The 3rd-ranked Maryland Terrapins thoroughly dominated the Ohio State Buckeyes, thrashing them, 100-65 at an ecstatic Xfinity Center.
The Terrapins responded to their first Big Ten loss of the season earlier in the week to Michigan by running the Buckeyes out of the gym. It was their worst loss in 20 seasons.
Maryland recorded their largest point total of the season by shooting 63 percent from the floor and were led by a career-best 25 points from Robert Carter Jr.
He led the team in the first half with 15 points as the Terps led 48-30 at the break, a season’s best first half point total. Maryland never let up after intermission as the lead stretched to over 40 points in the second half.
Coach Mark Turgeon called off the Terps in the second half as the second team came in around the seven minute mark.
Maryland’s Rasheed Sulaimon ended the game with a season’s-best 22 points on a blistering 9 of 10 from the floor.
Freshman Diamond Stone added 15 points and a team-high six rebounds coming off the bench.
Jake Layman scored 10 points and the Terp’s leading scorer guard Melo Trimble, held scoreless in the first half, contributed eight points and a team-high nine of the team’s 23 assists.
The teams traded baskets to begin the game and the Buckeyes actually led 11-8 with 15:52 to play in the first half. The Terrapins rallied, and a three-pointer from Carter with 7:22 to go before halftime gave Maryland a 31-21 lead.
The Terps poured it on in the second and led 65-35 on a jumper by Trimble with 15:21 to go in the game.
They had their largest lead of the game of 44 points at 91-47 with 7:10 to go. The first team went to the bench around this time in the game as the second team closed out the impressive victory. The Terps improved to (16-2, 5-1 Big Ten).
All of that season-best scoring was a result of good shooting. The Terps were 19 of 30 in the deciding first half and a scorching 7 of 10 from long distance before the break. They ended the game shooting 53 percent from three-point range.
Meanwhile, the Terps held the Buckeyes to 37 percent shooting from the floor, including 3 of 12 from beyond the arc. The Terps were 15 of 21 from the free throw line while Ohio State was 18 of 25, all in the second half.
Ohio State was led in scoring by Keita Bates-Diop with 15 points. Jan’Sean Tate added 12 points and five rebounds. Trevor Thompson chipped in with 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds in a losing effort for the (12-7, 4-2) Buckeyes.
