Maryland Basketball: Do Terps own the Minnesota Gophers at “The Barn”?
Maryland basketball has another home arena when they play the Golden Gophers on the road. Saturday marked the fourth straight season that the Terps have beaten the Golden Gophers. They don’t have an answer for Mark Turgeon’s team.
The Terps have an 11-2 series edge against Minnesota and have won the last five meetings.
In Saturday’s matchup, the Terps weren’t playing around. They jumped out to a 17-3 lead to start this game with excellent ball movement and dribble penetration. Donta Scott has been one of the Terps’ best players this season, and he finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds. The 63-49 victory also marked the third time the Terps beat a top-25 opponent.
Eric Ayala is back to form after his groin injury. He was the high-point man for the Terps with 21 to go along with four rebounds and three steals. Highlights.
As a team, the Terps shooting percentages dropped across the board in the second half, but the defense made up for that. It helps when you can put a talented Big Ten frontcourt player in foul trouble. They held Liam Robbins to six points, three blocks, and he fouled out.
Darryl Morsell was the man for the Terps last season as he opened and closed for the Terps in Minneapolis as they won 74-73. It is fitting that he cut to the basket for the Terps first points of that game and sealed the victory with a three-pointer.
Minnesota earned themselves a 15-4 lead and had a 16-point advantage by halftime. The Golden Gophers led for the entire game up until the final seconds. The Terps had an uphill battle but chipped away with each possession. The Terps prioritized inside scoring to get back in that game. Highlights.
Jalen Smith and Bruno Fernando played a significant role in the 82-67 victory and the 2018-19 season overall. They combined for 31 points and 19 rebounds to go along with Cowan Jr.’s 27 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Highlights.
The road winning streak started during the 2016-17 season. Melo Trimble and Anthony Cowan Jr. were running the show in the backcourt for the 22nd ranked Terps. The duo combined for 21 points, 14 assists, and three steals. Justin Jackson had a big day with 28 points and 10 rebounds in the 85-78 victory. Highlights.
What Maryland basketball did well in that game was run the floor. We were able to see how much speed and quickness they had. Common threads in all the victories for the Terps have been good ball movement, execution in the paint offensively, and excellent defense.
All of these games were competitive. I’m not arguing that Minnesota just laid down and didn’t fight to win their home games. What matters is wins and losses at the end of the day. Mark Turgeon and company game-in and game-out have done what it takes to win.