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Maryland Basketball: 3 keys to victory over Clemson in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

By Anthony Brown

Dec 4, 2020; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins huddles during the second half against the St. Peter's Peacocks at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2020; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins huddles during the second half against the St. Peter's Peacocks at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Maryland Basketball
Maryland Basketball Darryl Morsell : Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

Maryland basketball and Clemson will face off at the Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, South Carolina for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Maryland basketball is off to a strong start this season thanks to balanced scoring from the team and the emergence of the 2-2-1 zone press that has yielded results defensively. The Clemson Tigers force turnovers and they capitalize on them. They have forced 65 turnovers in three games and turned them into 71 points. They are now the second team the Terps will face that average nine steals per game.

It’s been a while since the Terps, and Tigers faced one another going back to Maryland’s ACC days. Mark Turgeon and Brad Brownell were the coaches back then too. These two teams have played 131 games against one another and Maryland basketball owns the series lead 85-46.

They won four straight contests from 2010-2013 before losing in double-overtime,77-73, in 2014. K.J. McDaniels had a game-high 26 points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks. Seth Allen was the high point man for the Terps with 20 points, six rebounds, and two steals.

Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, the Terps have a 1-5 record in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge compared to their 10-5 record as a member of the ACC. The Tigers are led by senior forward Aamir Simms (12 ppg, 2.7 rpg) who earned third-team All-ACC honors last season and landed on the Karl Malone Award watchlist this season.

Nick Honor is averaging 10 points per game. The 2018-19 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team honoree and Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Rookie of the Year will be another player to watch. He transferred from Fordham last season.

Maryland basketball will be looking for a key road victory to start the season. Can Mark Turgeon avenge the loss he had with the 2013-14 team? Here are my keys to the first test for the Terps.

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