Julian Reese scored 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting to help Maryland to its first road win this season in the Big Ten, 81-46 over Minnesota, Saturday night in Minneapolis.
Jahmir Young had 14 points and Donta Scott added 13 points and six rebounds as Maryland (16-7, 7-5 Big Ten) won its fourth straight and pulled into a four-way tie for third place in the league along with Indiana, Iowa and Illinois.
In dropping its seventh straight game, Minnesota (7-15, 1-11) was led by Pharrel Payne who scored 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting.
For the fourth straight game, the Golden Gophers were without top scorer and rebounder Dawson Garcia, who has a foot injury.
Maryland made 52.4 percent of its shots from the floor and 9 of 21 shots from beyond the arc (42.9 percent). The Terps committed just five turnovers while forcing 16 from the Golden Gophers and outscored them off the mistakes 23-2.
In losing its first five Big Ten road games, Maryland had been plagued by poor starts. In each of the losses, the Terps trailed by double digits in the first half.
But on Saturday, the Terps were on point from the start. Scott and Donald Carey hit 3-pointers and Reese battled inside for three baskets as Maryland raced to a 19-8 lead.
After Ta’Ron Cooper hit a 3-pointer for Minnesota, Maryland responded with an 11-0 run, triggered by a Scott 3. Ian Martinez (11 points) added a pair of 3-pointers 16 seconds apart, sandwiched around a Carey steal as the Terps pushed their lead to 30-11.
The Golden Gophers went on an eight-point spree, which included a pair of dunks by Payne. But the Terps scored the final three baskets of the half, including two by Young, to take a 41-21 lead at the break.
Maryland resumed its dominance early in the second half, going on a 13-0 run which included a three-point play by Hakim Hart and a four-point play by Carey, who was fouled as he swished a trey.
The spurt gave the Terps a 57-24 lead with 16:29 left. Midway through the half, Maryland cleared its bench. Jahari Long’s 3-pointer within 4:01 gave the Terps their biggest lead of the night, 78-36.
– Field Level Media
