Maryland men’s basketball searches for first conference win at No. 6 Wisconsin

(Photo Courtesy of Maryland Athletics.)

The start of conference play has been tough for the Terps (5-3, 0-2 B1G) with consecutive losses to and then-No. 19 Rutgers and Purdue. Notwithstanding, Maryland has a adventure to reverse its fortunes with a bounceback functioning confronting Wisconsin (8-1, ii-0 B1G) Monday nighttime.

Wisconsin is i of the most veteran teams in the nation led by 4 seniors, who are too the team'southward four leading scorers. The guard tandem of D'Mitrik Trice and Brad Davison spearhead the backcourt assault, while the duo of Nate Ruevers and Micah Potter stride the Badgers balanced frontcourt.

All four players shoot better than forty% from behind the arc, an area which Maryland has struggled in contempo games. In the Terps' last two games, both La Salle and Purdue shot 45% or greater from backside the arc. Against the Badgers, Maryland'southward defenders volition need to practice a amend job of closing out on perimeter shot attempts to limit Wisconsin's lethal exterior shooting attack.

"Nosotros gave up three threes in transition, just laziness, non rotating quick plenty to shooters," head coach Marker Turgeon said. "We know [Wisconsin] can really shoot it, hopefully nosotros'll be a little flake meliorate in transition defense. Hopefully we'll be a little better of getting out to shooters."

While the Badgers have a potent outside shooting assault, Ruevers and Potter also are effective in the low post. Maryland's low-post defense was a forcefulness against Purdue, which had not bad size downwards low with Trevion Williams and Zach Edey. Sophomore eye Chol Marial played his best minutes as a Terp against the Boilermakers and will look to build on that against Wisconsin.

He'due south the but Terp who's seven feet or taller and could be relied on heavily every bit Maryland's biggest threat to alter or block the Badgers' interior shot attempts. Withal, Marial isn't solely responsible for rim protection down depression. Both Galin Smith and Donta Scott volition be relied upon extensively because Marial hasn't played more than 17 minutes in a game this season.

Despite the loss against Purdue, Maryland's halfcourt offense in the second one-half was much more effective. Much of that effectiveness can be attributed to the fact that the Terps were moving the ball side-to-side on offense and were less stagnant. On many possessions in the start half against Purdue, the Terps over dribbled and didn't kicking out to open up shooters when necessary.

"My whole affair with this yr's squad is simply moving the ball," Turgeon said. "Sometimes we hold [the ball] likewise much and when we move it nosotros're difficult to guard, particularly when we're in that smaller lineup."

In addition to brawl movement, one of the elements that made Maryland'south 2d-half criminal offence more than effective was Scott's versatility. Throughout this flavor, Scott has shown the propensity to knock downwards option and popular threes. However, against the Boilermakers, Scott was attacking his defenders off of the dribble, using his combination of speed and strength for tough finishes inside.

His versatility adds another dimension to Maryland's offensive set on that makes the Terps more challenging to guard. In addition to Scott, young man forrad Jairus Hamilton showed his power to knock downwardly spot up perimeter jumpers, which could forcefulness defenders to over extend and exit openings on the interior.

Maryland will need a complete forty-minute effort against the Badgers and tin't afford the stagnation that plagued its offense in the first-one-half against Purdue. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game volition air on FS1.

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Source: http://wmucsports.net/maryland-mens-basketball-searches-for-first-conference-win-at-no-6-wisconsin/

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