Maryland Terrapins: Fast Start Fuels Win Over Northwestern
By Joe Serpico
The Maryland Terrapins came out strong early against Northwestern on their way to a 72-59 win on Saturday night.
After coming out slow against Penn State earlier in the week, Maryland basketball came out scoring early and often to pace their way to a 72-59 win.
Northwestern would score the first point of the game and lead the first four minutes of the game before the Terps took over. Melo Trimble was the star, scoring 17 of his game-high 24 points in the second half. The preseason All-American also flirted with a triple-double, finishing with eight rebounds and eight assists. It was the perfect response for the Terrapins (13-1, 2-0) who needed a second half miracle the last time out to get a win.
Rasheed Sulaimon led the way for Maryland in the first half, scoring 13 of his 16 points in the first 20 minutes. Diamond Stone scored 10 points after setting a school record for a freshman by scoring 39 points against Penn State Wednesday. The duo was 9-for-9 and outscored the entire Northwestern team in scoring, 21-20, in the opening half. Maryland had a 40-20 lead at the half and the Wildcats put up little fight in the second as the Terps cruised for a quality win.
The fast start was exactly what the Terrapins needed after the rally needed earlier in the week. Both teams came in with one loss – ironically, both teams lone defeat came against North Carolina – but the Terps were the more dominant team from the start. Mark Turgeon’s bunch came out with a chip on their shoulder and took it to a quality team. Northwestern shot 37 percent from the field, and Bryant McIntosh led them with 17 points, the only Wildcat to reach double figures in scoring. That is the kind of defense that makes this team a championship contender.
“I thought defensively we were really, really good,” Turgeon said. “The things we wanted to take away, we took away. They run 100 sets and we were dialed in on them, especially in the first half in front of our bench.
Next: Diamond Stone Dominant in Comeback Win Vs. Penn State
The win was Turgeon’s 100th in his five seasons at Maryland.
Next up for the Terps is a home matchup against a Rutgers team that has had its share of struggles this season. The Scarlet Knights are 6-9 on the season and winless on the road.