Guard Kevin Huerter missed his first four 3-pointers against Rutgers on Tuesday night, but that didn’t stop him from giving the Maryland men’s basketball team its first comfortable lead of the game. The freshman drained two long balls in the second half to extend Maryland’s edge to 13 and spark a 20-3 run.

Huerter has been a consistent piece to the Terps’ success this season. When he’s not scoring, coach Mark Turgeon lauds his smart passes, ability to crash the boards and defense against opponents’ best players.

His offensive role has increased throughout the year, and he was a difference maker on both ends Tuesday. He recorded 11 points, six assists and eight rebounds while guarding the Scarlet Knights’ top scorer in Maryland’s 67-55 win at Xfinity Center. Turgeon hopes Huerter continues that production when the Terps (18-2, 6-1 Big Ten) visit Minnesota (15-6, 3-5) on Saturday.

“I’m trying to get the ball in his hands more,” Turgeon said. “He’s good. We ran a couple of plays that got the ball in his hands and he’s made good decisions. He was sharp [Tuesday], and he’s got great vision.”

Turgeon said Huerter is one of the best shooters he’s ever coached, but with guards Melo Trimble and Anthony Cowan facilitating the offense, Huerter hasn’t been a consistent offensive contributor. The 6-foot-7, 190-pound swingman averages 8.2 points per game, the fourth most of Maryland’s usual starters.

Still, Huerter has broken out when he’s gotten chances. Against Nebraska on Jan. 1, he scored a career-high 26 points and went 7-for-11 from three-point range. He also averages the second-most rebounds per game (5.1) and the third-most assists (44) while keeping foes’ most prolific scorers out of the paint.

“On film, I think he is the X-factor for them,” Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. “He is an outstanding passer, he has great size and he can make threes. He is really good and he is versatile. That gives him a lot of different looks.”

While playing in the FIBA Americas U18 Championships last summer, Huerter defended some of the country’s most talented youth players in team scrimmages. His main challenges were Markelle Fultz, who’s averaging 23.4 points per game at Washington this season, and Michael Porter Jr., who ESPN ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the 2017 recruiting class.

Huerter said he’s drawn back on those experiences while defending skilled scorers this season, such as Iowa guard Peter Jok, who leads the Big Ten in scoring (21), and Illinois guard Malcolm Hill, who’s averaging 17.4 points per game. Against Georgetown on Nov. 15, Huerter recorded the game-sealing block as time expired in Maryland’s 76-75 victory.

Tuesday, Huerter switched onto Rutgers guard Corey Sanders, the team’s leading scorer, late in the first half and limited him to two points in the second frame.

“I’ve come a long way since USA,” Huerter said. “[Assistant] coach [Dustin] Clark … says take pride on the defensive end and take pride in stopping the other team’s best scorer. When you take on the challenge, whoever it may be, I want to stop them and not let them completely control the game.”

On the offensive end, Huerter helped the Terps pull away in the second half. Ten seconds into the period, the Clifton Park, New York, native whipped a bounce pass into the paint to forward Justin Jackson for an easy layup.

With Maryland clinging to an 11-point lead with 15 minutes remaining, Huerter, who’s shooting 36.2 percent from beyond the arc this season, drained a 3-pointer before making another one about two minutes later. His conversions helped turn the momentum on the Terps’ side as they took a 17-point lead.

Huerter doesn’t make those offensive inputs every outing. But even when he doesn’t, Turgeon knows he’ll receive smart and gritty play from his rookie.

“He really helped us get a big lead,” Trimble said. “His playmaking ability helps. We know he can do it. [Tuesday] he went out there and proved he could do it.”