Ohio State’s trips to Maryland since the Terrapins joined the Big Ten have not been games to remember, entering having dropped 6 out of 7, 5 of which were by double-digits and the only win coming in an empty arena during the Covid season of 2020-21. Tonight continued that trend as Maryland forced Ohio State into 12 first half turnovers, turning those into 18 points to open up a 50-17 halftime lead, building a lead as large as 40 and coasted to an easy 83-59 win before their home faithful. The Buckeyes dropped to 0-1 in conference play and 5-3 overall, losing their second straight game, while Maryland, winners of 5 straight, improved to 1-0 and 8-1. The Buckeyes shot just 38% from the floor, turning it over a total of 17 times for the game and knocking down just 4 of 19 three point attempts. The Terrapins hit on 47% of their shots, including just 7 of 25 from downtown and out rebounded Ohio State 39-35.The only bright spot for Ohio State was Devin Royal, who fell a rebound short of his third double-double, scoring 18 points and pulling down 9 rebounds. John Mobley, Jr added 15, all in the second half. Maryland put 5 in doubles led by 23 by Ja’Kobi Gillespie, 17 from Derik Queen,  12 from Tafara Gapare and 10 each from Julian Reese and Selton Miguel.

The Terps opened the game with a Ja’Kobi Gillespie three and it was a portent of things to come as he would hit two more to give Maryland a 12-6 lead at the first media timeout with the Buckeyes being paced by Devin Royal’s 4 early points. The lead would balloon to 20-8 before the under 12 media timeout as Maryland had forced Ohio State into 5 early turnovers leading to a 16-4 run, opening up a commanding advantage early. The Maryland run went to 11-0 before Micah Parrish split a pair of free throws on consecutive trips as the Terrapins were threatening to run Ohio State out of the building. Two more Maryland hoops preceded the under 8 media timeout in a game that was quickly getting out of hand for Ohio State with the Terps leading 29-10. Ohio State shifted to zone out of the timeout and as can happen when playing zone, an offensive rebound turned into a deuce for the Terrapins. Ohio State scored the next four with Royal and Meechie Johnson each collecting buckets before Maryland scored the next five forcing Jake Diebler to call a timeout with 5:17 left in the half with the Terrapins drilling the Buckeyes 36-14. Maryland kept pouring it on out of the timeout. After a Buckeye missed offensive opportunity, the Terrapins drilled a three and split a pair of free throws to open up a 26 point bulge. Bruce Thornton hit a runner, but Maryland answered immediately on the other end and at the under 4, Maryland led 42-14. A pair of Terrapin free throws increased the lead to a whopping 30 before Thornton split a pair of free throws.  Maryland outscored the Buckeyes 6-2 the rest of the half to send the teams to the locker room in an inexplicable first half of basketball for Ohio State with Maryland leading 50-17. In what was the worst half of basketball in recent memory, Ohio State shot just 28.6% and did not make a three on 7 tries, while Maryland knocked down 56% and 5 of 13 from long range. Devin Royal scored 10 of Ohio State’s 17 first half points, while Maryland was led by 13 each by Ja’Kobie Gillespie and Derik Queen. 

The second half started where the first left off with Maryland out scoring the Buckeyes 8-2 in the early minutes to open up a 39 point lead before a bucket by Royal and Sean Stewart cut into the lead and at the 16 minute mark, Maryland led 58-23. Five straight Terrapin points extended the lead and on the other end both teams got a little chippy, causing the officials to call a pair of double technicals. After Royal banked in a runner, Maryland split a pair of free throws and Royal again scored at the rim. After a defensive stop, John Mobley, Jr buried a three, Ohio State’s first of the game to cut into the lead a bit more. After a transition bucket by Maryland, Meechie Johnson scored his first points of the game, drilling a three from the top. After a Maryland bucket, the under 12 minute timeout was called with Maryland still firmly in control, leading 68-33. The Buckeyes cut into the big lead with a 7-0 run and blew a pair of opportunities to extend the lead further before Maryland converted an old-fashioned three point play and at the under 8 media timeout, Maryland led 71-40.  The Buckeyes closed the margin a bit, out scoring the Terps 7-2 thanks to 5 from Mobley that included a left corner three. After a pair of Maryland free throws, Mobley and Johnson each knocked down a pair of their own as the Buckeyes had gone on a 18-7 run. A Maryland dunk got the home fans on their feet, but Royal took an interior pass from Johnson and layed it in off the window, before leaving with a leg cramp and at the final media timeout, Maryland led Ohio State 77-53. After Maryland split a pair of free throws, Mobley drilled a three, but Maryland scored the next 3 before a Thornton runner fell. A Maryland dunk and an Evan Mahaffey free throw completed the scoring in the Maryland win.

It’s not hyperbole to say that may have been the worst performance in a half by an Ohio State basketball team I have ever seen. Ohio State was rattled from the jump and never got in any kind of rhythm, while Maryland got awfully comfortable offensively doing whatever they wanted and making the Ohio State defense seem like they were playing standing still. For a talented team to come out and play like that without any juice or effort is entirely unacceptable and should never happen again. They lacked fight on the defensive end and on the offensive end, they looked like deer in the headlights. Maryland has some talent, but as a pre-season media pick in the bottom half of the conference, they were either grossly underrated or Ohio State just had a terrible night in what has been a house of horrors for them over the years. The likely answer is that it’s somewhere in the middle. Maryland may be a little better and Ohio State clearly played as bad as I think they could possibly play. The Buckeyes have talent, but on this night, the talent didn’t show up to play. To their credit, they didn’t quit and made a couple of runs in the second half, but they just dug too deep a hole. It’s just one night and they have to move on quickly, but now they face a must win on Saturday or stare down a disastrous 0-2 start to the conference season with the non-conference schedule getting even more difficult in the last couple weeks of the calendar year.  

The Buckeyes hit the hardwood again on Saturday, welcoming Rutgers to the Schott. Game time is slated for Noon and airing on FS1

-Jason Harris