Maryland (20-9) vs.
Ohio State (12-17)
When: Wednesday, March 1 | 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Value City Arena (Columbus, Ohio)
Television: BTN (Streaming on FoxSports) -
Watch Live
Broadcasters: Brandon Gaudin (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (color)
Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network |
Listen Online
Line: Terps -1.5
Over/Under: 137.5
Series history: Maryland leads the all-time series 11-9, with the Terps winning the most recent meeting 80-73 on Jan. 8, 2023 in College Park.
Projected Starting Lineups
Ohio State
Bruce Thornton (6-foot-2, Fr., G) - Averaging 9.6 points, 2.8 rebounds 2.4 assists per game.
Roddy Gale (6-foot-4, Fr., G) - Averaging 3.8 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.
Justice Sueing (6-foot-8, Fr., G/F) - Averaging 12.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Brice Sensabaugh (6-foot-6, Fr., F) - Averaging a team-high 16.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Felix Okpara (6-foot-11, Fr., C) - Averaging 3.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and a team-high 1.1 blocks per game.
Maryland
Jahmir Young (6-foot-1, Sr., PG) - Averaging a team-high 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, a team-high 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Don Carey (6-foot-5, Sr., SG) - Averaging 6.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
Hakim Hart (6-foot-8, Sr., G/F) - Averaging 12.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Donta Scott (6-foot-8, Sr., F) - Averaging 11.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
Julian Reese (6-foot-9, Soph., F) - Averaging 11.2 points, a team-high 7.2 rebounds and a team-high 1.1 blocks per game.
The last time Maryland and Ohio State met in College Park, the Buckeyes were ranked 24th in the AP poll, coming off of a 2-point loss to top-ranked Purdue with a record of 10-4. The Terps defeated the Buckeyes back in January, 80-73, behind a 30-point, 11-rebound performance by senior guard Jahmir Young, as all five Maryland starters scored in double figures.
Ohio State's season has been an utter disaster since. The Buckeyes lost their next game at home to Minnesota and are just 2-12 since falling to the Terps. To make matters worse, it was announced on Monday that Ohio State would be without starting center Zed Key the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury that will require surgery later this week.
Even as the Buckeyes have struggled to string any wins together during the second half of the season, they have still proven to be a tough out at home, with wins over Iowa and most recently Illinois last Sunday, snapping a nine-game losing streak.
According to Maryland head coach Kevin Willard, there was a noticeable difference in the way Ohio State played versus Illinois on Sunday and the way they played versus the Terps in the first meeting, despite Zed Key not playing in either game.
"I think the biggest difference in Ohio State is they've gone small," said Willard. "He's playing their freshmen. The freshmen really aren't playing like freshmen anymore. But they really went small against Illinois and switched everything. I think that's the biggest difference. Even though Zed got hurt right before us, everything was down low, down low, down low. Now Bruce Thornton is playing terrific in the pick-and-roll and they're just playing small and making them guard you. Which is a little different than knowing where the ball is going. You really don't know where the ball is going right now. I think that's the biggest difference."
For Maryland, who finished conference play a perfect 10-0 at home, the struggles on the road have been real. The Terps are just 2-7 on the road this season and dropped their most recent road contest to Nebraska in overtime after seemingly being in control for much of the second half.
"I think we've been playing better on the road, starting with at Purdue, losing by three," Willard said. "We had a chance at Wisconsin. We've given ourselves chances, I have to do a little better job with this group towards the end of games on the road of just getting them to understand a little bit on the road of being a little bit more patient. We've taken too many quick shots on the road that have really hurt us. And I think at home you can get away with it a little bit better, but on the road it really hurts you. And I think our tempo on the road hasn't been very good, so I think that's the biggest thing for me to get them to understand. And I think we've done a pretty good job. We got up seven at Nebraska and we've had opportunities, so..."
For Maryland, one of the biggest differences between the Terps from the first meeting with the Buckeyes to now has been the play of sophomore big man Julian Reese. The first meeting with the Buckeyes was Reese's first conference game in double-figure scoring this season with 10 points. Since that game, he's scored in double figures in 11 of 13 games, including the last eight straight in which he has had four double-doubles and averaged 13.4 points and 9.1 rebounds.
And while Reese has seemingly gotten more physical as the season has gone on, it is another aspect of his game that has really helped him develop.
"We've been doing the same thing we've been doing for the whole year," Reese said. "But I feel like just confidence is getting higher and playing with more aggression and things like that."
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