Maryland men’s basketball uses strong all-around, second half effort to rout Lehigh, 76-55
(Photo Courtesy of Maryland Athletics.)
In the opening play of the second half, Hakim Hart read the passing lane perfectly, extending his long arms to disrupt an entry pass from a Lehigh guard. Unable to retain possession of the bounciness laissez passer that he deflected out of bounds, Hart rested his hands on his head in disbelief.
But his team desperately needed his endeavour. So he kept his composure and got the steal and possession in the play that immediately followed, setting a standard of defense that the Terps had lacked in the opening period.
"[Hart] is always similar that, especially in exercise," Donta Scott said. "He's always in the passing lane, getting those steals and stuff like that. But simply knowing that Hakim's ability transfers into the game as well … it'southward pretty nice to run across."
As Maryland men'south basketball (seven-4, 0-1 B1G) worked to become its legs under itself, somewhen surging past Lehigh (1-10) with a, 76-55, win, Hart wreaked havoc on the defensive side with a career-high 5 steals and a block and Eric Ayala had a stellar night of his ain, dropping a game-loftier 20 points.
"I thought our guys did a terrific job of responding in the 2d half," acting head autobus Danny Manning said. "I thought we had a really good residual. Offensively, we got contributions across the board from a lot of unlike guys. And so that'southward always something that you lot're happy to see as a staff."
It was unclear whether these two teams would play until 2 days before tip-off. Just Information technology was clear, as Lehigh took command in the opening minutes, that this game was necessary.
The Terps, understandably, looked similar they hadn't played in sixteen days and the defense suffered every bit a result. The Terps allowed the Mountain Hawks to attack the handbasket at will. Their lack of energy was glaring through their apartment-footed responses to Lehigh's cutting and driving.
Xfinity Heart was placidity, too. Not only because the fan attendance was low given the country of the country and the winter break on campus, but because the Terps were awfully mute on the defensive side.
The results were an efficient start and finish to the first one-half and a very real upset opportunity for a one-win Lehigh team that was shooting a promising 45% from the field.
It looked similar Maryland would run away with control in the first catamenia with an xviii-v run, but it'south double-digit lead was quelled past another defensive stalling that led to the Terps entering halftime with a delicate, 34-37, lead.
"First one-half we came out a little lackadaisical," Scott said. "But the second half, nosotros picked upwards our energy and we basically just came together and only pushed."
Ayala's seven bespeak, two infinitesimal flare-up helped make the initial 18-point run possible. His early six points in the second half had a much more impactful effect, snowballing Maryland's advantage to a double-digit atomic number 82 it never looked back from.
Ayala's presence was felt at all levels of the floor. The Terps' leader scored xx total, finding the bottom of the net in the paint, drawing fouls, converting his costless throws and splashing three threes from behind the arc — all while shooting 61% from the field.
"I'thousand just happy we winning," Ayala said of his performance. "That's all I could enquire for. We winning."
The defense was much improved, too. The Terps flew to the ball and were increasingly vocal and attentive, allowing just five made field goals in the final 20 minutes after letting up 14 in the first half. Lehigh shot a lifeless 17% from the flooring in the closing one-half.
After Ayala opened upwardly the one-half to drib a quick six points and put the Terps up 11, the home team extended the lead to fifteen at the final one-half'south midpoint and 21 at the conclusion of the game.
"Just taking it one game at a time, just trying to get a win," Ayala said. "We're trying to change the narrative on our season and I recollect we're on the correct trajectory as a squad."
Source: http://wmucsports.net/maryland-mens-basketball-shakes-off-rust-at-home-defeating-lehigh-76-55/
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