Michigan State Basketball is back in action this Saturday on Feb. 15 against the Maryland Terpins. The Spartans are currently 17-8 overall and 9-5 in Big Ten Conference games. Maryland, on the other hand, is currently 20-4 overall and 10-3 in Big Ten Conference games.
Here is a scouting report of Maryland:
Placement In The Big Ten
Maryland is a dominant Big Ten team with conference losses only to Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The Terpins score 71.7 points per game which ranks seventh in the Big Ten. Also, Maryland rebounds the ball extremely well with 39.2 rebounds per game which is fourth in the Big Ten. Most importantly, the Terpins boast two players who are top ten in Big Ten points per game.
Anthony Cowan Jr. & Jalen Smith
Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith are an absolutely lethal combination. Cowan ranks fifth in Big Ten points per game and Smith ranks ninth with 16.3 and 15.1 points per game respectively. So Maryland features a stellar offensive duo in Cowan and Smith.
Cowan leads his team in assists and steals with 4.6 assists per game and one steal per game. Jalen Smith also ranks third in Big Ten rebounds per game with 10.2 rebounds per game. Smith also leads Maryland in blocks per game with 2.3 blocks per game. Both players will be a huge part of MSU’s defensive strategy in this Big Ten matchup.
Potential Flaws
Maryland only shoots 42% from the field which ties the Terpins for the worst shooting percentage in the Big Ten with Nebraska. Also, Maryland does not average a high number of assists per game. Instead, the Terpins only average 13.1 assist per game which is second to last in the Big Ten. These are two flaws Michigan State can potentially exploit in this home game.
The Spartans and Terpins face off against one another on ESPN. The game starts at 6 P.M.
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