Rutgers Pulls Away in Second Half, Halts Maryland’s Momentum in Big Ten Rivalry Clash
Maryland came into Sunday’s matchup with a little momentum and a shot at building their first conference win streak of the season. But against a hungry Rutgers squad desperate to snap a seven-game skid, the Terps couldn’t find their rhythm offensively-and it cost them.
In a game that was part of the Big Ten’s newly introduced Rivalry Series, Maryland fell 68-57 in Piscataway, snapping a modest two-game win streak that had included victories over Iowa and Minnesota. It was a missed opportunity for a Maryland team still trying to find consistency in Big Ten play.
A Sluggish Start, A Flat Finish
From the opening tip, Maryland’s offense looked out of sync. The Terps missed seven of their first eight shots and quickly found themselves playing from behind. While both teams struggled to generate much offensively in the first half, Maryland was able to claw back and keep things even at the break, tied 27-27.
The Terps found some success inside early, scoring 18 of their first-half points in the paint-double what Rutgers managed in the same span. But that advantage was undercut by their struggles at the free-throw line.
Maryland went just 1-for-5 from the stripe in the opening half, while Rutgers converted six of their nine attempts. In a game where points were hard to come by, that gap mattered.
Rutgers Finds Its Spark
Coming out of halftime, Rutgers wasted no time flipping the switch. The Scarlet Knights scored on their first three possessions and jumped out to a seven-point lead. Maryland never recovered.
Harun Zrno provided the spark for Rutgers, hitting three triples early in the second half that stretched the lead to double digits. Once Rutgers had the cushion, they turned up the pressure inside, attacking the paint and drawing contact. They scored 12 points in the paint after halftime and added 13 more from the free-throw line.
Maryland, meanwhile, couldn’t keep pace. The Terps leaned more heavily on the three-point shot but continued to struggle from deep, going just 5-for-18 from beyond the arc in the second half. And when they did get inside, they couldn’t convert consistently-finishing the game just 10-for-20 on layup attempts.
Free Throws Tell the Story
Head coach Buzz Williams has made it clear: for this Maryland team to reach its offensive ceiling, they need to get to the line. That didn’t happen on Sunday.
The Terps attempted just 13 free throws in the game, compared to Rutgers’ 24. That disparity loomed large in a game where every possession felt like a grind.
“We shot 13 more balls than they did,” Williams said postgame. “But they shot 11 more free throws, and it can't be a push for our group. It can't be a push on the road, and we can't play 100 minutes without the aid of free throw attempts.”
It was a telling stat. Maryland actually took more shots overall-66 to Rutgers’ 53-but couldn’t make those attempts count. The Terps shot just 33.3% from the field and 23.3% from three, numbers that won’t get it done in Big Ten play.
Bright Spot on the Boards
If there was a silver lining for Maryland, it came on the offensive glass. The Terps pulled down 18 offensive rebounds-just two shy of their season high.
Collin Metcalf led the way with six in just 23 minutes, while Solomon Washington added five more. That effort helped Maryland generate second-chance opportunities, but the finishing touch just wasn’t there.
Adams led the team in scoring with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, while Diggy Coit added 12, though it came on an inefficient 5-of-19 from the field.
What’s Next?
For Maryland, it’s another tough lesson in a season full of them. The Terps showed fight, especially on the boards, but the offensive inconsistency and lack of trips to the line continue to be recurring issues. With just a few weeks left in the regular season, time is running out for this group to turn flashes of progress into something more sustainable.
As for Rutgers, the win snaps a painful losing streak and gives them a much-needed jolt heading into the final stretch of Big Ten play. For both teams, the Rivalry Series delivered a gritty, hard-fought game-just not the result Maryland was hoping to build on.