Following a blowout loss to Michigan on Sunday afternoon, Maryland heads back on the road to face off against Rutgers on Thursday night. The Scarlet Knights currently hold a record of 10-4 (2-1), and are coming off of a huge road upset victory over #1 Purdue on Monday night. They also have a victory over #15 Indiana, and have won four games in a row. Head coach Steve Pikiell's squad has lost just once at home this year, a two-point defeat at the hands of Seton Hall.
Rutgers has one of the best defensive units in the country, and they average more than 10 steals per game. Their backcourt has extremely active hands, with Cam Spencer, Caleb McConnell, and Paul Mulcahy all averaging 2 or more steals per game. Offensively, they're led by junior center Clifford Omoruyi who's averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds per game. At 6'11" and 240 lbs., Maryland will almost certainly have issues matching his size and strength. While they aren't the most efficient team offensively, their backcourt does share the ball very well. As a team, they average 16 assists per game, with Spencer, McConnell, and Mulcahy combining to average 11.
The Scarlet Knights boast one of the more underrated home court advantages in the country, though Maryland has only lost to them on the road once (in 2018) since joining the Big Ten.
KenPom Rankings
- Maryland: #38 (#60 AdjO, #30 AdjD; #194 AdjT)
- Rutgers: #15 (#112 AdjO, #3 AdjD; #226 AdjT)