Gophers' backcourt needs to show improvement against Maryland

Maryland's backcourt depth is superior to the Gophers entering Wednesday's matchup in College Park, but it all starts with point guard Jahmir Young.

The 6-1 senior guard averaged 19.6 points last season at Charlotte, but you could argue he has made an even greater impact this year since transferring to the Terrapins.

In Maryland's first six Big Ten wins this season, Young was the most explosive scoring guard in the league. He averaged 23 points during that stretch, including 30 points vs. Ohio State and 26 points vs. Michigan last month.

First-year Terps coach Kevin Willard made five NCAA tournaments in 12 seasons at Seton Hall. Willard was blessed to have coached former Pirates guard Myles Powell, a first-team All-America in 2020.

Young's presence allowed Willard to make a seamless transition into the Big Ten. His tough, attacking, aggressive style of play on the perimeter starts with Young. But Maryland also gets a backcourt boost from Hakim Hart, Donald Carey, Ian Martinez and Jahari Long.

Willard's five guards outscored Minnesota's backcourt players 44-15 and forced 16 turnovers in the 81-46 Maryland win Feb. 4 at Williams Arena. Gophers point guard Ta'Lon Cooper was held to five points on 2-for-8 shooting with four turnovers in the game.

Cooper will need help from his Gophers backcourt teammates Wednesday, including senior Taurus Samuels and freshmen Braeden Carrington and Jaden Henley. Henley started the last three games. It is Carrington's third game back after missing seven with a leg injury.

GAME INFO

Time: 6 p.m. CT, Wednesday. Where: Xfinity Center. Line: Gophers 15.5-point underdogs. Series: Maryland leads the series 14-2, including an 81-46 win Feb. 4 at Williams Arena. TV: BTN. Online/Live video: BTN-Plus. Radio: 100.3-FM

PROJECTED STARTERS

MINNESOTA GOPHERS (7-18, 1-14 BIG TEN)

Pos.-Player Ht. Yr. PPG

G – Jaden Henley 6-7 200 Fr. 4.2

F – Jamison Battle 6-7 220 Jr. 13.1

F – Joshua Ola-Joseph 6-7 215 Fr. 7.8

F – Dawson Garcia 6-11 230 So. 15.5

Key reserves – Pharrel Payne, F, 6-9, Fr., 7.4 ppg; Braeden Carrington, G, 6-3, Fr., 5.4 ppg; Taurus Samuels, G, 6-1, Sr., 2.6 ppg; Treyton Thompson, C, 7-0, So., 2.2 ppg; Will Ramberg, F, 6-5, Jr., 2.1 ppg.

Notable: The Gophers saw leading scorer and rebounder Dawson Garcia (bone bruise) return to the court last Saturday to score 23 points in a 76-69 loss vs. Penn State after missing five straight games. Jamison Battle, who missed the first four games this season after foot surgery, played a few games in January with a lingering back injury. Battle, who averages 13 points per game, had consecutive 20-point performances in losses to Indiana and Northwestern in late January. He was held under double figures in three straight games for the first time in his career this month, but Battle erupted for a season-high 31 points in Monday's 78-69 loss at Illinois. His career-high game happened with 39 points on 14-for-31 shooting (7-for-16 from three) on March 2 last season. That was also the most single-game points in Xfinity Center history. …Minnesota's 81-46 home loss to Maryland on Feb. 4 was the second worst in team history at Williams Arena, behind a 39-point loss to UCLA with John Wooden and Lew Alcindor in 1968.

MARYLAND TERRAPINS (18-9, 9-7)

Pos.-Player Ht. Yr. PPG

G – Jahmir Young 6-1 185 Sr. 16.3

G – Donald Carey 6-5 187 Sr. 6.4

F – Donta Scott 6-8 205 Sr. 11.5

F – Julian Reese 6-9 230 So. 10.8

Reserves – Patrick Emilien, F, 6-7, Sr., 3.1 ppg; Ian Martinez, G, 6-3, Jr., 5.7 ppg; Jahari Long, G, 6-5, Jr., 2.7 ppg.

Coach: Kevin Willard 288-219 (16th season)

Gophers vs. Maryland win probability and betting information.