An early 7-0 run by the Harvard Crimson didn’t stop fifth-ranked Maryland basketball from getting their seventh straight win and a berth in the Orlando Invitational championship game.
The fifth-ranked Maryland Basketball squad had to play some of their best basketball on Thanksgiving day coming from behind to beat the Temple Owls 76-69. Anthony Cowan Jr. went off for 30 points and four assists.
In Harvard’s 62-51 win over the Texas A&M Aggies, Crimson Guard Justin Bassey led the team with 16 points and four rebounds while Bryce Aiken finished with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Harvard jumped out to an early 7-0 lead on Maryland basketball. Terps Head Coach Mark Turgeon was incensed about the slow start from his team and called a timeout.
At the 15:49 mark, the Terps were down 9-0 and Robert Baker had six points for the Crimson. The Terps turned the ball over five times to this point.
Aaron Wiggins stopped the bleeding for the Terps with a layup in the paint.
The Crimson were knocking down their three-pointers at a high rate as Maryland basketball was chipping away at their lead. Shooting 50 percent (3-of-5) from deep helped the Crimson build their lead. The Terps from out there were 0-of-4.
The Terps were down six, 29-23, with 3:13 left in the first half. Two minutes later, they found themselves only down three, 31-28, with 1:13 left. A scary moment for Maryland basketball fans took place when Jalen Smith went down after a shot to the neck in a box out play with Chris Lewis. A flagrant one foul was assessed to him.
Wiggins tied the game at 31 with a pair of free throws but they ended the half down by four, 35-31. Aiken led the game with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
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Darryl Morsell led the Terps with six points and seven rebounds. His help on the defensive end guarding Aiken helped spark this turnaround.
Although the Terps led the Crimson in rebounding 23-18, they finished the half shooting just 10 percent from the three-point line and 58 percent (10-of-17) at the free-throw line.
If the Terps couldn’t get the three-pointers to fall in the second half, getting to the line and knocking down their free throws needed to happen.
At the 17 minute mark in the second half, the Terps took their first lead of the game with a corner three from Wiggins but it was short-lived. Aiken countered for the Crimson with a three of his own. Harvard was up one, 40-39.
Morsell was taking all the opportunities he could to get Maryland some breathing room in this game. It was clear that the Terps were going to have to assert their dominance inside and neutralize the three-point shot for Harvard. A shot that had been working for them all game.
Cowan Jr. was back on the floor after sitting down with three fouls. He came out aggressively scoring the ball, getting a steal and pushing the ball in transition. He put the Terps in the lead 56-53 with a three-pointer. The Terps went on a 12-2 run in that span.
Anthony Cowan Jr. scored 20 points to help lead @TerrapinHoops to an 80-73 win over Harvard. pic.twitter.com/hN6hQm6LfF
— Maryland On BTN (@MarylandOnBTN) November 29, 2019
Aiken responded with a three-ball of his own in the face of Donta Scott tying the game at 56. Aiken had 21 points under nine minutes to go in the game.
Eric Ayala gave Maryland basketball the lead again after an offensive rebound and tip-out led to a three-pointer. Smith followed that up with a nice two-handed slam in the lane. The Terps had the lead 63-59 under five minutes to go.
At the 4:46 mark, the Terps had their biggest lead of the game 65-59. Ball security and defense were keys to a last stand for them.
Wiggins hit a three to extend their lead to seven, 68-61 and the one constant in this game was Aiken and his jump shot. The Terps needed to play tight defense on him to prevent an onslaught of points late.
The Terps struggled to take control of this game in the first half. That has been a theme for them. They put their foot on the gas when it matters most in the second half. The result for the second game in a row was a win.
Maryland basketball is moving on to face the winner of Marquette/USC in the Orlando Invitational championship game. The final score of this one was 80-73.
Cowan Jr. was responsible once again for the Terps resurgence. After only scoring three points in the first half. He scored 16 in the second on 4-of-8 shooting from the field. He finished with 20 points and five assists. All five of their starters scored in double figures.
Smith and Morsell had double-doubles with 15 points 10 rebounds and 13 points and 12 rebounds respectively.
The Orlando Invitational championship game will be played Sunday at 1 pm on ESPN.