Purdue 67 at Maryland 53 - Terrapin Down Quick Wrap

If there were demons left in College Park for Purdue after losing to Maryland last season by double digits, consider them vanquished. #1 Purdue handled Maryland, 67-53, picking up its second Big Ten and first road win of the season.

Purdue started hot, with Trey Kaufman-Renn bailing out its first offensive possession by knocking down a corner three with the shot clock going down. Purdue didn't let off the gas from there.

It started at the defensive end where Purdue held Maryland to 25% shooting in the first half.

On the offensive end, crisp ball movement by Purdue matched Maryland's quick shifts back and forth from man to zone.

It was Zach Edey finding Fletcher Loyer for three off a double-team that extended Purdue's lead to 8-0 to start the game.

Edey was dominant throughout, scoring 23 points and grabbing 12 rebound.

Purdue's defense got to Maryland early, forcing a thirty second violation on the first possession. It was one of 8 first half turnovers for the Terrapins.

Lance Jones, who was tasked with slowing up Jahmir Young on the defensive end, had one of his better play making halves of the season. On a pick and roll with Edey, he pumped and drew in the defense before delivering a bounce pass to Edey which was then slammed in to give Purdue an early 16-4 lead.

When Jamie Kaiser Jr. responded with a three of his own for Maryland, Jones found redshirt freshman Camden Heide in the corner for a three that gave Purdue a 19-7 lead halfway through the first half.

The two teams would then engage in a whole lot of Big Ten basketball, slowing the game down in the half-court.

Fletcher Loyer would give Purdue it's 13 point lead with a buzzer beating fallaway jumper.

Maryland looked like a team with just one scorer, Jahmir Young, who was fantastic, scoring 26 points, but he had no assists and no other Terrapin had double-figures.

It didn't take long for Jones to assert himself as a scorer in the second half.

On Purdue's first two possessions of the half Braden Smith would find Lance Jones on the perimeter with space. Jones would knock down both threes.

Then Zach Edey would find Jones off a double-team and Jones would knock down his third three of the half.

In transition a few plays later, Jones would finish at the rim and Purdue's lead would grow to 47-25.

Jahmir Young tried to get Maryland back in it on his own, scoring in transition, knocking down a three off an offensive rebound, and drawing an And-1 foul at the rim.

But he missed his third free throw of the game, and Purdue was back at it at the other end.

Edey's hook shot from the middle of the paint would have Purdue back up 52-32 and Maryland calling a timeout with 12 minutes left in the game.

Purdue held that lead throughout the second half until the Terrapins cut it to 64-50 on a Donte Scott three pointer with just over a minute remaining.

But too little too late for a Purdue team determined to pick up its first road win of the season.

After not scoring in the first half, but dishing three assists and taking the task of guarding Maryland's best player, Lance Jones single-handedly turned Purdue's lead into a romp.

Lance Jones hit three straight threes to start the second half, and added in a lay up in transition. The quick 11 points raised Purdue's second half lead to as much as 22, and while Young got his points, he was hounded all game by Jones. Maryland's offense was forced to rely on the difficult floater making ability of Young in the half court.

It might not have been the most prolific game for Smith scoring the ball, but when his team needed a tough basket, it was Smith responding with pull up, after pull up, after pull up. His masterpiece was a behind the back crossover that knocked his defender to the floor, allowing him open access to a step in three-pointer early in the second half.

Smith also got his defender on a couple different drive into the mid-range, pump, and then shoot it with the space jumpers. Smith's ability to go get a bucket off his pull up game has really expanded and improved this year. Purdue's pick and roll is showing elite production whether it's Smith or Edey finishing the play.

It was Jahmir Young, and only Jahmir Young for Maryland on the offensive end. While Purdue was intent on keeping Young under control, it wasn't willing to compromise its defense by letting Young hunt switches and draw help defenders. Instead, Lance Jones drew the assignment, with a dash of Ethan Morton, and though Young got his points, they were mostly all difficult, contested buckets with his defender all over him. It was one of Purdue's better defensive performances on an individual and team level.

Jahmir Young finished with 26 points on 23 shots, knocking down two threes, and grabbing 4 rebounds.