In State College, Pennsylvania, Derik Queen led the way with 23 points, alongside Ja’kobi Gillespie’s 19-point performance as the No. 16 Maryland team secured a hard-fought 68-64 victory over Penn State on a Saturday matchup. Selton Miguel also contributed significantly with 17 points, helping the Terrapins (22-7, 12-6 Big Ten) rally from a halftime deficit of 36-30 to break a seven-game losing streak in Happy Valley.
On the other side, Ace Baldwin Jr. tallied 18 points while D’Marco Dunn chipped in with 14 for the Nittany Lions (15-15, 5-14), who were striving to prolong their season by winning out and relying on favorable outcomes in the standings to secure a spot in the 15-team Big Ten Tournament. Julian Reese stood out with a commanding 15 rebounds for the Terps, who showcased their offensive depth by having all five starters score in double figures, a feat matched by only three other Power Four teams.
For Maryland, the triumph inched them closer to securing a top-four seed and a coveted double bye in the upcoming conference tournament, underscoring their resilience and determination. Conversely, Penn State fought valiantly to keep their postseason aspirations alive but fell short due to untimely errors, extending their streak of close losses with this being their ninth defeat by a margin of six points or less, a tally equaled only by Northwestern in the Big Ten.
A crucial moment in the game unfolded with Maryland clinging to a slim 66-64 lead and 44 seconds remaining when Baldwin missed a potential game-tying shot. Reese’s pivotal 15th rebound set up Rodney Rice for a decisive basket on the subsequent possession, effectively sealing the outcome with a mere 17 seconds left on the clock.
A significant statistic from the game highlighted Maryland’s proficiency in capitalizing on Penn State’s turnovers, converting 16 Nittany Lion miscues into 21 crucial points that proved instrumental in securing the hard-fought victory.
Looking ahead, Maryland is set to face-off against No. 15 Michigan in a challenging road contest on Wednesday night before concluding their regular-season campaign with a home clash against Northwestern on March 8th. Meanwhile, Penn State will round off their regular-season slate with a daunting road trip to face No. 11 Wisconsin on the same date.
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