Catch up on some takeaways from the Terps’ victory.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Maryland basketball secured a much-needed victory Sunday when it took down Rutgers on the road, 63-46. Julian Reese scored a game-high 20 points while Jordan Geronimo recorded his first double-double of the season.
With the win, the Terps moved up two spots in the conference standings, temporarily in position for a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
Here are some takeaways from the victory.
A welcomed homecoming for Geronimo
A native of Newark, New Jersey, Geronimo had 11 family members in attendance for Sunday’s game. He recorded 11 points and 11 rebounds, notching his first double-double of the season.
“It’s always great to perform well, especially in my home state,” he said.
He highlighted a balanced Maryland offense, which saw four players score double-digit points. His six first-half points on 2-of-3 shooting was tied for the team lead.
Geronimo was a force on the defensive end as well. Despite only being credited with one steal, his defensively activity was paramount in holding Rutgers to its lowest total of the season.
Maryland dominated on the glass
Where Maryland won Sunday’s game was in the paint, and specifically on the glass.
It secured 42 rebounds to Rutgers’ 29, and grabbed eight more offensive boards than the Scarlet Knights.
“They got to us on the inside,” Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell said.
As the game went on, Maryland established its dominance on the offensive glass, finishing on second and third opportunities to prevent the Scarlet Knights from crawling back into the contest.
In the second half alone, the Terps corralled nine offensive boards, scoring the same amount of second-chance points. Rutgers managed just six second-chance points all afternoon.
Geronimo led the Terps with six offensive boards, while Reese added three.
The Terps had their way defensively
In a matchup of the two best defenses in the Big Ten, Maryland had the advantage. Rutgers’ 46 points was tied for its lowest total of the season.
The Terps held the Scarlet Knightsl to six first-half field goals while forcing seven turnovers.
“I thought we did a really good job pushing out, knowing who we’re guarding,” Geronimo said. “We did a good job holding each other’s backs.”
For a stretch of over 11 minutes, Rutgers went without a field goal. It finished the game 17-of-46 from the field and 2-of-11 from three.
Aundre Hyatt was the lone Scarlet Knight to score 10 or more points, with leading scorer Jeremiah Williams finishing with just six points on 3-of-9 shooting.