy. The matchup between Bryant and Dodd is going to be fun to watch.
Players to watch
James Blackmon Jr. (guard) – Indiana has plenty of weapons that can score the basketball. However, the most dangerous has to be Blackmon. The junior guard is averaging 17.3 points and is coming off a 25-point performance against Illinois. Blackmon can shoot from the perimeter and he’s absolutely fearless when taking it to the rim. The battle between Blackmon and Trimble should be entertaining.
Thomas Bryant (center) – Bryant is easily the Hoosiers’ most-skilled big man and he’s a future first round pick. He can score, rebound, and even step out and drain a three if the opportunity arises. He ranks in the top 10 in the conference in both rebounds and blocked shots. Bryant is a force around the rim and Dodd is going to have to bring his “A” game in order to show him down.
OG Anunoby (forward) – Anunoby is about as versatile a player as you’ll find in the country. At 6’8, he has the size to bang down low and score around the basket. On the other hand, he’s also a solid three-pointer shooter (35 percent). If all that wasn’t enough, he defends at a very high level. Anunoby averages 1.5 blocks and isn’t afraid to mix it up down low.
Prediction
This is the measuring stick for Maryland. This is easily the most talented team that they’ve played up to this point.
Next: Damonte Dodd & Jared Nickens lead the way
Indiana averages 85.9 points and has one of the most talented backcourts in the Big Ten. If Cowan and Trimble can hold their own and push the tempo, this one could go in Maryland’s favor. Terps pull off another gutsy win by a 77-73 margin.