Maryland Basketball: B1G tourney run ends with upset loss to Nebraska
Nebraska got revenge on Maryland basketball as James Palmer Jr. and the Cornhusker defense took control of the game.
The James Palmer Jr. led Cornhuskers beat the Rutgers Scarlet Knights by being physical in the paint, knocking down their free throws and creating turnovers. A lot of them.
The Terps frontcourt dominated Nebraska in their 60-45 win. That needed to change if the Cornhuskers were going to upset the Terps and move on. It did.
The game started off slow for both teams as neither team was able to score right away. The Terps struggled to make shots early on but the game remained close throughout.
Toward the end of the first half, it became the James Palmer Jr. show. After not scoring in the first seven minutes of the game, he finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
The Cornhuskers broke free after Palmer Jr. hit a three-pointer giving them a seven-point, 23-16 lead.
Nebraska’s defense was also able to keep Bruno Fernando and Anthony Cowan Jr. in check. Neither of them reached double digits in the first half and the Cornhuskers did an excellent job of giving the Terps different looks switching between man and zone defense.
They held the Terps to 29 percent shooting (7-of-24). Fernando had three points, and five rebounds and Cowan only scored a point. Nebraska basketball led by 12 at the half 32-20.
The Terps came within seven, 35-28 after a 7-0 run was created by Eric Ayala’s converting an and one dribble drive opportunity. Jalen Smith made a pair free throws, and a Daryll Morsell dunk followed that.
After a point-blank range miss by Nebraska’s Brady Heiman, Morsell finished the fast break opportunity with a two-handed slam from the baseline. Maryland basketball cut the lead to five, 35-30. They scored nine unanswered points.
After that, Palmer Jr.’s drove the lane for two layups in traffic, Tanner Borchardt scored and a Glynn Watson Jr. three-pointer gave Nebraska basketball a 14-point lead once again, 44-30, on a 9-0 run.
Maryland was down 11 with 8:25 to go after a technical foul was called on Mark Turgeon. He was beside himself after a non-call at the rim on a Morsell layup and had to be restrained by assistant coaches.
Watson Jr. came on strong late in the game as he and Isaiah Roby were responsible for 17 of the Cornhusker’s points in the second half. With 2:27 remaining, Nebraska was up eight, 61-53. Palmer Jr. had 20 points, Watson Jr. had 18 points and Roby had 14 points at this point.
Palmer Jr. hit a dagger of a three-pointer with 1:33 left to go in the game and Nebraska got their revenge when it mattered most. They move on to play Wisconsin tomorrow afternoon with a final score of 69-61.
Palmer Jr. finished with 24 points, five rebounds, and three assists, Watson Jr. had 19 points, four rebounds and three assists and Roby finished with 15 points, six rebounds, and three assists.
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Nebraska won this game off of pure grit and toughness. They fought through injury and suspension hitting their team. For the Terps, they had chances in this game to take the lead but Nebraska squandered every opportunity they had with a made shot, rebound, good defensive stand etc. The Terps now await selection Sunday to see who they will play in the NCAA Tournament.