NCAAB Game Preview - Ohio State at Maryland
Tue Jan 7, 2020 7:00 PM EST

Baylor
57
TxTch
52
F
OhSt
55
MD
67
F
Mia-FL
58
Lou
74
F
KY
78
UGA
69
F
Vill
64
Crei
59
F
UVA
53
BC
60
F
PSU
61
Rut
72
F
Hou
78
Temp
74
F
SoFL
59
ECU
62
F
Prov
81
Marq
80
F(OT)
Tenn
69
Mizzu
59
F
Rider
61
Quin
80
F
Fla
81
SouthCar
68
F
E MI
68
Ohio
74
F
Toled
77
Kent
84
F
(N/A)
68
Corn
100
F
NIU
67
CenMI
68
F
(N/A)
53
Brown
79
F
Mia-O
76
BGSU
78
F
Buff
68
Ball
88
F
W MI
69
Akr
84
F
Valpa
50
SIU
63
F
IndSt
60
NrthIA
68
F
MOSt
67
IlSt
63
F
VaTec
67
Syr
63
F
TCU
59
KSU
57
F
Miss
47
TAMU
57
F
Iowa
70
Nebras
76
F
LoyIL
62
Drake
65
F
UtSt
60
AF
79
F
Fres
64
NM
78
F
No.11 Ohio St. looking for answers vs. No. 12 Maryland
Tue Jan 7, 2020 12:20 PM

Ohio State's visit to Maryland on Tuesday should be a revealing look at each powerhouse program early in the Big Ten Conference schedule, with the Buckeyes desperate to snap a sudden and surprising two-game losing streak and the Terrapins looking to add to a two-game win streak.

Both teams started fast this season, the 11th-ranked Buckeyes (11-3, 1-2) winning their first nine games before falling in three of the last five contests.

Twelth-ranked Maryland (12-2, 2-1) also stumbled in early December and is trying to fit new players in new roles after some attrition -- the pending transfer of the 6-10 Mitchell brothers, Makhi and Mahkel -- as they rang in the New Year.

The Buckeyes were ranked as high as No. 2 a couple of weeks ago, but are now staring at back-to-back losses, including Friday's 61-57 home loss to unranked Wisconsin. The Terrapins, who were third in the Associated Press poll in early December, hope they've already overcome their crisis -- back-to-back losses at Penn State and Seton Hall, followed by consecutive wins the last two games, including Saturday's impressive 75-59 dismantling of Indiana, their first conference game without the Mitchells.

"What a great day for us," said Maryland coach Mark Turgeon after his Terrapins held the Hoosiers to just 36.1-percent shooting and scored 25 points off turnovers. "We've been a good defensive team all year. We've been a pretty good rebounding team all year. Today we got outrebounded [42-36] but we really locked into the scouting report, and we really wanted to play defense without fouling, and once we stopped going for every shot fake ... our guys locked in and were better."

The scouting report against Ohio State will be similar. The hard-nosed Buckeyes are big around the basket with 6-9 preseason All-conference pick Kaleb Wesson and steady 6-8 Kyle Young, and they have a deep bench, including second-leading scorer Duane Washington Jr., who chips in 11.8 points per game.

Meanwhile, coach Chris Holtmann's defense-minded crew could make life hard for the Terrapins on offense, the Buckeyes allowing a conference-low 58.4 points per game and yielding just 29.8 percent 3-point shooting, also a league-best mark. They've allowed more than 67 points just twice this season.

Ohio State's recent woes have been fueled by issues on the offensive end. The Buckeyes haven't been deadeyes, shooting just 35.8 percent the last two games and committing 35 turnovers over that span.

"It's incumbent upon us as coaches and players to figure it out and get better with it," said Holtmann of the offense, seventh in the Big Ten at 76.1 points per game.

Wesson has been a bright spot, averaging 14.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and shooting 43.5 percent from 3-point range.

The Terrapins can counter with their own versatile, inside-outside weapon in 6-10 Jalen "Stix" Smith. Smith had 19 points and eight rebounds to lead the offense against Indiana. When the Terrapins started 3-for-16 from the field, Smith canned back-to-back 3-pointers and turned the tide of the game.

Smith leads the Terrapins with 9.9 rebounds and is second with 13.5 points. Senior point guard Anthony Cowan leads the offense at 16.4 points and 4.3 assists.

The Terrapins need a victory before taking to the road to meet No. 23 Iowa on Friday, and Wisconsin on Jan. 14. Four of Maryland's next five games are on the road.

Ohio State is also in a stretch of three of four games away from home, including Saturday's trip to Indiana.

--Field Level Media

Team Record Comparison

Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
Ohio State  
Maryland  

Hot Players (Last 10 team games)

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