COLLEGE PARK, MD -- The Terps got back in the win column, showing immense heart and poise all game while holding off a comeback attempt from Michigan and coming away with a 64-58 victory. Maryland (12-6, 3-4) remains undefeated at home in conference play, with all three Big Ten wins coming at the XFINITY Center.
Jahmir Young led the Terps in scoring for the fourth game in a row with a game-high 26 points. He also added three rebounds, three steals and two assists. He has scored 20 points or more in three consecutive games.
Hakim Hart scored 10 points and grabbed five boards while
Donta Scott added nine points and eight rebounds.
Julian Reese had nine boards to go along with six points.
After the Terps led by as many as 13 in the first half, the Wolverines knotted it at 42 and 44 midway through the second half. Led by Young's calming presence at point guard and 13 second-half points, the Terps pulled away late to earn the victory, with the Wolverines never getting closer than four for the final 7:40 of action.
Maryland got a major first half boost from freshman Caelum Swanton-Rodger who played seven valuable minutes off the bench. Swanton-Rodger fired up the XFINITY Center crowd with two big buckets down low, including a poster dunk on Hunter Dickinson, along with a big block and three boards.
The Terps dominated inside all night, finishing with a 42-22 advantage in points in the paint. Maryland also finished with a 14-2 edge in fastbreak points.
Michigan was led by 19 points from Dickinson. The Wolverines dropped to 10-8 overall and 4-3 in conference play.
Willard's Takes
"I think (Jahmir's) playing as good as any player in the country right now. I think he's gotten comfortable with the length and size he has to go against every night. It's a big adjustment with the centers he sees, the coverages he sees. I just think he's starting to get a little more comfortable not settling on the perimeter."
"I think Cal's seven minutes were probably the most important seven minutes we've had all season. He came in, had a blocked shot, caught it and dunked it. He was just being big and physical in there, making it as tough for Hunter as possible. He's progressing nicely."
From The Guys
"We're all competitors at the end of the day," Young said of the team's mentality facing Michigan for the second time this season. "They got us by 35 up there and we knew it was going to be a homecoming for a couple of them so they were going to bring it. We just had to make sure we came out and through the first punch and really try to pull this one out."
"It was a big moment for me," Swanton-Rodger said of his big, seven-minute run in the first half. "I've been limited in my time, but I got an opportunity today and tried my best to make the best of it."
On Cal's Big Dunk
"I've always had the mindset of whenever I get the ball, I try to dunk it," Swanton-Rodger said.
"Oh yeah, Coach would've cussed him out if he didn't dunk it," Young jokingly interrupted.
"I caught it and I went up. I didn't think he was going to jump at first, but he did. It was a great feeling seeing my teammates cheering me on."
Breaking Down The Action
- After a Michigan score on its first possession, the Terps held the Wolverines without a point for nearly four minutes and jumped out on a 7-0 run, kicked off by Don Carey grabbing an offensive rebound and then dribbling it out for a three. The Terps led 7-4 through the first five minutes of action.
- Maryland got another 6-0 run to grab a 15-6 lead, highlighted by Young getting in the paint for lay-ups two possessions in a run followed by a thundering dunk over Hunter Dickinson for Caelum Swanton-Rodger that forced Juwan Howard to take a timeout with 11:44 left in the first half.
- After Young hit another tough lay-up for his 10th point of the night, Scott nailed a three in transition to give the Terps a 28-15 lead with 6:32 remaining in the period.
- Young's 11 first-half points led the way for Maryland in a period they led for all but 1:40. The Terps carried a 34-32 lead into halftime. Maryland outscored Michigan 24-8 on points in the paint in the first half.
- With the game tied at 44 apiece with 11:09 left to play, Hakim Hart scored five points to key a 7-0 run to put Maryland up 51-44.
- A sweet drive into the lane and finish by Young with 4:30 remaining capped off a 6-0 Terps' run that put them back up by 10, 59-49.
Double-Figures Update
- Young hit the double-figure mark for the 15th time this season in 18 games and the 90th time in his career.
- Hart scored in double figures for the 10th time this season and the 34th time in his career.
Fear The Jahmir
- With 26 points on the night Young eclipsed 1,700 in his career, making him one of just 14 active players with at least 1,700 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists.
- The 20-point game marked the fifth of the season and the 37th of his career.
- He has scored 20 or more in three consecutive games. He's the first Terp to achieve that feat since Fatts Russell last season, who did it three games in a row from Feb. 10-18, 2022.
- Including tonight, he has averaged 25.3 over the last three games, highlighted by 30 points against Ohio State.
Donta In The Record Books
- Scott moved up to No. 41 in the all-time scoring records for Maryland with 1,145 career points. He passed Brad Davis (1,136, 1974-78) and Steve Blake (1, 139, 1999-03). Next up is Buck Williams at No. 41 on the list with 1,153 total points.
- Scott moved up in the rebounding ranks with seven boards tonight. He now has 603which moved him into No. 28 all-time, passing Juan Dixon (1998-02) and Bob Kessler (1953-56) who were tied at No. 28 with 599 each. He is now chasing No. 27 Gary Ward who grabbed 615 boards in 65 games from 1963-66.
Swanton-Rodger's Big Night
- In his most significant playing time of his freshman season, Swanton-Rodger played seven minutes scoring four points, grabbing three rebounds and blocking a shot.
- He made all two of his field goal attempts including an emphatic dunk over Hunter Dickinson.
- Swanton-Rodger scored his first points since recording four at Michigan on Jan. 1. He has eight of his 12 points against Michigan this season in his first college season.
- On the season, Swanton-Rodger has made all six of his field goal attempts.
Notes and Nuggets
- The Terps dominated down low scoring 42 points in the paint to just 22 for Michigan. This marks their second highest total and largest margin of the season since holding a 20 point advantage in the paint against Coppin State on Nov. 25.
The Series
- The Terps are now 8-13 in the series after the win. Maryland broke a five-game losing streak to Michigan. The last win came on March 8, 2020, the game the clinched the 2020 Big Ten Championship for the Terps – and Maryland's final game before the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Up Next
- The Terps will hit the road again and face No. 3 Purdue on Sunday at 1 pm. That game can be caught on FS1 and the Maryland Sports Radio Network.
