Maryland (7-1, 0-0 B1G) vs. Ohio State (5-2, 0-0 B1G)

COLLEGE PARK, MD – Maryland opens this week’s Big Ten play at home against Ohio State on Wednesday night. The game airs at 6:30 p.m. on BTN and is a white out at the XFINITY Center. Fans can watch the game on the Maryland Sports Radio Network, with Voice of the Terps Johnny Holliday joining Chris Knoche and Walt Williams as the host.

The Terps are on a four-game winning streak to start Big Ten play and are 6-1 at home this year. Maryland debuted at No. 23 in the first NET rankings of the season released Monday.

Maryland has been explosive offensively this year, averaging 86.8 points, which is the fourth-best average in program history and ranks 33rd nationally this season. Defensively, the Terps are giving up just 58.6 points per game, which ranks ninth nationally and the program’s best mark since 1960.

• WHITEOUT: Join us for the annual Whiteout Game presented by Pepsi. All 4,000 students receive a Whiteout T-shirt and a newspaper.
• Half time: A three-point shootout sponsored by Pepsi. takes place at halftime!
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Terps are off to a quick start

• The Terps have improved tremendously at this point in the year compared to the season before Big Ten play began. Maryland got off to a shaky start in the 2023-24 season with a 4-3 record before traveling to Indiana for the first league game of the year. In the first seven games last year, Maryland averaged 70.7 points per game and allowed 62.7 points. The Terps also shot .420 from the field, including .238 from three-point range and .679 at the free throw line.
• This year, Maryland averaged 16.1 more points per game (86.8), gave up 4.1 fewer points (58.6) and saw improvements in every area of ​​shooting: .498 from the field, .338 from three and .735 from beyond the arc free field throwing line.
• Additionally, Maryland has four players just 0.5 points away from five players, averaging double figures this year compared to just three last year (Jahmir Young, Julian Reese, Donta Scott).

Maryland averages 86.8 points per game, which is the fourth-best point total in program history.

No rust on the hot rod

• After not playing in a college basketball game for 600 days before the game in Manhattan, Rodney Rice has certainly shaken off any rust at the start of the season.
• The second-year guard had a breakout game against Mount St. Mary’s, totaling 28 points on 10 of 14 shooting. He had 26 points in the first half alone, becoming the first Big Ten player since Luke Garza had 27 first-half points at Michigan on Dec. 6, 2019. The last Terp to score 26 or more points in a half was Jahmir Young last season at Northwestern (1/17/24), when he scored 28 as a sophomore.
• Rice made his first start in the win over Canisius and is currently fourth on the team with 12.5 points per game. He has the most three-pointers (18) on the team and has a shot rate of 40.0 percent.

Rodney Rice became the first Big Ten player since Luke Garza in the 2019-20 season to score 26 or more points in the first half with his performance against Mount St. Mary’s.

Juju beast

• Julian Reese entered the 2024-25 season as one of the best post players in the Big Ten and nationally. He earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors as a junior last season after being named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team and the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Watch List.
• Reese posted 15 double-doubles last season, ninth-most nationally, and ranked second in the Big Ten during the regular season.
• Reese has a total of 25 double-doubles after posting 14 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Alcorn State.
• Dating back to 1996-97, Reese has the fifth-most career double-doubles of any Terp player.

Queen is the truth

• Derik Queen leads the team with 16.5 points per game. This average is second best among Maryland freshmen from 1947-48. Notably, 18 of the top 26 freshmen scorers in program history were selected in the NBA Draft.
• Queen is part of an exceptional national class of 2024-25 freshmen. He is now ranked fifth in the overall rookie rankings and is the top center among all NCAA freshmen.
• Since 2008-09, there have been 34 20-point games by Maryland freshmen. In just his first eight games, Derrik Queen has already won four.
• Queen opened his college career with a double-double. Since 1993-94, he is one of only 13 Terps to record a double-double in their rookie season.