No. 8 Purdue will face one of many Large Ten’s most harmful unranked squads Sunday afternoon when convention foe Maryland visits West Lafayette, Ind.
The Terrapins (8-1, 1-0) coasted by way of their non-conference schedule earlier than overwhelming Ohio State 83-59 of their Large Ten opener Wednesday in Faculty Park, Md., for his or her fifth straight victory.
Maryland dominated the Buckeyes from the opening tip, surging to a 50-17 halftime lead and pushing the margin to 40 factors early within the second half.
“(We wished to) come out and make an announcement,” stated Terrapins reserve ahead Tafara Gapare, who completed with 12 factors on 5-of-7 capturing from the ground. “Inform individuals who we’re and what we’re doing this season.”
To this point, the Terrapins have been doing what they struggled to do final yr: Put up factors.
Maryland has averaged 86.8 factors per recreation throughout non-conference play this season, up from 72.2 a yr in the past. The Terrapins’ 83 factors on Wednesday had been greater than they scored in any of their 21 Large Ten video games final season.
“We expect it ought to appear to be that night-in and night-out, however it may not, so we’re simply going to maintain enjoying exhausting and attempt to make it appear to be that,” guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie stated.
Gillespie led Maryland with 23 factors and drilled 4 3-pointers on Wednesday. The Belmont switch averages 13.7 factors per recreation, second on the staff behind freshman Derik Queen (16.6).
Gapare is capturing 16-of-23 (69.6 p.c) over his final three video games after taking simply 9 photographs throughout his first six video games.
The Boilermakers (7-2, 0-1), in the meantime, had been on the mistaken finish of an announcement win Thursday, falling 81-70 at Penn State. Purdue dedicated 24 turnovers, its most in a recreation since November 2019. These errors led to 32 factors by the Nittany Lions.
“We had guys driving to their weak hand once they should not be, we had guys catching the ball within the put up and simply being free with the basketball,” Boilermakers coach Matt Painter stated. ” … We simply need to have a greater focus and a greater toughness about us.”
Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer paced Purdue with 15 factors apiece. They lead the Boilermakers with averages of 18.7 and 13.9 factors per recreation, respectively.
Braden Smith, who’s third on the staff in scoring at 12.0, was held to 6 factors.
Thursday’s end result was not fairly a stunner — Penn State additionally has established itself as one of many Large Ten’s most harmful groups — however Painter had no persistence for Purdue’s effort degree as the sport grew out of hand.
“If we had been on the entrance line of a struggle (on Thursday), we might all be lifeless,” he stated. “Our battle wasn’t even near Penn State’s battle.”
The loss additionally was a step again for a Boilermakers staff that regarded as if it had discovered its type after a productive non-conference slate. Purdue toppled then-No. 2 Alabama on Nov. 15 and added a win over then-No. 23 Ole Miss two weeks later.
“Success will mess with you,” Painter stated. “Failure is one thing {that a} aggressive particular person at all times responds to. However are you able to compete (and) focus after you have had some success right here and never let that weaken you? ” … I’ve to do a greater job of getting them prepared.”
–Subject Stage Media
