The Terps begin Big Ten play with a trip to Assembly Hall.
Maryland men’s basketball (4-3) finished off a three-game nonconference homestand Tuesday with an emphatic 103-76 win over Rider. Julian Reese and Jahmir Young led the way with 22 points apiece, while Jordan Geronimo contributed a career-high 15 points.
The Terps are now set to begin Big Ten play against a proven opponent in Indiana. Maryland is 0-3 away from home this season.
Friday’s game will begin at 7 p.m. and air on Big Ten Network.
Indiana Hoosiers (5-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
2022-23 record: 23-12, 12-8 Big Ten
Head coach Mike Woodson is in his third season with the Hoosiers after a 25-year coaching stint in the NBA. In his first two seasons, Woodson led the Hoosiers to a combined 44-26 record and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since 2015/2016.
The Hoosiers are 5-1 to begin this season, with their lone loss coming against No. 4 UConn. Three of their wins, though, haven’t been entirely comfortable, with each of their games against FGCU, Army and Louisville having been decided by eight points or less.
Players to know
Kel’el Ware, sophomore center, 7-foot-0, No. 1 – Ware transferred from Oregon before the season and has instantly established himself as one of the best players in the Big Ten. He leads Indiana with 17.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. He also leads the conference with a 63.9 field goal percentage.
Malik Reneau, sophomore forward, 6-foot-9, No. 5 – Reneau completes an impressive frontcourt duo. He ranks just behind Ware in points (15.3) and rebounds (4.3) per game, while also contributing 3.3 assists per game.
He played in all 35 games last year, averaging 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game off the bench.
Trey Galloway, senior guard, 6-foot-5, No. 32 – Galloway leads the Hoosiers at over 33 minutes per game and is one of two returning starters from last year’s team. He is averaging 8.7 points and 3.0 assists a game, but is shooting 16.7% from three, a significant fall off from his 46.2% clip last year.
Strength
Height. The average height in Indiana’s starting lineup is nearly 6-foot-8, with Ware leading the pack. In comparison, the average height of the Terps’ starting lineup is about 6-foot-6.
Weakness
3-point shooting. Indiana is nearly as bad as the Terps at shooting the 3-ball, ranking second-to-last in the conference with a 24.1% clip. But unlike Maryland, the Hoosiers do not shoot many threes, having attempted just 79 this season.
Three things to know
1. Julian Reese vs. Ware. Reese and Ware are perhaps the best players on their respective teams. Reese has dominated in the paint this season, averaging 15.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, but Ware has a rare physical advantage, standing three inches taller.
2. Jordan Geronimo’s homecoming. Geronimo elected to transfer from Indiana to Maryland prior to the season, and has been one of the Terps’ best players, averaging 14.5 points over the last two games. With Indiana holding a physical advantage over the Terps, Geronimo’s athleticism and defensive prowess will be crucial.
“It’s exciting, you know, to go back, but, you know, it’s business,” Geronimo said. “We got to do what we got to do.”
3. Will the Terps’ road struggles continue? Maryland was 2-9 on the road last year, including 1-8 against conference opponents. This season, the Terps are 0-3 away from XFINITY Center, but will have an opportunity to break the mold Friday.