With Willard and staff having been out on the road recruiting quite a bit the past few weeks and finally returning home for a key conference game, they are expected to host several top recruits from the area and beyond.

After Willard was in the building to watch St. Frances a couple of days ago, the Terps will host commit Jahn Lamothe as well as teammate and top 2025 scoring guard Tyler Jackson.

They are also set to host fellow signee DeShawn Harris-Smith and his PVI teammate, big man Garrett Sundra.

Finally, they are set to host a couple of Keystone State natives in Malachi Palmer and Royce Parham. Palmer preps locally at Mt. Zion, while Parham runs with Team Durant during the AAU season.

over Mich State. Chances are only me, Catsailor and one or two others care.

4 spots to #9.

Taking a look at this week's AP Top 25, 2 of Maryland's 5 losses have come to teams currently ranked in the top 10 (Tenn. and UCLA), they have a top 20 loss to Wisconsin and a top 20 win over Miami.

Looking at the others receiving votes, Maryland has a loss to Rutgers and wins over Illinois and Ohio State. Without even looking at the computer analytics, I think I can confidently say that as of today, this team would be safely in the NCAA tourney.

I know I sound like a broken record, but while it won't be easy, get to .500 in league play and this team is dancing. Sunday's game at Iowa will be a really big test. They have looked awful at times but have a lot of talent and are coming off of a big road win at Rutgers. If Maryland can steal one on the road it would be huge.

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In case you don't realize

Ohio State (10-3) vs. Maryland (7-5)

When: Sunday, Jan. 8 | 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Center (College Park, Md.)
Television: ESPN (Streaming on WatchESPN) - Watch Live
Broadcasters: Kevin Brown (play-by-play), Jon Crispin (color)
Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network | Listen Online

Line: Terps +1.5
Over/Under: 140.5

Series history: Maryland leads the all-time series 10-9, with the Terps winning the most recent meeting 75-60 on Feb. 27, 2022 in College Park.

Projected Starting Lineups

Ohio State
Bruce Thornton (6-foot-2, Fr., G) - Averaging 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and a team-high 3.5 assists per game.
Sean McNeil (6-foot-4, Soph, G) - West Virginia transfer averaging 9.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
Justice Sueing (6-foot-8, Fr., G/F) - Averaging 13.6 points and 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists through 14 games.
Brice Sensabaugh (6-foot-6, Fr., F) - Potential one-and-done NBA Draft pick averaging a team-high 16.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
Felix Okpara (6-foot-11, Fr., C) - Will likely make first career start at Maryland, averaging 4.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.

Maryland
Jahmir Young (6-foot-1, Senior, PG) - Averaging a team-high 13.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and a team-high 3.0 assists through 15 games.
Don Carey (6-foot-5, Senior, SG) - Averaging 7.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.
Hakim Hart (6-foot-8, Senior, G/F) - Averaging 11.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
Donta Scott (6-foot-8, Senior, F) - Averaging 12.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists through 15 games.
Julian Reese (6-foot-9, Soph., F) - Averaging 10.0 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game.

The Terps' struggles continued Thursday night in New Jersey, as they managed to score just 17 first-half points in a 64-50 loss to Rutgers. It marked the fourth straight game versus a Power 5 opponent in which the Terps have failed to score more than 20 points in the opening 20 minutes.

For the second time in three games, senior shooting guard Don Carey came off the bench to score in double figures versus Rutgers, going 4 of 8 from beyond the arc. While Carey has struggled to score the ball from three this season, he's now 9 of 15 from three in the two most recent games he's come off the bench. According to head coach Kevin Willard, bringing Carey off the bench has been about getting Carey going personally, versus doing it for the betterment of the team.

"He's handled it like the type of kid he is. He's matured and he's been around," Willard said of Carey coming off the bench. "He knows he's not shooting the ball great right now. So I think for him, he knows I'm doing it for him. It's not a team thing, I'm more just trying to get him going. So it's not a demotion, not anything like that, I'm just trying to maybe get him in different situations. Maybe give him a chance to see what's going on the first 3 or 4minutes of the game. But he's still playing the exact same minutes so I think the fact taht the minutes haven't changed, it doesn't really matter. And he started the second half of the game, so he knows I'm just trying to help him as much as possible."

Senior forward Donta Scott has also struggled of late for the Terps. After being a complimentary piece for Maryland the last couple of years, he has now become a player opposing teams game plan for. He's coming off of a six point, two rebound performance at Rutgers. It hasn't been an easy adjustment for Scott according to his coach.

"This is all new to him," said Willard. "I always say that to people, when you haven't been the main guy and you jump into being the main guy, it takes some time to get adjusted to."

After facing two of the top big men in the league over the past two games in Michigan's Hunter Dickinson and Rutgers' Cliff Omoruyi, the Terps might have caught a bit of a break heading into Sunday's game as Ohio State big man Zed Key is expected to miss the game after suffering a separated shoulder versus Purdue. Still, the Buckeyes will have one of the top players in the league in freshman wing Brice Sensabaugh ready to go. And the Terps will need to be prepared to slow him down if they want to get back into the win column.

"Oh man, there's a couple good things about some of the freshmen in this league in that they won't be around next year. I think what's really impressive is that a lot of freshmen take tough shots, Brice [Sensabaugh] takes them and makes them. I'm talking about, they put him on the right block, he jabs, goes middle and he shoots a little fall-away 14 footer. He probably does it six times a game and makes four of them, where the average freshman makes one of them. He gets out on the break and I think the biggest thing is he's shooting 45 percent from three as a fresham. The kid is a high-level player and he's a high-level pro and I have no problem saying that because I've seen a couple now."

Hopefully a return to the friendly confines of Xfinity Center will be just what the doctor ordered as the Terps look to snap their three-game conference losing streak.

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This league is just going to be impossible to predict this year, I think. Today we had Northwestern just dominate Indiana for much of the game on the road and hang on late to come away with a win. Then you had Iowa go to Rutgers who was riding a 5-game win streak that included victories over No. 1 Purdue and the Terps and the Hawkeyes pulled out the road win, basically leading the entire game.

I'll say it again, this team isn't as good as they looked after the 8-0 start and they also aren't nearly as bad as they looked in some of those Dec. matchups with top 10 teams. If they can just get to .500 in league play they will be dancing.

We're about 15 minutes from tipoff between the Terps and Buckeyes this afternoon in College Park. The big news today is that Zed Key is OUT for Ohio State after suffering a separated shoulder in their last game versus Purdue. Freshman big Felix Okpara will start in his place.

For the Terps, Don Carey is back in the starting lineup after coming off the bench in 3 of the Terps' past 4 games. He has scored in double figures the last two games he has come off the bench, including the Terps' last game at Rutgers. We'll see if he can carry over his hot shooting from beyond the arc today.

Here is your Terps starting lineup:

Jahmir Young
Don Carey
Hakim Hart
Donta Scott
Julian Reese

Three takeaways from today's win over the Buckeyes. Impressive win that they had to have. More at the link.

STORY

The spread started at 6, so that may be good news. Only looked at two sites.

Alabama by 26 and only scored 52 points!

The adjustments Steve has made with the pressure defense has made up for a lot of Rutgers' offensive woes. The press, especially in this building, it puts less pressure on their half court offense and allows them to get some easy buckets in transition. Cam Spencer is a really smart player and the rest of the guys work well together, but with their pressure they are just really tough, especially at home.

The flagrant was huge. But that was the best Reese has looked in a long time. He ran the floor well.

We were getting some good lucks in the first half. They are working hard and getting some good lucks, I don't know why they aren't making more shots. But they are on the road, on the road, on the road. Sometimes the schedule dictates how you play. We have played well at home and we haven't been home in a while. We'll get it going offensively at some point, I'm not worried about that.

Paul Mulcahy has been the difference in Rutgers with his move to point guard last season and then this season. It has made them a better team.

Thought his team responded great after playing horrible at Michigan. I challenged them, Jahmir and Don, and they are such great leaders and they responded.

On Rutgers' defense, Jahmir Young says they are long and athletic and just a really good defensive team.

Willard said he snuck out last night and got some Italian food to go.

Terps are cited second on the first four out. Wake Forest was first

Update with four-star QB Air Noland on Rivals:

Just barely, though. Lunardi has us playing Kansas State as a 10 seed. Win that and we would meet Alabama in Birmingham.

First-half offensive struggles? Yup. Donta Scott struggling? Check. More at the link below.

STORY

We're about 20 minutes from tipoff between the Terps and Scarlet Knights in Piscataway. Maryland has won the last two at The RAC, but they come into this game having lost 4 straight vs. P5 opponents, including two blowout losses. Rutgers, on the other hand, comes into this one riding high after defeating No. 1 Purdue in West Lafayette the other day.

The Terps are going to face another elite big in Cliff Omoruyi, but unlike Dickinson, Cliff is an athletic freak. Rutgers is also one of the top defensive teams in the country and Maryland could have problems scoring the ball on the road versus a crazy crowd. Maryland just needs to come out and make a couple shots early and get into some sort of rhythm. Can't afford to find themselves in another deep hole or they could be in trouble. The one thing I will say is that Rutgers is more similar to Tennessee than either UCLA or Michigan, which I think bodes well for their chances tonight.

Audio isn't great, sorry. Don't shoot the messenger.

STORY

Preview story for tonight's game at Rutgers. Terps are trying to put Michigan behind them after having a good practice a couple days ago, but things likely won't be easy tonight versus one of the nation's top defensive teams in the Scarlet Knights. Story with quotes at the link.

STORY

Flipping around and see NC ST is up 13-0 7 min into the game. Oh, this is basketball. Wow

Watch Willard preview tomorrow night's game versus Rutgers in the video below.

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LOS ANGELES, CA – Senior Diamond Miller of the 13th-ranked Maryland women's basketball team is one of 25 top players in the country named to the John R. Wooden Award® presented by Wendy's® Midseason Top 25 Watch List Wednesday.

Miller, who was on the Preseason Top 50 Watch List, is leading the Terrapins with 18.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. The two-time All-Big Ten honoree has scored in double figures in 13 of 14 games this season and has led the Terps to three wins over top-25 teams.

Miller is leading the Big Ten in blocks (1.86) and is 10th in the nation in free throws made (78).

Miller has three double-doubles on the year, including at No. 17 Baylor and in a win at No. 7 Notre Dame. She scored a career-high 32 points over Baylor and hit a buzzer-beating jumper to clinch the win over the Irish. Her 18.3 points per contest are the most by a Terrapin since Brionna Jones averaged 19.9 in 2016-17.

Maryland (12-3, 3-1 B1G) will host Michigan State (10-5, 2-2) Saturday at 1 p.m. at the XFINITY Center. The Terps-Spartans game will be streamed on B1G+.

Told you guys to hold tight just a little longer on Prather and he's made it official this afternoon, as he publicly announced that he will transfer to Maryland. This is a huge pickup for Locksley and the Terps' offense, as Prather is a P5 starter who caught 50 balls this season and has excellent size at 6-foot-4, with the ability to be both a downfield threat and a nice red zone target. More at the link below.

STORY