Scarlet Knights Outmatched in Maryland

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights dropped their third consecutive road game on Sunday afternoon with a loss to No. 13 Maryland, 79-50. The Scarlet Knights have now lost four out of their last six contests and fall to 17-6 on the season. Rutgers struggled in several key areas throughout the game, but its inability to control the Maryland offense topped the list.

Rutgers clear and present struggles

The Scarlet Knights entered the game with the ninth-best defense in the nation, allowing an average of only 54.2 points per game. However, the Terrapins’ seventh-best scoring offense was just too much for the Scarlet Knights to handle. By the end it was clear that Rutgers had been overwhelmed. Maryland’s 79 points were the most points allowed by Rutgers so far this year.

The Scarlet Knights struggled on the offensive end as well, managing to shoot only 34% from the field while turning the ball over 18 times. Maryland took advantage of the sloppy play, scoring 22 points off Rutgers’ turnovers. Maryland’s fast-paced style was too much for Rutgers to match. The Terrapins dominated the Scarlet Knights in fastbreak points, outscoring Rutgers 25-4. Rutgers also fell when it came to the battle in the paint, a key matchup in this contest.  Both teams have showed constant resilience in that area throughout the season. However, while Maryland proved that it was once again up to the challenge, Rutgers couldn’t keep up, getting outscored in the paint 30-26.

Rutgers in Foul Trouble

The Scarlet Knights struggled throughout, being outmatched in nearly every aspect of the game. Rutgers did not lead at any point. Much of this was a result of the team’s inability to stop the Terrapins’ offense, which led to flurry of opportunities from the charity stripe. The Terrapins made 25 of 29 free throws. Such easy opportunities led to four Maryland players recording double figures in scoring.  Rutgers is a defense-first team that relies on its ability to shut other teams down. Maryland exposed Rutgers’ glaring defensive weaknesses by getting the Scarlet Knights in foul trouble throughout the game. If the Scarlet Knights want to break the recent down spiral they’ve been on, they’ll need to adjust defensively.

In Conclusion

The Scarlet Knights will seek revenge next time out as they will travel to East Lansing for a matchup with Michigan State on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Spartans defeated the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway on January 20^th. By the time Rutgers faces the Spartans, they would likely want to move on from this loss to Maryland and start a new trend of winning.