Badgers are hoping to steal a road victory against Maryland
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Greg Gard’s players find themselves in an unenviable position for the second consecutive week.
Don’t offer them any sympathy, however.
They contributed to this mess with more unsightly play in another home loss.
Last weekend they traveled to Penn State needing to steal a road victory three days after losing at home to Minnesota. They played a solid, allaround game and returned home with a 19-point victory.
This time they travel to Maryland for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff Monday, needing to steal a road victory three days after losing at home to Purdue.
“There is that sense that we have to have some redemption and learn from the mistakes,” senior Ethan Happ said. “I think we did a really good job of that coming into Penn State.
“Hopefully it will be the same way we go about things.”
One difference this time: Maryland (14-3, 5-1 Big Ten) appears capable of competing for the league title.
Penn State, 0-5 in the league and 7-9 overall entering its game Sunday against Michigan State, appears headed toward another bottom-four finish in the league.
“Maryland is a really good team and they’re playing really well right now,” sophomore guard D’Mitrik Trice said. “It is going to be important for us to get off to a hot start. We got off to a hot start at Penn State. We didn’t get off to a hot start against Minnesota and we definitely didn’t get off to a hot start against Purdue.”
UW’s path to an overtime loss to Purdue included falling behind by double digits early, turning the ball over a
season-high 17 times, surrendering 17 offensive rebounds and making only 11 of 19 free throws.
Purdue scored 20 points off UW turnovers and recorded 12 second-chance points.
“You’re going to have a hard time when you turn it over that much and you don’t clean up the glass,” Gard said.
Unlike Purdue, Maryland doesn’t force teams into a high number of turnovers. The Terrapins commit more turnovers (12.9) than they force (10.9).
The Terrapins do flourish on the offensive glass, however.
They grabbed 18 offensive rebounds in a 78-75 victory over Indiana on Friday and average 12.1 per game.
Bruno Fernando, 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, has grabbed 53 offensive rebounds in 17 games. Freshman Jalen Smith, 6-10 and 215, has 46 in 16 games. They grabbed five offensive rebounds apiece against Indiana and have combined for 89 of the team’s 206 offensive rebounds.
“They are both tall, athletic and strong,” Trice said. “And they always go to the glass.
“You’ve got to have a body on them at all times. They’ll get a few here and there but you have to weather the storm when things aren’t going well.”
The Badgers entered the Purdue game allowing 7.5 offensive rebounds per game. They allowed six in the first half and then a combined 11 in the second half and overtime.
“We’ve got to block out better,” said Nate Reuvers, who contributed only two rebounds in 18 minutes.
UW must be more efficient on both ends of the court early.
The Badgers struggled on offense in the opening half against Minnesota and trailed by 15 at the break.
Defensive miscues contributed to 3 open three-pointers early against Purdue, which led by as many as 11 points in the first half.
“It’s something we talked about in the locker room,” guard Brad Davison said. “We need to find a way to come out with a sense of urgency.”
UW battled back to lead by 50-46 in the second half but failed to build on that lead. Purdue responded with 3 three-pointers – the second after an offensive rebound – in a 9-2 run.
“When you have a team down and you have them reeling, that’s when you’ve got to step on their throat,” Davison said. “That is something we didn’t do.
“And again, when you fall down early and you are climbing back all game that makes it tough.”