No. 9 Oregon out to extend Maryland’s Big Ten road woes

The Big Ten’s coast-to-coast expansion has brought a wave of new matchups in unfamiliar — and oftentimes distant — environments for the league’s 18 teams.For the second time in four days, Maryland faces a completely new challenge as it travels to face No. 9 Oregon on Sunday in Eugene.In the teams’ first-ever meeting, the Terrapins (11-3, 1-2) and the Ducks (12-2, 1-2) will try to atone for ugly losses to unaccustomed Big Ten foes on Thursday night.Oregon took the hardest fall as No. 22 Illinois rained a deluge of 3-pointers in a 109-77 romp. It was the most points the Ducks have ever allowed in a home game.In Maryland’s first game ever against Washington, the Terrapins fell 75-69 as its top two scorers, Derik Queen and Ja’Kobi Gillespie, combined for five points on 1-of-13 shooting.Queen and Gillespie also collected more fouls (nine) and turnovers (five) than they did rebounds (one) and assists (two).It was a season-low in scoring for a Maryland team that entered its West Coast trip averaging 87.2 points per game.Against the Huskies, the Terrapins did little to quicken the game’s halfcourt pace as they had zero fastbreak points. Their ball movement also was lacking as they recorded just seven assists on 26 made baskets.”You have to go through it on the road,” Maryland coach Kevin Willard said. “You got to reward yourself for playing good defense and forcing bad shots and we haven’t done that yet.”It was the Terrapins’ second road loss this season in the Big Ten and sixth in their last seven conference games away from home.Last month, in an 83-78 loss at then-No. 8 Purdue, Queen, a freshman, and Gillespie, a transfer from Belmont, excelled despite their inexperience, combining for 44 points.

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