Iowa Basketball : Iowa-Maryland Game Preview
By Lance Patton
The #18 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes travel to the XFINITY Center in College Park, Maryland to take on the #15 ranked Maryland Terrapins.
Who?: Iowa Hawkeyes (15-5, 6-3 Conference) at Maryland Terrapins (16-4, 6-3 Conference)
When?: 7:30 PM, 1/30/20
Where?: XFINITY Center , College Park, Maryland
Where to watch?: Big Ten Network
When Iowa heads on the road for the first time in over two weeks to take on the Maryland Terrapins, a ton is in play for both teams. Maryland is looking to avenge a key loss, while Iowa looks to sweep one of the preseason favorites in the Big Ten and snag a key resume-building win and extend their winning streak to a league-best six games.
The last time these two squared off, Iowa got off to a hot start leading by fourteen at the break, eventually going on to win by eighteen and holding Maryland to their second-lowest point total to this date with the Terrpians mustering only 49 points. Maryland’s star point guard Anthony Cowan was flustered, dominated and held to only nine points on just 2/10 from the field. As much as I’d like to say Iowa will be able to do the same to him again, it is likely Cowan makes a larger impact. Maryland as a team shot just 32.7% from the field, well below their season average and it is likely Maryland is able to score more than 49 points in this contest.
A positive for Iowa is they were able to beat Maryland handily despite the absence of CJ Fredrick who missed the game due to a stress fracture in his foot. In his absence, sophomore Joe Weiskamp stepped up in a huge way scoring 26 points while going 5/9 from beyond the arc. Luka Garza was able to contribute 21 points and 13 rebounds against Maryland’s athletic bigs.
It has been tough to win on the road in the BigTen this season but with the return of arguably the best shooter in the conference (country?) in CJ Fredrick, the emergence of Joe Touissant in the comeback over Wisconsin, Joe Weiskamp clearly able to find his shot against the Maryland defense and Luka Garza being Luka Garza, Iowa has a solid chance to pull off the upset in College Park.
Water always finds it’s level and Iowa couldn’t have shot it much worse against Wisconsin going 3/20 from three, the last time Iowa shot poorly from three (albeit missing Fredrick) against Nebraska they fired back against Maryland, especially Joe Weiskamp. Following Weiskamp’s career even dating back to high school, it seems for every down game (scoring-wise), he fires back with a career game and this seems like a perfect spot for him to do it again.
The key for a Hawkeye win will be to do exactly what Iowa did last time. Guard Anthony Cowan and Jalen Smith and make someone else beat us. Maryland outside of those two are not particularly special and if Iowa can force the ball into other people’s hands that is their best shot at winning the game.
How they Match-Up Stastically
Iowa Offense: 79.5 PP/G (22nd in NCAA, KenPom Adjusted 3rd)
Maryland Offense: 71.8 PP/G (164th in NCAA, KenPom Adjusted 27th)
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Iowa Defense: 69.8 PA/G (203rd in NCAA, KenPom Adjusted 78th)
Maryland Defense: 61.8 PA/G (26th in NCAA, KenPom Adjusted 11th)
How they Match-Up in Rankings
KenPom:
Iowa Hawkeyes:14
Maryland Terrapins: 10
NET:
Iowa Hawkeyes: 20
Maryland Terrapins: 14
AP Top 25:
Iowa Hawkeyes: 18
Maryland Terrapins: 15
Sagarin:
Iowa Hawkeyes: 15
Maryland Terrapins: 9
Vegas Prediction (based on line): Maryland 76, Iowa 70.5.
My Prediction: Hawks by a MILLION!