Maryland vs. Ohio State Preview
The Terps are coming off their most impressive scoring performance of the year, winning 91-73 over Iowa last Sunday. In this game however, Maryland will be without Dion Wiley who scored 10 in the Iowa game before leaving with a concussion. The Terrapins are already suffering from a short bench, so this loss of Wiley is not good.
The Buckeyes took down Michigan State, then ranked #1, 80-64 just a couple days after the Spartans dismantled the Terrapins by 30. Ohio State is 13-4 and an impressive 4-0 in the Big Ten. They are led by four players who score double-digit points per game. Junior Keita Bates-Diop, junior C.J. Jackson, senior Jae’Sean Tate, and freshman Kaleb Wesson average 20, 13.5, 12.9, and 11.5 respectively.
Maryland will need big games from Bruno Fernando, who was just named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, and Michal Cekovsky again. Ever since both of them have been placed in the starting five together, they have played excellent together on both ends of the court. The Terps will also need Anthony Cowan Jr. and Kevin Huerter to do what they do best. Cowan Jr. is averaging 16.2 and Huerter is averaging 14.1 points per game which leads the Terrapins.
The Terps are 6-5 all-time against the Buckeyes, winning the last four meetings as well. Maryland traveled to Columbus last season and won 77-71 and took them down at home, 86-77 to complete the sweep.
The Terps travel to Columbus tonight for a 7pm tip on FS1.
