Maryland men’s was looking for a tune-up game Tuesday night against Canisius, with Villanova coming up on the schedule and fresh off a gritty loss to No. 15 Marquette.
But it’s an understatement to call the Terps 108-37 demolition over the Golden Griffins a tune up. It was the most points Maryland has scored in a game since November 2005, and the second-largest margin of victory in program history.
Canisius was 0-5 entering the contest. It was outsized, outmatched and outclassed for all 40 minutes. Even in the second half, when Maryland’s starters barely played, the Golden Griffins looked like they didn’t belong on the same court as Maryland.
Head coach Kevin Willard made the first starting lineup change this season. He gave Rodney Rice the nod instead of Deshawn Harris-Smith, who has struggled to open the year. In turn, Rice scored the Terps’ first points of the game, draining two fast free throws after drawing a foul on a fast-break layup. He finished 4-of-9 shooting for 13 points.
“Rodney protects the big guys a little bit better than DeShawn,” Willard said. “We were struggling a little bit [with the bench] because [Jay Young] was going out there and … he was getting stuck with the ball every single time, I needed another point guard out there. For me, it made more sense to be able to put the ball in DeShawn’s hands.”
Harris-Smith did contribute off the bench, though, scoring two first-half baskets, while notching four rebounds and three assists.
The Terps created quality shot opportunities early. Rice and Selton Miguel both got open for uncontested 3-point tries in the game’s first minute, but neither converted their attempts.
It wasn’t until a chaotic sequence three minutes later that Maryland scored from deep. Gillespie first found Rice wide open in the corner, and Rice’s shot swished through. Then, Gillespie got a hand on the ensuing Canisius inbound pass and fed Rice, who’s layup was blocked. But Rice got his own rebound and swung it out to Gillespie in the same corner his own 3-pointer came from just seconds earlier. Gillespie sunk his triple as well.
“We’re able to space the floor out a little bit better [with Rodney in the lineup],” Willard said. “Rodney is obviously a very willing shooter … it put a little bit more pressure on their defense.”
Those shots gave the Terps all the momentum, which they parlayed into a 41-2 run that lasted more than 12 game minutes. Canisius was helpless on virtually every possession on both sides of the ball.
Maryland went 17-of-27 from the field on the run. Canisius was 1 for 13 and committed 10 turnovers. Julian Reese scored nine points, Miguel scored eight and freshman Malachi Palmer hit two 3-pointers.
“We’re learning how to play with each other,” Reese said. “We learn where each other want the ball.”
Canisius turned the ball over repeatedly in the first half — with 13 in the game’s first 12 minutes and 15 overall — and Maryland scored 27 points on those extra possessions.
The Terps’ reserves saw plenty of action in the second half with the game far out of reach. Harris-Smith, Palmer, Tafara Gapare, Jay Young and Braden Pierce all recorded double-digit minutes off the bench, while walk-ons Ben Murphy and Lukas Sotell each got in the game, with Murphy hitting a three.
Three things to know
1. Canisius was severely, severely outmatched. Reese had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the first half. In the same span, the Golden Griffins’ posted 14 points and eight rebounds. When Canisius finally ended Maryland’s 41-2 run, the Terps had more offensive rebounds than Canisius had points. The Golden Griffins’ top scorers were Tana Kopa and Paul McMillan IV with 10 points each — seven Terps tied or topped that.
Tuesday night was a testament to the talent disparity between Maryland and the lowest levels of Division I basketball.
2. The Terps still weren’t great from deep. Despite the margin of victory, Maryland’s struggles shooting the ball lingered. It was 9 for 31 from beyond the arc on the night, and 6 for 17 in the first half. Rice was the only Terp to shoot multiple 3-pointers and make at least half of them.
That obviously didn’t make a difference against Canisius, but shooting improvement will be vital in Maryland’s Big Ten slate.
3. In good shape heading into the weekend. Maryland got a major confidence boost heading into Sunday’s matchup with Villanova at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. That is the purpose of scheduling an opponent like Canisius — and that strategy paid massive dividends Tuesday night.
