Nebraska traveled to Maryland to take on the Terrapins hoping to accomplish something only one team has done all year, beat the Terrps at home. Unfortunately for the Huskers, their defensive holes showed as they dropped another Big Ten game by double digits, this time to the score of 82-63
It was an interesting first half full of the expected and the unexpected.
As expected, Derrick Walker was the catalyst of the Nebraska offense. Walker got out to a hot start, going 4-of-5 to start the game and scoring eight straight Nebraska points. Walker’s dominance and a Keisei Tominaga three gave the Big Red a five-point lead with 14 to go in half-one.
The Huskers followed up their 9-3 run with a three-minute scoring drought.
Maryland capitalized on the Nebraska skid with a 10-0 run, capped off by a Jahmir Young three-point play. Young had a team-high eight first-half points, and Maryland led 17-13 with 12 to go.
Then the unexpected occurred.
Sam Hoiberg, who had six points and six rebounds against Northwestern off the bench, led the way for Nebraska. Hoiberg scored eight straight points in 3 minutes of play to bring Nebraska within one.
But a 7-0 Maryland run would halt the Hoiberg run. The Huskers would not make a field goal for nearly four minutes until another Hoiberg three to cut the Terrapin’s lead to five.
Maryland went on one last final run to make the score 40-30 heading into the lockerrooms.
The Terrps found most of their offense from the Charity stripe. Maryland went a perfect 13-13 from the free-throw line. Nebraska only shot one free throw for the entire first half.
Maryland also took advantage of Nebraska’s sloppiness, notching 10 points off seven Husker turnovers.
The Big Red shot 50% from the floor, but could not find consistent offense from anyone not name named Hoiberg or Walker. Hoibergs 11 and Walkers 12 combined for 23 of 30 first-half Husker points.
Maryland came out in the second half, firing on all cylinders.
The Terrapins took advantage of three early NU turnovers to take a 51-36 lead with 15 to go in half-two.
Nebraska battled back and carved out a 9-4 run to bring the lead back within ten.
Right before the 12-minute media timeout, Sam Griesel had a transition layup blocked after a steal that would have cut the lead to six. The ensuing Maryland possession Guard Hakim Harth missed a three-point attempt but grabbed an awkward rebound and it put it back himself to bring the Terrapin lead to 10.
Who is to say how the game would’ve turned out without that four-point swing?
Nebraska once again cut the lead to eight after another Sam Hoiberg Jumper, but Maryland quickly responded on the other end.
NU cut the lead to nine after a Wilhelm Breidenbach three, but then the game would change.
CJ Wilcher appeared to exchange words with one of the officials regarding a previous foul, leading to a questionable technical foul call. Maryland was awarded two free throws and the ball.
The Terrapins hit both free throws and proceeded to hit a three for a five-point possession. This sequence sparked a 15-2 run giving the Terrapins a 74-52 run.
The Huskers battled until the very end but would not come within 16 for the rest of the game. And Maryland walked away with an 82 to 62 victory and improved their home record this season to 11-1
For the Terrapins it was all bout the free throw line and points off turnovers. Maryland shot an astounding 24-26 from the charity stripe and banked in 20 points off of 15 Nebraska Turnovers. Young led Maryland with 18, and guard Donald Carey had 16 on 5-of-8 shooting.
Sam Hoiberg had a terrific game for the Big Red. Off the bench, the Redshirt Freshman had 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 3 threes. Derrick Walker had a good game totaling 16 points, eight rebounds, and two assists.
Nebraska shot the ball well. The Huskers went 53% from the field and 43% from three but got outrebounded 31-25, grabbed seven fewer offensive rebounds, and shot 11 fewer free throws.
The Huskers drop to 10-12 on the season and are set to take on Illinois in Champaign on Tuesday.