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| Maryland at Penn State |
| When » Wednesday, 9:15 p.m. |
| Where » Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, Pa. |
| TV/Radio » ESPN2/980 AM |
| Maryland has an 8-3 record in ACC-Big Ten Challenge games. Penn State is 4-6. The ACC won the first 10 ACC-Big Ten Challenges before losing last year, 6-5. Penn State is led by senior G Taylor Battle (18.3 ppg), a Big Ten first-team choice last year. |
Six games might not be a significant sampling size. But in his 21 years at Maryland, coach Gary Williams’ Terrapins have never shot 3-pointers worse than this season.
The Terps are making 28.9 percent from beyond the arc, ranking No. 292 among 347 teams in Division I. The only Maryland team more off-target since the 3-point shot was introduced 25 years ago were the 1988-89 Terps who shot 28.3 percent in Bob Wade’s dismal final season (7-20).
Williams pointed out on Tuesday that 3-point shooting is not necessarily an accurate barometer of success. But tonight when Maryland (5-2) plays at Penn State (5-1) in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, it’s something he wants to see improved.
“We’ve got some guys who can shoot it,” Williams said. “You know, it’s a confidence thing. Once we do it, we’ll be fine.”
Among the Terps struggling from beyond the arc are senior guard Adrian Bowie (3 for 11), who shot 41 percent last year, junior guard Sean Mosley (1 for 10), who made 39 percent, and freshman forward Hakur Palsson (0 for 6), who showed promise as a 3-point threat in the preseason.
“It’s just a matter of not making shots,” said Bowie, when asked if the Terps aren’t getting quality looks at the basket. “We’re a really good shooting team. We just haven’t knocked them down yet.”
The Terps’ most reliable 3-point shooters have been freshman guard Terrell Stoglin (7 for 16) and senior guard Cliff Tucker (9 for 25).
Maryland needs to hit 3s to combat defenses designed to stop top scorer Jordan Williams. The 6-10 sophomore is averaging 17.4 points per game, but is dealing with more and more traffic in the lane.
In a 72-54 win over Delaware State, the smaller Hornets used a sagging matchup zone, limiting Williams to four shots and a season-low six points.
“As you play, teams will make you shoot it, so we’re gonna have to shoot it,” Gary Williams said. “We always like to play inside out, always been able to do that.”
