Maryland men's basketball faced off against No. 12 Nebraska, highlighting a stark contrast in 3-point shooting prowess. Entering the game, the Terps were struggling near the bottom of the Big Ten in both shooting and defending the 3-pointer, while the Cornhuskers led the conference.
Surprisingly, Maryland launched 36 shots from beyond the arc, connecting on 12, while Nebraska hit 10 of their 29 attempts. However, the real story unfolded at the free-throw line.
Nebraska capitalized on their opportunities, shooting three times more free throws than Maryland. This disparity played a crucial role in the Terps' 74-61 loss at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Maryland attempted just eight free throws compared to Nebraska's 24.
Coach Williams noted the team's improvement, stating, "We're making strides. Our effort is dramatically better.
I think we've had great growth in the month of February." Despite this progress, Maryland couldn't secure a win against a top Big Ten opponent on the road.
The game was neck-and-neck until Nebraska pulled away with a 26-13 run in the final stretch, leaving the Terps (11-17, 4-13 Big Ten) struggling to keep pace. Williams admitted his team "ran low on gas," a recurring issue this season.
Senior forward Solomon Washington has been a standout, contributing 13 points and seven rebounds. Alongside him, senior forward Elijah Saunders hit a career-high five 3-pointers, accounting for a significant portion of Maryland's first-half points.
Maryland's defense shined early, holding Nebraska scoreless for the first five minutes, but offensive struggles limited their lead to just six points. Guard Andre Mills, despite a slow start, finished with 19 points and six rebounds, nearly notching another 20-point game.
Nebraska's Braden Frager led his team with 21 points off the bench, while Maryland's bench contributed just eight points. The Terps also lost the rebounding battle for the first time in seven games, a factor Williams highlighted as crucial.
Diggy Coit's inconsistent season continued with only six points, while Guillermo Del Pino, previously praised by Williams, went scoreless in 15 minutes.
Despite a late 3-pointer from Coit cutting Nebraska's lead to one, Maryland couldn't find the basket for over four minutes, allowing Nebraska to dominate inside, especially after Maryland's center Collin Metcalf fouled out.
Maryland wrapped up February with a 3-5 record, showing signs of improvement but still facing challenges. As Williams put it, "We had a good month in some ways relative to where we were last month. I know the results have to improve."
The Terps now face an uphill battle with less than a 15% chance of securing a first-round bye in the conference tournament.