COLLEGE PARK, MD – Fueled by a record-setting first-half performance, Maryland men's basketball downed Ohio State, 83-59, in a wire-to-wire victory in its Big Ten Conference opener on Wednesday at XFINITY Center. The Terps improved to 8-1 and 1-0 in Big Ten play, earning their fifth straight win.
Maryland led 50-17 at halftime. Its 50 points were the most in a Big Ten regular-season game in program history. The +33 first-half margin was Maryland's largest ever in a Big Ten game. It also tied the largest Big Ten lead in any conference game for any team since 1996-97. It tied Purdue's +33 margin (59-26) that Purdue boasted over Rutgers on Jan. 18, 2016.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie headlined a balanced scoring attack for the Terps as he led the way with a game-high 23 points on 4-of-8 shooting from three. He recorded his 10th career 20-point game and second this season.
Derik Queen continued his dominant freshman campaign with a 17-point and 11-rebound performance. He earned his third career double-double. Since 1993-94, he's one of just 13 Terps to post a double-double in their rookie seasons. He's tied with Bruno Fernando (2017-18) for the fifth most double-doubles in that span.
Tafara Gapare (12 points), Selton Miguel (10 points) and Julian Reese (10 points and seven rebounds) were other standout performers, creating a well-balanced Maryland scoring attack.
The Terps built their unprecedented lead by sparking a 20-4 run from 15:40 to 8:09 in the first half. It led 29-10 at that point, holding Ohio State scoreless from the field for over six minutes. The 19-point advantage the Terps boasted during the run was the largest deficit the Buckeyes have faced this season. Maryland remained in control for the entirety of the game and led by as many as 40 at 15:28 in the second half.
Ohio State, ranking No. 11 in the NET Rankings, is now 5-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play. Devin Royal led the Buckeyes with 18 points. Maryland limited Ohio State's leading scorer (16.4 PPG) — Bruce Thornton — to nine points.
Willard's Take
"We had our best practice we've had all year," head coach Kevin Willard said. "Yesterday, I gave them a day off after Alcorn, knowing that we'd only have one day to prepare. But they responded. They came back with what you saw in the first half is how we practiced yesterday. The intensity was great. We got after each other. And then, I've challenged Ja'Kobi a little bit. He's got Bruce now. He's got Braden Smith. This league has point guard after point guard after point guard. And I thought Ja'Kobi, the way Ja'Kobi came out and set the tone, I thought that was a big difference."
Gillespie On The Keys To The Game
"I feel like we were just pressuring a lot on defense, and that helped us score. And our offense, we had great tempo, so we were scoring and playing great defense. That was a big difference."
Breaking Down The Action
- Ja'Kobi Gillespie drilled a 3-pointer for the first bucket of the game. He knocked down another, and Selton Miguel made a three as the Terps started 3-of-3 from beyond the arch. They led 12-6 at the first media timeout.
- Maryland's defense was swarming Ohio State's offense, forcing three turnovers while holding it scoreless in just under three minutes. The Terps stretched their lead to 20-8 with a 6-0 run at 11:32.
- Maryland's defense held Ohio State to no field goals in the last 6:47 at the second media timeout.
- The Terps dominated the first half, leading 50-17. Derik Queen and Gillespie had 13 points apiece to pace all scorers. Seventeen is Ohio State's fewest points scored this season in the first half. Maryland's defense also forced 11 turnovers in the first half, which tied Ohio State's average per game.
- The Terps lead 68-33 heading into the first media timeout of the second half.
Double-Figure Factors
- Ja'Kobi Gillespie scored 23 points and earned his 47th career game in double figures. It was his seventh game scoring double digits as a Terp. It was also his 10th career game over 20 points and his second this season.
- Freshman Derik Queen scored 17 points for double-digit points for the eighth time in his career. He also accomplished the feat in seven straight games.
- Tafara Gapare scored 12 points and has now scored double figures in nine career games. It was his second as a Terp since transferring from Georgia Tech.
- Selton Miguel scored 10 points and earned his 67th career game in double figures. It was his sixth as a Terp this season. He leads the Terps with 1,275 career points in his five-year career.
- Julian Reese recorded 10 points for his 62nd career game in double digits. He has scored double figures for the sixth time this season and in four straight games.
Crushing The Competition
- Maryland led 50-17 at halftime. The 50 first-half points were the most for the Terps ever in a Big Ten regular-season game. The total surpassed 48 first-half points done twice by the Terps — vs. Iowa on 1/7/2018 and Ohio State on Jan. 16, 2016.
- It was also its most since scoring 54 first-half points against Nebraska on March 11, 2016, in the conference tournament.
- The +33 margin at the half was Maryland's largest ever in a Big Ten game, surpassing its +28 advantage vs. Rutgers on Jan. 6, 2016.
- The +33 halftime lead tied the largest Big Ten lead in any conference game, for any team since 1996-97 It tied Purdue's +33 margin (59-26) that Purdue boasted over Rutgers on Jan. 18, 2016.
Queen Of The Court
- Freshman Derik Queen has been an unstoppable force for the Terps. He scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
- Queen's points per game mark (16.6) ranks second-best among Maryland freshmen dating back to 1947-48. Joe Smith has the best per-game mark (19.4). Furthermore, 18 of the top 26 freshmen scorers in program history were NBA Draft picks.
- Queen secured his third career double-double. Since 1993-94, he's one of just 13 Terps to post a double-double in their rookie seasons. He's tied with Bruno Fernando (2017-18) for the fifth most double-doubles in that span.
Juju Beast
- Julian Reese scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds, falling just short of a double-double.
- Reese ranks 13th on Maryland's all-time rebounds list. He now has 764 boards. Ekene Ibekwe (781 from 2003-07) is 12th on the list.
- The big man also blocked one shot and ranks 10th on Maryland's all-time blocked shots list. He has 134 in his career. Eighth place is Travis Garrison (136 from 2002-06).
- He also ranks in the top 50 on the all-time scoring list, with 1,127 career points in his four-year career.
- Reese finished last season with an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honor and was named to this season's Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Watch List.
Home Cooking
- Maryland is 319-76 all-time at the XFINITY Center, including 34-8 under Kevin Willard. Under Willard, the Terps have six home Top-25 victories, highlighted by the 2022-23 win over No. 3 Purdue.
- Maryland won a program-record 14 consecutive Big Ten conference games at XFINITY, including all 10 games in 2022-23 and the final three of 2021-22.
- Maryland's 16-1 home record in 2022-23 was the best since 2019-20 and the eighth time overall that the Terps had won 16 or more games at home. In both 2012-13 and 2014-15, the Terps won 18 games at home, going 18-3 and 18-1, respectively.
Big Names In The House
- Several Maryland football signees attended the game, including quarterback Malik Washington.
- Hall of Fame head coach and Maryland Athletics Hall of Famer Greivis Vásquez was at the game.
- Under Armour CEO and former Maryland grad Kevin Plank was also in attendance.
Numbers And Nuggets
- 3: Derik Queen notched his third career double-double.
- 5: Maryland is on a five-game win streak.
- 8: Maryland is 8-1 this season.
- 10: Ja'Kobi Gillespie has 10 20-point games in his career, including two this season.
- 15: Gillespie has made a 3FG in 15 games in a row and 30 of his last 31 games.
- 17: Ohio State's fewest points scored in the first half this season.
- 17: Ohio State's 17 turnovers were its most in a game this season.
- 23: Maryland entered the initial NET Ranking of the season at No. 23, as released on Monday.
- 33: Maryland's +33 differential in the first half is its largest in a Big Ten game ever.
- 40: Maryland led by as many as 40 points, which is the largest deficit Ohio State has faced this season.
- 50: Maryland's 50 points scored in the first half were its most in a Big Ten game ever.
- 1,275: Selton Miguel leads the Terps with 1,275 career points in his five-year career.
Up Next
- Maryland hits the road for a game against No. 13 Purdue on Sunday, Dec. 8. The game will tip at noon and be broadcast on Big Ten Network and Maryland Sports Radio Network.
