Terps get signature win at home over No. 3 Iowa
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The matchup between two top-10 teams at Xfinity Center Jan. 28 lived up to the hype as No. 8 Maryland defeated No. 3 Iowa 74-68.
No team led by more than eight points the entire game and it came down to some clutch free throw shooting at the end for the Terps. But Maryland was able to hang on and get its biggest win so far this season.
Terps head coach Mark Turgeon said before the game that he wanted his team to drive and get to the line more against the Hawkeyes, but Maryland attempted just one free throw in the first half. Some adjustments were made at halftime, and in the second half, the Terps went 15-for-22 from the charity stripe and 8-for-12 in the final minute of the game to seal its 18th win of the season.
“I thought we had the floor spread a little bit better and we were getting downhill,” Turgeon said. “We always try to play that way...I’m always trying to go inside; I’m always trying to get our guys to drive the ball, especially the way we’ve been shooting it the last few games. But that was the difference because we were struggling shooting. So if you can get to the line, that’s the difference. That’s a good formula for success.”
Four starters scored in double figures for Maryland, but it was solid defense and tough rebounding, along with a lively crowd that helped the Terps overcome some poor shooting in the second half.
“Obviously I’m really proud of my team--proud of the fans,” Turgeon said. “Great crowd, great energy. The students came out and gave us a huge lift in the game. And I thought we showed some toughness. In the second half we weren’t great on offense and we just kept guarding. And our rebounding got better as the game went on. We beat a really really good team.”
The win moves the Terps to 7-2 in Big Ten games this season and 3-0 following losses. Rebounding had been an issue for Maryland recently, but the Terps won the battle on the boards against the Hawkeyes 38-35.
“I think we’re a pretty resilient group,” senior forward Jake Layman said. “We learn from losses. Last game was rebounding and we beat them on the boards this game.”
With 11 points, Layman was one of Maryland’s four players to score in double figures along with Robert Carter Jr. (17), Rasheed Sulaimon (17) and Melo Trimble (11). In somewhat of a surprise move, Turgeon decided to give freshman center Diamond Stone the starting nod against Iowa, but Stone was the only starter that didn’t score have at least 10 points, finishing with 9.
However, Turgeon said inserting Stone back into the starting lineup has actually been a long time coming.
“I’ve been wanting to start Diamond for like five games,” Turgeon said. “There’s a lot that goes into it at this stage between me and Diamond. So he’s been ready to start for about five games and tonight I just decided I was going to do it. We have a lot of confidence in him. He made a big play late. I thought defensively he did a really nice job trying to guard those quick guards out there.”
The big play Turgeon was referring to came after Carter fouled out with just under two minutes left in the game. With one of Iowa’s starting frontcourt players--Adam Woodbury--also fouled out of the game, the Terps came out of a timeout with a designed play in which Layman fed the ball into the post to Stone. Stone finished with an emphatic dunk to give the Terps a four-point lead and make the crowd at Xfinity Center erupt.
“They were small--Woodbury was out,” Turgeon said. “And I knew Diamond had an advantage. Jake’s tall and he’s a good post feeder. And as soon as I saw the kid start to front him, I knew he had it. It’s a play we don’t run a lot and there’s two parts to that play and that’s the first part and it worked for us...Jake had the guts to make the pass, made a perfect pass and Diamond finished.”
Emotions were running high on Maryland’s bench after Carter fouled out on a questionable foul call, but Turgeon said it was Carter himself who kept the team composed and helped will them to victory.
“I was trying to get everybody’s focus off of me and rather on a win, Carter said. “You know, what’s the next play? Who’s coming in? Who’s going to make the shot? How are we going to make the next stop? So I was just trying to keep everybody calm and just focus on the task at hand.”
Carter’s defense, along with Layman, on Iowa’s and the Big Ten’s leading scorer Jarrod Uthoff, which held him to nine points on 2-for-13 shooting, also went a long way in helping the Terps win.
“They have a lot of dynamic scorers, especially [Uthoff],” Layman said. “He can post up or shoot the three. We threw a lot of different guys at him tonight and in the end I think we did a good job on him.”
It’s back on the road for Maryland for its next game as the Terps travel to Columbus to play Ohio State for the second time this season. Turgeon and his team have to feel good about that game considering they beat the Buckeyes the first time around 100-65. But the Terps will be playing with even more confidence after beating what Turgeon called perhaps the best team in college basketball.
“We beat a heck of a team,” Turgeon said. “A really really good basketball team tonight. I don’t know what they’re ranked and all of that but we beat maybe one of the best, if not the best, team right now in college basketball. We were able to beat them so it was a good sign for us.”