Box Score COLLEGE PARK, MD – After trailing by as many as 11 points late in the first half, the Maryland men's basketball team rallied back to defeat Iowa, 78-66, on Wednesday at XFINITY Center. It marked the second time this season the Terps overcame a double-digit deficit to defeat the Hawkeyes and fifth overall for Maryland. It was also the first-ever sweep of Iowa in a season.
Maryland (14-11, 6-8 B1G) captured the lead after Jahmir Young knocked down a pair of free throws at 6:57 in the second half. The free throws were part of a 21-6 run, giving Maryland its first lead since scoring the game's first points. The Terps later put the game away by holding Iowa to two points in the final three minutes. Overall, Maryland outscored Iowa 47-29 in the second half.
Four Terps scored in double-figures with Young leading the way with a game-high 21 points. He became the 51st Terp to score 500 points in a season. Young has now accomplished that feat in back-to-back seasons and did it in seven fewer games this season.
DeShawn Harris-Smith scored a career-high 17 points off the bench on 7-of-10 shooting. He added six rebounds and three assists. He surpassed his previous high of 13 points in Maryland's third game of the season against UAB.
Julian Reese had his 13th double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds. He was a major factor in the Terps' glaring advantage in scoring in the paint. Maryland scored 40 points in the red area as a team.
Donta Scott rounded out scoring with 11 points to go along with six rebounds.
Iowa (14-11, 6-8 B1G) dropped both games in the regular season series against Maryland. Payton Sandfort led the Hawkeyes with 19 points on 3-of-8 from three-point range. He was held to just six points in the earlier meeting, going 0-for-4 on three-pointers.
Breaking Down the Action
- Maryland trailed 8-2 at the first media timeout. Iowa keyed an 8-0 run with back-to-back three-pointers by Payton Sandfort. Maryland started just 1-6 from the floor.
- The Terps cut the early Iowa lead to one possession with a putback layup by DeShawn Harris-Smith, who provided valuable minutes off the bench. Still, the Terps were down 21-15 at the third media timeout of the half.
- Jahmir Young knocked down two free throws with seconds on the clock to enter the locker room in a tightly contested game. Iowa led 37-31, but Maryland featured a balanced scoring effort with Donta Scott, Julian Reese, and Harris-Smith each scoring seven points.
- Jamie Kaiser, Jr. knocked down a corner three-pointer and Harris-Smith finished a contact layup in the paint to bring the score to 46-40 at the first media timeout of the second half.
- Maryland went scoreless for over four minutes and allowed Iowa to reclaim its double-digit lead at 12:00. However, Reese scored back-to-back buckets down low to bring Maryland within two points minutes later. He scored again in the paint to tie the game at 60-60 with seven minutes left.
- The Terps keyed a large run and took the lead with two free throws by Young at 6:57. Maryland controlled the game from then on and captured the win. Iowa scored just two points in the final three minutes.
Double-Figure Factors
- Jahmir Young (21 points) dropped double-figures for the 129th time in his career and the 23rd time in 24 games he's played this season. It's also the 20th game in a row that he's played and scored double-digits. Young scored 20-plus points for the 14th time this season and the 55th time in his career - the most among all active Big Ten players.
- DeShawn Harris-Smith (17 points) scored in double-figures for the sixth time in his inaugural season.
- Julian Reese (16 points) had the 49th double-figure game of his career, with the junior doing so for the 20th time this season.
- Donta Scott (11 points) tallied double-figures for the 79th time over his five-year career, and his 14th time this season.
Double-Figure Deficit Comeback
- For the second time this season, Maryland erased a double-figure deficit against Iowa. The Terps trailed by 11 points in the first half to take the victory. In the first meeting with Iowa, the Terps erased a 10-point deficit to take a 69-67 win over the Hawkeyes.
- This makes five double-digit comebacks for the Terps this season, with the others coming against Penn State (11-point deficit), Michigan (12-point deficit), and Nebraska (10-point deficit).
Home Sweet Home
- Maryland's 27-4 home record over the last two seasons ranks tied for the most wins in the Big Ten with Illinois (27-4).
- The Terps finished 16-1 at home last season and boast an 11-3 record so far this season.
- The Terps average 74.6 points per game at the XFINITY Center while holding opponents to 62.1 points. They hold a 12.5 scoring advantage at home.
Defense!
- Defensively, Maryland has been outstanding allowing 70 or fewer points in 14 of its last 16 games. They have also only given up 70 or more points in four games this season and two occurred in overtime.
- The Terps are the top defensive unit in the Big Ten, allowing just 63.7 points per game which ranks 13th nationally. The Terps haven't led their conference in that category since doing so in the ACC in 1973-74.
- Maryland even ranked fifth-best nationally for defensive efficiency according to KenPom.com entering the game.
- Maryland is looking to post back-to-back years allowing 64-or-fewer points per game for the first time since 1953-54 (55.7) and 1954-55 (61.9).
Fear The Jahmir
- Jahmir Young posted the 51st 500-point season in program history. With 21 points in the game, he now has 501 this season. Young eclipsed the 500-point mark in back-to-back seasons after tallying 553 last season.
- Against Rutgers on Feb. 6, Young became the sixth NCAA player since 2006 to post 1,000 points at two different institutions after scoring 1,421 at Charlotte from 2019-22. He now has 1,054 points in his two seasons at Maryland. He was the third-fastest player to reach that milestone and the fifth player in program history to do so in just two seasons.
- Young added to his career scoring total and now has 2,475 points. He is the second-leading active scorer in the nation behind Texas' Max Abmas (2,987).
- Young is one of two active NCAA players with 2,000+ points, 700+ rebounds, and 400+ assists (2,475 points, 736 rebounds, 461 assists).
- Young entered Wednesday's game as the third-leading scorer in the Big Ten and the No. 18 scorer nationally at 20.9 points per game.
- Young is looking to become the first Terp since Greivis Vasquez in 2009-10 to average over 20 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game. Entering the matchup, Young averages 20.9 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Scott Climbing Up Charts
- Donta Scott scored 11 points, increasing his career total to 1,603, which is 16th all-time. He's five points away from passing Ernest Graham (1977-81) who scored 1607 in his career.
- Scott grabbed six rebounds to increase his career total to 828 which is ninth all-time. Next on the list is Tom McMillen (1971-74) with 859 rebounds.
- Scott broke the program record for starts by passing Steve Blake (1999-2003) earlier this year. He added to that number with his 139th career start over his five-year career. It was also his 153rd game as a Terp to add to his other all-time record.
- Scott is one of five players in program history to have 1,500 points and 800 rebounds in a career earlier this season. He joined Lonny Baxter (1,858 & 998), Tom McMillen (1,807 & 859), Keith Booth (1,776 & 916) and Terence Morris (1,733 & 925) earlier this year.
Juju Beast
- Julian Reese recorded his 13th double-double of the season and the 20th of his career with 16 points and 13 rebounds. It was his 14th game this season with double-figure rebounds and 21st in his career. Reese has the fourth-most double-doubles as a Terp dating back to 2010-11 and is tied for seventh nationally for double-doubles this season.
- Entering the matchup, Reese ranked No. 16 nationally and second in the Big Ten, averaging 10 rebounds per game.
- Reese is one of two players nationally to have over 300 points, 200 rebounds, 40 blocks and 25 steals this season.
- Reese ranks 17th nationally in total rebounds (252) and is on pace to crack the top-25 for a single season at Maryland. Bob McDonald (1960-61) ranks 25th for a single season with 279.
- Reese is looking to become just the fifth Terp since 1992-93 to average a double-double for a season. Jalen Smith (2019-20), Bruno Fernando (2018-19), Jordan Williams (2010-11) and Joe Smith (1993-94 & 1994-95) are the only other Terps to do it.
Numbers To Know
- 1: Entering the matchup, the Terps were allowing 63.7 points per game which ranks first in the Big Ten and 10th nationally.
- 5: Maryland rallied from a double-digit and halftime deficit to win for the fifth time this season.
- 5: The Terps are fifth-best nationally in defensive efficiency according to KenPom.com.
- 13: Maryland is allowing just 63.7 points per game entering the matchup which ranks 13th nationally.
- 13: Julian Reese recorded his 13th double-double of the season.
- 17: DeShawn Harris-Smith scored a career-high 17 points.
- 20: Jahmir Young has scored double-figure points in 20 consecutive games.
- 22: Maryland has held 22 of 25 opponents to fewer than 70 points this season.
- 28: Maryland had 28 bench points in the game.
- 27: The Terps are 27-4 at home over the last two seasons, no Big Ten team has won more home games over the last two years.
- 40: The Terrapins scored 40 points in the paint.
- 51: Young became the 51st Terp to score 500 points in a season.
- 139: Games started for Donta Scott, extending his program record.
- 2,475: Young's career points - 2nd most nationally for an active player.
Up Next
- Maryland remains in College Park for a matchup with No. 14 Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 17. The game will tip-off at 5:30 p.m. from XFINITY Center and will be televised on Fox. Fans can listen on Maryland Sports Radio Network.
