Maryland (7-1, 0-0 B1G) vs. Ohio State (5-2, 0-0 B1G)
December 4, 2024
6:30 p.m.
XFINITY Center
COLLEGE PARK, MD -- Maryland opens Big Ten play this week at home against Ohio State on Wednesday night. The game will tip at 6:30 PM on BTN and will be a White Out at XFINITY Center. Fans can listen to the game on the Maryland Sports Radio Network with Voice of the Terps Johnny Holliday calling the action alongside Chris Knoche and Walt Williams.
The Terps are riding a four-game win streak entering Big Ten play and have gone 6-1 at home this year. Maryland entered the initial NET Ranking of the season at No. 23 as released on Monday.
Maryland has been explosive offensively averaging 86.8 points this year which ranks as the fourth-best average in program history and ranks No. 33 nationally this season. Defensively, the Terps are giving up just 58.6 points per game which is ninth nationally and the best for the program since 1960.
- WHITEOUT: Join us for the annual Whiteout game, presented by Pepsi. All 4,000 students will receive a whiteout t-shirt and newspaper.
- Halftime: A three-point shootout sponsored by Pepsi. will take place at halftime!
- Season Swishes: Save on a tickets for any December games AND get a free t-shirt. CLICK HERE TO BUY
Terps OFF To A Fast Start
- The Terps are massively improved at this point in the year compared to a season ago heading into the start of Big Ten play. In 2023-24, Maryland got off to a shaky start with a 4-3 record before heading to Indiana for the first league game of the year. Through the first seven games last year, Maryland was averaging 70.7 points per game and allowing 62.7 points. The Terps were also shooting .420 from the field including .238 from three-point range and .679 at the free throw line.
- This year, Maryland is averaging 16.1 more points per game (86.8), giving up 4.1 fewer points (58.6), and has seen improvement in each shooting area: .498 from the field, .338 from three, and .735 from the free throw line.
- Additionally, Maryland has four players, just 0.5 points away from five players, averaging double figures this year compared to just three last year (Jahmir Young, Julian Reese, Donta Scott).
Maryland is averaging 86.8 points per game which is the fourth-best mark in program history.
No Rust On The Hot Rod
- After not playing in a collegiate basketball game for 600 days prior to the Manhattan game, Rodney Rice has certainly shaken off any rust to start the season.
- The sophomore guard had a breakout game against Mount St. Mary's with 28 total points on 10-of-14 shooting. He had 26 points in the first half alone making him the first Big Ten player since Luke Garza had 27 first half points at Michigan on Dec. 6, 2019. The last Terp to have 26-or-more points in any half was Jahmir Young last season at Northwestern (1/17/24) when he posted 28 in the second.
- Rice made his first start in the win over Canisius and is currently fourth on the team in scoring at 12.5 points per game. He has the most triples (18) on the team while hitting at a 40.0 percent clip.
Rodney Rice became the first Big Ten player since Luke Garza in 2019-20 to score 26-or-more points in the first half of a game with his performance against Mount St. Mary's.
Juju Beast
- Julian Reese entered the 2024-25 campaign as one of the top post players in the Big Ten and nationally. Last season, he earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors as a junior after being named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team and to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Watch List.
- Reese posted 15 double doubles last season which were the ninth most nationally and stood second in the Big Ten during the regular season.
- Reese has 25 total double-doubles after posting 14 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Alcorn State.
- Dating back to 1996-97, Reese has the fifth-most career double doubles for any Terp.
Queen Is The Truth
- Derik Queen leads the team lead in scoring at 16.5 points per game. That average is tied for second-best among Maryland freshmen dating back to 1947-48. Notable is that 18 of the top 26 freshmen scorers in program history were selected in the NBA draft.
- Queen is part of an exceptional national class of 2024-25 freshmen. He is now fifth for overall rookie scoring and is the top center among all NCAA freshmen.
- Since 2008-09, there have been 34 20-point games by Maryland freshmen. In just his first eight games, Derrik Queen already has four.
- Queen opened his collegiate career with a double-double. Since 1993-94, he is one of just 13 Terps to post a double-double during their rookie seasons.
