Maryland (15-12) vs. Michigan State (15-11)
March 11, 2021
Lucas Oil Stadium
11:30 am EDT
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The 8th-seeded Maryland men's basketball team opens the 2021 Big Ten Tournament Thursday morning as it faces 9th-seeded Michigan State in the second round. The winner of the game will face top-seeded Michigan in the quarterfinals. It will mark Maryland's first game in an NFL football stadium since playing in the Georgia Dome at the 2009 ACC Tournament, where it advanced to the semifinals as the 7-seed.
MICHIGAN STATE STORYLINES
DARRYL WINS DPOY
- Senior Darryl Morsell was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Tuesday as voted upon by the Big Ten's 14 coaches. He is the first player in the program history to win the award. In addition, Morsell, Eric Ayala and Aaron Wiggins each earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors.
DEVASTATING DEFENSE
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Over its last 12 games dating back to Jan. 23, Maryland's defensive field goal percentage is .367, including a .313 mark from beyond the arc. It is the best defensive percentage in the Big Ten during that 12-game span, with Purdue in second at .397 (see chart page 3). Opponents have shot over 40-percent three times in those 12 games, and just once in the last seven games.
SERIES HISTORY
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Maryland has won two of its last three games against Michigan State, including this season's lone meeting on Feb. 28, 73-55. The 18-point victory was Maryland's greatest over the Spartans since joining the conference in 2014-15, and tied for the largest point margin overall (80-62, 11/27/08, Old Spice Classic). Eric Ayala scored 22 points in the most recent victory, becoming the first Terrapin to go 13-for-13 at the free throw line since Len Bias in 1986.
EFFICIENT DMO
- Senior Darryl Morsell has been extremely efficient on the offensive end over the last four games, reaching double-figures in every game during the span (11.8 pts/g) on .667 shooting while averaging 3.3 assists.
WIGGINS FINDING A WAY
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Junior guard Aaron Wiggins is averaging 18.0 points on 50-percent shooting (.413 3-pt) over his last eight games. He has connected on at least six field goals in six of those eight games. He has also recorded three double-doubles and three 20-point games during the span. Wiggins (981) needs 19 points to become the 57th player in Maryland history to record 1,000 career points.
Click here for this week's game notes.
