Maryland (11-10, 3-7) vs. #13 Michigan State (16-4, 7-2)
February 1, 2022
XFINITY Center
7:00 pm EDT
COLLEGE PARK, MD - The Maryland men's basketball team welcomes No. 10 Michigan State to College Park for a 7:00 pm tip Tuesday night on ESPN2 and the Maryland Sports Radio Network. The Terrapins are 2-1 this season against ranked opponents.
MICHIGAN STATE STORYLINES
ROAD WARRIORS
- The Terps picked up their second straight conference victory with a tip-to-horn defeat of Rutgers, 68-60, last week.
- The backcourt duo of Fatts Russell and Eric Ayala was sensational, combining for 45 points on 15-of-29 shooting (10-of-17 3FG).
- Ayala's five 3's pushed him over 200 for his career, becoming just the fifth Terp in history to reach the milestone (see chart on page 3).
Ayala WATCH
- Then-junior Eric Ayala averaged 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in Maryland's two victories over Michigan State last season.
- Ayala made his mark at the free throw line, going 13-for-13 in the regular season meeting before knocking down 10-of-11 in the Big Ten Tournament.
- Against Rutgers (1/25), Ayala became the fifth player in Maryland history to record 200 career 3-pointers.
- He is currently tied for fourth with Mike Jones (203) and can pass Anthony Cowan Jr. (206) for third in history. Juan Dixon (239) and Greivis Vasquez (230) are atop the list (see chart page 3).
Getting even; REELING IN Ranked WINS
- Maryland is 3-0 in rematches this season, having defeated Northwestern, Illinois and Rutgers after previously losing to them earlier in the season.
- Maryland is one of five schools nationally to win at least four games against ranked teams in each of the last three seasons (2018-21), joined by Kansas, Michigan State, Purdue, Iowa and Michigan.
LIVING AT THE LINE
- Maryland currently leads the Big Ten in free throws made (321) and is second in free throws attempted (429).
- The effort has been led by Fatts Russell and Ayala, who both rank in the top-10 in the Big Ten in free throws attempted.
Q WARMING UP
- Terrapin forward Qudus Wahab has reached double-figures in three straight games for the first time in his 21-game Maryland career.
- He most recently scored 12 points against Indiana (1/29) while adding eight rebounds.
SERIES HISTORY
- Maryland has won three of its last four meetings against the Spartans, including a pair of victories last season.
- The Terps defeated Michigan State during a critical 5-game winning streak and then doubled down when they beat MSU again in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.
- The wins helped propel the Terps into the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Click here for this week's game notes.
