Gophers Lose 5th Straight 85-78 To Maryland

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Justin Jackson had a career-high 28 points and 10 rebounds, making all five of his 3-point attempts, and No. 22 Maryland beat Minnesota 85-78 on Saturday for its sixth straight win.

Jackson and fellow freshman Kevin Huerter combined to go 10 for 12 from 3-point range. Huerter finished with 19 points and Melo Trimble added 13 points, nine assists and seven rebounds as the Terrapins (19-2, 7-1) kept pace with Wisconsin in a tie for first place in the Big Ten.

Akeem Springs led the Gophers (15-7, 3-6) with a season-high 23 points, but they lost their fifth consecutive game despite a 41-31 rebound advantage and a 21-10 assist-to-turnover ratio. The biggest problem for Minnesota was its defense, with Maryland making more than half of its field-goal attempts (30 for 59), including an 11-for-18 performance from beyond the arc.

The Terrapins were four-point underdogs, their memory still relatively fresh of last year's 68-63 flop at Minnesota that gave the Gophers their first Big Ten victory after starting 0-13 in conference play. Minnesota has three new starters after the mess of last season, creating the toughest road test to date for a Terrapins team that won its first six contests away from campus.

The start was sluggish, with both teams missing nine of their first 12 shots, but the Gophers got their crowd going with a 19-1 run sparked largely by Springs that gave them a 21-9 lead past the midpoint of the first half. Four of their first six made field goals were dunks, further enhancing the energy in the 89-year-old arena.

Amir Coffey, who has produced most of his best rookie performances against Minnesota's most daunting opponents, swished a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 44 seconds left before halftime for a 33-26 lead. He scored each of his 11 points in the first half.

Minnesota entered the afternoon with the Big Ten's lowest 3-point shooting percentage allowed and Maryland was third, but the game became sort of a long-range shooting contest as players on both sides began to heat up.

Trimble's twisting, foul-drawing layup, after which he glared at the Minnesota student section for emphasis, put the Terrapins in front 58-56 for the first time since 9-8. Trimble gave them the lead again at 73-71 with a similar, gravity-defying play that drew a foul on Springs for a three-point play with 2:49 left.

Nate Mason answered with a 3-pointer and tied the game at 76 with a pair of foul shots with 1:47 remaining, but Huerter hit a 3-pointer from the corner to quiet the crowd and help the Terrapins inch toward the finish.

BIG PICTURE

Maryland: Trimble got to double-digit points for the 19th time in 21 games, but he was relatively quiet as the sharpshooting freshmen carried most of the load for the Terrapins. Proving they can win in a raucous environment on the road without a major impact by Trimble was an important accomplishment.

Minnesota: Coach Richard Pitino picked an odd time this week to talk to his players about making the NCAA Tournament, considering the losing streak, but his urging of the Gophers to keep their confidence came with a reminder of their strength in the Ratings Percentage Index that's a significant factor for the selection committee come March. Pitino also pointed to the favorable finish to their schedule, with only four road games remaining. They're past time for a win, though.

TIP-INS

Maryland: Jackson was only 3 for 14 from 3-point range in Big Ten play entering the game.

Minnesota: Mason missed 10 of 12 shots from the floor but went 8 for 8 from the free-throw line and passed the 1,000-point mark for his career.

UP NEXT

Maryland: The Terrapins stay on the road for a game on Tuesday at Ohio State.

Minnesota: The Gophers have a full week to prepare for a trip to play at Illinois on Feb. 4.

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