The Maryland Terrapins took an early lead in their matchup with the USC Trojans and went wire-to-wire for the 17-point win by a final score of 88-71. The Terps starters scored all but three points in this game, and each Terps starter scored at least 11-points. In the scoring department, Rodney Rice led the Terps with 22-points followed by Ja’Kobi Gillespie’s 20. Both Derik Queen and Julian Reese tallied double-doubles.
Maryland, ranked No. 14 in the NCAA used this win to improve to 21-6 overall on the season, and 11-5 in Big Ten play. The Terps are also 16-1 at home this season, tied for the second-most wins among all Division I schools.
For the freshman, Queen, his double-double was the 10th of his young career. And it was his physicality around the baskets that notched him 17 well-earned rebounds. This was the fifth time this season Reese and Queen posted a double-double together and their fourth straight game doing so. The five times is the most between any duo in college basketball. All-in-all, the Terps big men of Queen and Reese paced the Terrapins to their eighth win in the team’s last nine games.
The Terps have six Quad 1 victories, and have three top-25 wins on its résumé for the season. The Terps are ranked No. 12 in the NCAA NET, No. 14 in the Kenpom ratings, No. 14 in the Torvik ranking, No. 12 on EvanMiya.com, and No. 15 on the ESPN BPI.
The Terps’ home court at the Xfinity Center was as loud as we have heard all year. There were rock concert noise levels from the crowd.
“I think we did a great job of feeding off the energy,” Derik Queen said. “[The fans] got loud every time we made a shot, and we went on a run.”
Maryland’s goal is to earn a bye to the quarterfinals of the B1G conference tournament, and they’d need to finish in the top four. Tonight’s victory put them in a tie for fourth.
Maryland is now 4-0 all-time against USC. This was the two school’s first matchup since No. 28, 1990.
