Maryland Basketball: Highpoints of Terrapins 2019-20 regular season
Several comeback wins during the season
The Terps tendency to come back from deficits of 10 points or more is a testament to the resilience the team showed over the course of the regular season. They did it not once, not twice but seven times. Each win boosted their confidence and team chemistry. Take a look at the highlights to go along with a short breakdown.
Rhode Island Rams 73-55 (Home, November 9)
The Rams gained a lead as big as 12 points in the first half. They got that early lead due to the inside scoring of their big men Cyril Langevine and Jermaine Harris. Fatts Russell assisted on many of those buckets. Maryland pulled away after Cowan Jr.’s deep three at the 12:58 mark in the second half. Smith finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead all scorers. Both of these teams went on to have good seasons in their respective conferences.
Harvard Crimson 80-73 (Orlando Invitational Quarterfinal, November 29)
The Crimson played the Terps really well in this game. Crimson guard Bryce Aiken went off for 30 points against the Terps. The Crimson were up by as many as 11 in the first half before Cowan Jr. took over late in the second half. He had 20 points and Smith finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds in this game. Harvard is another really good team that the Terps beat. In the Ivy League Conference, the Crimson finished second with a 21-8 (10-4 Ivy League) record. Led by Aiken, Noah Kirkwood and Chris Lewis, they should be a good pick to win the Ivy League Tournament and impress during the NCAA Tournament.
Illinois Fighting Illini 59-58 (Home, December 7)
Cowan Jr. struck again here as he has many times during his senior season. The Terps were facing an impressive guard and big man combo in the Fighting Illini’s Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn. They were held to a combined 18 points and 13 rebounds. The Terps were down by 14 points. Cowan Jr. showed his perimeter range on a made three to tie the game at 58 and sealed the game with a hustle play on the defensive end that drew a foul.
Northwestern Wildcats 77-66 (Away, January 21)
The Wildcats jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the first half and led by 14, 40-26, at halftime. The Terps outscored them 51-26 to win the game thanks to Smith’s career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds. This was another game in a long list of slow starts for the Terps. Pat Spencer, Miller Kopp and Pete Nance all scored in double figures for the Wildcats.
Michigan State Spartans 67-60 (Away, February 15)
The Spartans got the best of the Terps the last time they faced one another in the Breslin Center. In this matchup, the Terps had the lead going into halftime, 39-31. The game went back and forth in the second half up until the score was 60-56 in favor of Michigan State. Smith hit the first three to get the Terps within four and Cowan Jr. did the rest. Eleven unanswered points were scored to steal one on the road.
Minnesota Golden Gophers (Away, February 26)
At the halfway point in this game, the Terps were down 16 points 47-31. They scored the first five points in the second half, but the Gophers managed to hold on to their lead for the most part. Late in the game, two solid defensive plays by Morsell and Wiggins led to points and a comeback was a real possibility. Of course, Morsell hits the game-winner and the Terps earn a road victory they needed.