Maryland (13-1, 1-0 B1G)
vs.
Nebraska (7-6, 1-0 B1G)
January 1, 2017 || XFINITY Center || Noon
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland men's basketball team will kick off 2017 with a New Year's Day battle with Nebraska at XFINITY Center on Sunday at noon.
Help us fill 'The Wall' and ring in 2017 with $17 tickets on the wall for Sunday's game!
storylines
• Melo Trimble scored 20 points and Jaylen Brantley added 13 as Maryland routed Illinois 84-59 on Tuesday in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
• It was the sixth victory in a row for the Terrapins (13-1), who have won their conference opener in all three seasons since joining the Big Ten. It was Maryland's largest conference-opening win since an 89-60 victory over Clemson on Jan. 5, 1974. The win also snapped a six-game winning streak for Illinois.
• The Terps were 55.9 percent from the field while Illinois, which dropped its Big Ten opener for the fourth time in five years, shot just 35.6.
• With his 20-point outing versus Illinois, Melo Trimble now has eight games of 20 or more points this season. He has three straight games with 20 or more points and is averaging 21.3 points per game during that span and has made 16 consecutive free throw attempts. The Upper Marlboro, Md., native went 5-for-5 from the charity stripe against the Illini, giving him 439 career made free throws, tying Terrapin legend Greivis Vasquez for fourth all-time. Maryland is 30-4 when Trimble gets to the line at least seven times.
• Maryland is a perfect 4-0 in the all-time series against Nebraska, including a 97-86 win over the Huskers in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis last season. The Terrapins placed five players in double figures on their way to the Big Ten Tournament scoring record. Melo Trimble had 16 points for Maryland, which shot 60.3 percent (31 for 66) overall.
• The Terps bench has outscored opponents 329-203 this season and is averaging 23.5 points off the bench. Maryland has outscored foes 87-53 over the last three games, posting 29 points per outing from reserves. The Terps got 31 points off the bench, including 13 from Jaylen Brantley and nine from Dion Wiley, against Illinois the last time out.
