The Maryland men’s basketball team’s January stretch was just as rough as it appeared on paper going into it. The Terps have gone 4-4 since the New Year, and the identity of the team became clear as the month continued.
Maryland is now sitting at 14-7 overall and 5-5 in the Big Ten after picking up consecutive wins against conference opponents for the first time this season. The Terps topped Wisconsin, 73-55, and Nebraska, 82-63, as part of their current three-game homestand.
Maryland will look to keep its momentum going when it faces Indiana on Jan. 31. The Hoosiers are 15-6 overall and 6-4 in the league. But first, here are three thoughts on the Terps’ January stretch to this point:
1. Jahmir Young has arrived.
Senior point guard Jahmir Young is averaging 16.0 points per game, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Terps this season. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound guard is currently eighth in the Big Ten in scoring.
Young also scored 20-plus points in four games this month, including a 30-point game in an 80-73 win against Ohio State on Jan. 8. Prior to January, Young had scored 20-plus points just twice, in wins against Illinois (24) and Coppin State (21).
“All the credit is to my teammates for getting me open and setting good screens,” Young said after the win against Michigan. “Just treating practices like games and just working hard.”
2. Julian Reese is steadily improving.
After dealing with a shoulder injury in December, sophomore big man Julian Reese is beginning to find his form. Similar to Young, Reese has also scored in double digits in multiple games this month (four times). He scored 19 points in the Terps’ 58-55 loss against Purdue on Jan. 22.
Reese has also been competing well with some of the best big men in the league, including Purdue’s Zach Edey and Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson. Reese was one of the best big men in the country during the stretch, according to Maryland head coach Kevin Willard.
“I think you need to put Juju in the conversation of being one of the best five-men in the league right now considering what he did over the last three games against three of the best big guys in the country,” Willard said after the win against Wisconsin.
3. For Maryland, there is no place like home.
The Terps are 11-1 at home, tied for best in the conference. While Maryland is 1-5 away from Xfinity Center, the Terps continue to get it done in front of the home crowd. If Maryland continues to pick up wins at home, it could match its 2019-20 home record of 16-1.
The Terps are defeating opponents by an average of 17.5 points in their victories at home thus far. In addition, even some player averages go up. Young and Reese average 13.3 and 9.2 in true road games, respectively, compared to 17.8 and 11.2 at home.
“I know that Coach says it a lot — that we have the toughest schedule — but he actually showed us the other day. I think we all realized that we did,” graduate guard Don Carey said. “The last two games were at home, so we realized we’ve got a strong home-court advantage and had to capitalize off that.
“Just taking this momentum and taking it on the road when the time comes, I think that’s a big step we’ve got to take and be road warriors and figure out how to win on the road in tough environments.”
Photo Credits: Colin Murphy/PressBox