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In another close loss, Maryland men’s basketball can’t overcome Wisconsin

February 21, 2024 by Testudo Times

Maryland v Wisconsin
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images

Despite staying within striking distance all game, the Terps ultimately fell short.

Maryland men’s basketball was never out of it, but ultimately couldn’t get over the hump. The Terps faced an eight-point halftime deficit Tuesday night at Wisconsin, and when the final buzzer sounded, they were on the wrong end of a 74-70 result.

On multiple occasions in the second half, Maryland (14-13, 6-10 Big Ten) obtained momentum but couldn’t hold onto it long enough to make significant inroads into the Badgers’ lead. It’s become a frustrating trend for the Terps, whose last four losses — and seven of their 10 conference defeats — have come by five or fewer points.

“These guys, they’re playing hard, they’re working hard, they have a great attitude. They’re just as frustrated as I am at the fact that we just can’t string together some [wins],” Maryland head coach Kevin Willard said postgame.

Jahmir Young’s layup with just over a minute remaining brought Maryland within four, but the next possession was a microcosm of the game. Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit held the ball near half court, let precious seconds tick away and navigated a screen from Steven Crowl before rising up and knocking down a three to reinstitute a seven-point margin.

“Every time we cut it to three, every time we cut it to two, they got a big offensive rebound. And obviously Klesmit hit a huge three to really end the game,” said Willard.

A desperate Maryland rally in the final minute saw three consecutive 3-pointers fall, but Wisconsin (18-9, 10-6) hit enough free throws to stave off the resurgence. The Terps trailed by two with just two seconds left and nearly received a miracle when Jahari Long absorbed contact with Wisconsin inbounding the ball under its own basket, however he was whistled for a blocking foul, effectively ending the game.

Even before late-game fouls piled up, Maryland struggled to keep Wisconsin off the free-throw line. Wisconsin shot 31 free throws to the Terps’ 23, converting on all but three of its opportunities. Whistle-related frustrations boiled over in the final minute of the first half when Maryland’s bench was issued a technical foul.

Seven players finished with at least four fouls, with two fouling out: Wisconsin’s John Blackwell and Maryland’s Donta Scott.

“I’m going to call the head of refs tomorrow at some point,” Willard said, referencing a pair of calls involving guard DeShawn Harris-Smith he felt swung in Wisconsin’s favor. “… I think we deserve an explanation why those calls were called because — it’s almost a curse being able to watch the video on film now, because you get to see it in real time and it can put you in a bad mood real quick.”

Scott, who finished with 12 points, was one of three Maryland players to tally double-digit points, joining Young (20 points) and Julian Reese (18). Wisconsin had four players do so — Tyler Wahl (18), Klesmit (16), Chucky Hepburn (11) and AJ Storr (10).

Maryland outscored Wisconsin in the second half but played from behind the entire period after finishing the first half on a slow note. Much of the opening 20 minutes were closely contested, and the teams were separated by just one point entering the final four minutes of the period. But the Badgers entered the break with momentum, sending the Terps to the locker room on a lengthy field-goal drought.

With neither team hitting from outside — the teams made a combined nine of their 32 shots from beyond the arc — the difference on the scoreboard was created elsewhere. Wisconsin commanded the glass, coming down with 33 rebounds, nine more than Maryland. The Badgers were also far more effective in their grinding half-court sets, using snappy ball movement to generate opportunities.

For the fifth straight game, Willard sent out a different starting lineup. Most notably, Tuesday’s unit included Geronimo, who had missed two of the last three games with injuries. He played 18 minutes, scoring just two points and grabbing five rebounds.

Willard’s attempts to invigorate his team have seen it fight. But the Terps didn’t have the final push they needed, missing an opportunity they were close to snatching but unable to take advantage of.

Three things to know

1. Wisconsin bounced back. The Badgers, ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll just three weeks ago, had lost five of their last six games entering Tuesday but got back on track with a win. Meanwhile, the Terps have now lost five of their last six contests.

2. Foul trouble. A total of 45 fouls were called Tuesday, including a technical assessed to Maryland’s bench.

3. Time is running out. The Terps, which have had only one losing season since 1992, sit just one game above .500 with four regular-season games left. They also sit among the bottom four seeds for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.

Filed Under: University of Maryland

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