Maryland men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon doesn’t often reflect on the past, but he made sure to bring up the Terps’ last trip to Iowa City before his squad arrived at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday night.
In that February 2015 matchup, the Terps trailed by 23 at halftime before another road blowout loss. The sixth-year coach, given the similarities in composition and style between that squad and this, didn’t want the same to happen.
And the Terps didn’t allow it, orchestrating their most impressive half of the season en route to the 84-76 victory.
Maryland jumped out to an 8-0 lead, and Iowa endured an eight-minute scoring drought later in the period, too. Even the Hawkeyes fans couldn’t coordinate their “Gold Out” promotion well.
Iowa’s production improved in the second half as it managed to take a lead in the final four minutes, powering through the Terps for rebounds and second-chance points, but Maryland had answers throughout the game.
Midway through the second half: a 3-pointer from Hawkeyes guard Brady Ellingson and then guard Anthony Cowan’s trey.
A minute later: a tip-in from Iowa forward Ryan Kriener before forward Justin Jackson’s jumper.
And once coach Fran McCaffery’s squad pulled ahead, guard Melo Trimble sunk the half-gold-clad home crowd’s victory hopes with consecutive threes.
It wasn’t always pretty, and it wasn’t always smooth. None of Maryland’s three road victories in the last four games have been.
But the early dominance and crunch-time closing prowess showcased the Terps’ potential.
It was an outing Turgeon shouldn’t rush to look past as his Big Ten-leading squad continues its tournament pursuit.
Guard Melo Trimble: A
The junior took the court with an aggression he’d been missing throughout recent quiet performances. He had two threes, finishing 5-of-9 from beyond the arc, in the first five minutes and totaled a game-high 20 points on 50 percent shooting by the final buzzer. His five assists also helped Maryland open its offensive arsenal against Iowa’s zone defense, as the team touted five players in double figures. His final two treys to highlight the late comeback was his best sequence in conference play.
Guard Anthony Cowan: A-
As the Terps stalled possession to drain the second-half clock under a minute, Cowan cut to the lane to try and hoist a shot before the series ended. Instead, the Hawkeyes stripped the rookie and converted a layup on the other end to cut their deficit to three. The play was a good reminder Cowan, who committed eight turnovers, is no longer in high school, free to drive through an opponent’s zone at will. But his production Thursday was also a good reminder Cowan’s performances have been impressive in one of the most physically demanding conferences in the nation. His 15 points on 5 of 6 shooting, combined with three rebounds, six assists and three steals, flashed the efficiency and poise the Terps have come to expect.
Guard Kevin Huerter: B
It was a quiet offensive night for the freshman, but he helped ensure Iowa’s leading scorer, guard Peter Jok, had one, too. Huerter opened the game on Jok, who entered the game leading the Big Ten with a 21.6-point average, but the Hawkeyes star only managed 14 (4-for-12 shooting) while combatting Huerter and what appeared to be a minor injury. The upstate New York native’s six rebounds and four assists supported Huerter’s success in his secondary role.
Forward Justin Jackson: A-
Jackson didn’t have much help in the frontcourt given forward Michal Cekovsky’s (ankle) sixth straight absence and forward Damonte Dodd’s foul trouble, but that didn’t stop the freshman from asserting his power and drive. He reached double digits (12 points), while often out-hustling the Hawkeyes in the paint on both ends. Jackson’s dominance down low shined, as he collected nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks and six steals as the team’s most unheralded performer of the evening.
Forward Damonte Dodd: B-
After totaling four points against Illinois last weekend, Dodd’s offensive contributions returned via 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting, but he must be smarter on defense, battling foul trouble throughout the game. The Terps’ scant frontcourt options forced Turgeon to play Dodd with four fouls before he drew his fifth with about five minutes left. Maryland hopes to not rely on Dodd as their lone true center for much longer — Cekovsky is out of his walking boot and has made strides toward returning — but the senior’s availability will be a major factor if the Terps want to sustain the smothering defense they exhibited early.
