Maryland Basketball: Takeaways from non-conference closing win over Bryant
Maryland Basketball (11-2, 1-1 Big Ten) secured a home win to close out a non-conference play against the Bryant Bulldogs (8-5). Here are a few takeaways from the win.
The buildup to this non-conference concluding game for both Maryland and the Bryant Bulldogs was different for each team.
The Terps had to pick themselves up after losing two games in a row to Penn State and Seton Hall before Christmas and deal with a roster subtraction in the frontcourt. While losing the Mitchell twins seemingly was a big blow for the roster, the Terps responded well against Bryant.
The Bulldogs came into this game against their first ranked opponent having won eight games in a row. Chol Marial made his first start for the Terps and he packed a bunch of highlights into a small sample size.
The Terps had to rely on free throws for their first points of the game. They got out to another slow start missing four shots and turning the ball over four times as well.
Defensively, they experimented with a full-court press and the 2-1-2 zone throughout the game and it worked to slow down the Bulldogs.
In the first half, the Terps gained the lead at the 14:16 mark after a pair of Aaron Wiggins free throws and they had to work hard to keep it.
They pulled away from Bryant after a pair of Eric Ayala three-pointers pushed their lead to eight, 36-28. The halftime score was 36-31. Anthony Cowan Jr., Wiggins, and Jalen Smith combined for 24 points, 14 rebounds, and four assists in the first half. Bulldog Guards Ikenna Ndugba and Adam Grant combined for 16 points.
They cut the Terps margin to six points in the second half, 48-42, at the 11:43 mark but after that the Terps defense held firm. The Terps destroyed Bryant on the boards 48-16, including 15 extra offensive possessions earned through offensive rebounds.
They have gained some momentum with the 84-70 win heading into their January matchup with the Indiana Hoosiers at home. They will begin a gauntlet-like five-game Big Ten schedule to start 2020.