Another ranked team awaits Pinnacle Bank Arena as the #25 Maryland Terrapins get set to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Thursday night.
The Terrapins are the third team that the Huskers will play twice in conference play (Iowa, Ohio State) and have been on a run ever since defeating the Huskers 69-66 back on January 19th.
Coached by Kevin Willard in his third season, Maryland has won seven of their last nine games, including wins over #22 UCLA, #17 Illinois and #17 Wisconsin.
The Terrapins are right in the mix in the loaded conference that is the Big Ten, but it won’t be easy for Maryland trying to win in one of the toughest places to play in college basketball.
The Huskers and their home floor have been unstoppable ever since getting embarrassed on the road against #18 Wisconsin on January 26th.
Nebraska is 4-0 since that Badgers loss, and is getting All-American type of play from their leader Brice Williams.
Williams is averaging 25.5 PPG during the Huskers winning streak, pushing himself closer to First Team All-Conference honors.
Players to Watch for Maryland:
Derik Queen:
15.5 PTS 8.5 REB 1.2 STL 1 BLK
A five star recruit in the 2024 class, Derik Queen is one of the best freshman centers in college basketball and is trending towards being a first round NBA draft pick this summer.
In a win against Rutgers last Sunday, Queen scored 29 PTS, with 15 rebounds and five assists, becoming the first college basketball player in the last 20 years to score at least 25 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in a single game.
The Huskers held Queen to just three points in their first meeting, so expect the Huskers to have a gameplan to defend the star true freshman.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie:
14.3 PTS 4.6 AST 40% 3PT
The small, shifty junior guard is picking up right where he left off after transferring in from Belmont last offseason.
Although he has struggled shooting the ball lately, the Huskers know all too well that Gillespie is a player that you can’t guard lightly.
Back on January 19th, Gillespie torched the Huskers from three, shooting 5/9 from behind the arc to go along with 22 points with 5 assists and 4 steals.
Gillespie does struggle playing away from the Terps home floor, shooting just 37% from the field and 36% from three.
Players to Watch for Nebraska:
Brice Williams:
19.4 PTS 4.2 REB 2.8 AST 1 STL
It’s most important that Brice Williams gets into rhythm quickly for the Huskers.
Williams has scored or assisted on the first field goal for the Huskers in each of their last 4 games, and it should be the main priority to keep the ball in Williams hands when he’s on the floor.
Andrew Morgan:
7.8 PTS 4.3 REB 56.7% FG
With the absence of Berke Buyuktuncel, Andrew Morgan is player to keep and eye on Thursday night.
Morgan will be key in defending the height of Maryland, as the Terrapins will be starting two players that stand at least 6′ 10”.
Watchout for Morgan’s footwork on offense, as Maryland’s Juilian Reese often plays himself into foul trouble.
Prediction:
Both Nebraska and Maryland could use this win greatly, but ultimately the Huskers need this win to even greater their NCAA tournament seeding.
Dropping a game at home against a ranked Quad 1 opponent isn’t the end of the world, but it could easily be looked back upon depending on where the Huskers are seeded come March.
Even with the absence of Buyuktuncel, I expect the Huskers to tighten up defensively, double teaming both Derik Queen and Julian Reese until they get themselves thrown out of rhythm.
With the success at home for the Huskers, it makes it almost impossible to predict a loss in such a big game.
Thursday, February 13th, 2025
7:30 PM CT BTN
Nebraska: 73 Maryland: 71
