The Terps look to even their Big Ten record.
Maryland men’s basketball finishes its West Coast road trip Sunday at No. 9 Oregon.
The Terps kicked off the two-game stint with a 75-69 loss to Washington Thursday night. The Terps led for much of the game, but the Huskies took the lead with five minutes remaining and never relinquished it.
Sunday’s game will tip-off at 4 p.m. ET and stream on Peacock.
No. 9 Oregon Ducks (12-2, 1-2 Big Ten)
2023-24 record: 24-12, 12-8 Pac-12
Head coach Dana Altman is one of three active Division I coaches with 27 consecutive winning seasons, the last 14 of which came at Oregon. The 2013 National Jim Phelan Coach of the Year, Altman has kept the Ducks in national relevancy since he arrived in Eugene, Oregon. Last season, Altman guided the Ducks to another 20-win season and the eighth NCAA Tournament berth under his leadership.
Moving to the Big Ten has not hampered Oregon’s success this season. The Ducks are a top-10 ranked team with signature wins over No. 5 Alabama and No. 13 Texas A&M. Oregon suffered its worst loss since 2021 Thursday, though, falling to No. 22 Illinois, 109-77.
Players to watch
Nate Bittle, senior center, 7-foot, No. 32 — Bittle is the focal point of Oregon’s gameplan on both offense and defense. He leads the team in points (13.2), rebounds (8.2) and blocks (1.8) per game, which also ranks fourth in the conference. Bittle’s height should provide a unique challenge for the Terps on both ends. He is shooting 53.1% from the field and 24.2% from three, as he is not afraid to step outside the arc.
Jackson Shelstad, sophomore guard, 6-foot, No. 3 — Shelstad has been one of the Ducks’ most productive players over the last two seasons. Last year, he averaged 12.8 points, 2.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game en route to a Pac-12 All-Freshman team selection. He has taken a bit of a step back this season, though, averaging 10.6 points, 2.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game, and he is shooting just 38.3% from the field and 26.7% from 3-point range.
TJ Bamba, senior guard, 6-foot-5, No. 5 — Like Bittle and Shelstad, Bamba has started in all 14 games this season, playing the second-most minutes per game (26.2) behind Shelstad (30.4). He is also struggling with efficiency, shooting 36.4% from the field and 32.6% from deep, but is still averaging 10.4 points, 2.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game.
Strength
Strength of schedule. Oregon has endured the 27th-highest strength of schedule in the country, according to KenPom. The Ducks have squared off against four ranked teams this season, winning and losing two games. Their schedule has prepared them for what should be a hungry Maryland team.
Weakness
Efficiency. Highlighted by Shelstad and Bamba’s struggles, Oregon has not been especially efficient this season. The Ducks are shooting 46.3% from the field and 34.1% from 3-point range, which both rank in the bottom half of the Big Ten.
Three things to watch
1. First ranked win. Maryland is 0-2 this season against ranked opponents, falling to No. 8 Marquette, 78-74, and No. 20 Purdue, 83-78. The Terps were in both games, but could not edge out either opponent in the waning moments. Sunday presents an opportunity for Maryland to improve its standing among the nation’s best and enter the Associated Press top-25 poll for the first time this season.
2. Can Queen and Gillespie bounce back? Freshman Derik Queen and transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie posted their worst performances in Maryland uniforms Thursday night in the loss to Washington. Queen totaled four points, a rebound and zero assists, while Gillespie tallied just one point and two assists before fouling out after 18 minutes of action. If the Terps want to pull off an upset Sunday, Queen and Gillespie will need to play much better.
3. 3-point inconsistency. Maryland has been fairly inconsistent from beyond the arc this season. Over the last two games, the Terps shot 18.2% and 27.8% from 3-point range, but in the three games prior, they shot 48.1% from deep. Which version of this team shows up Sunday could be the difference.