Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann talks with a ref during the first half of the game against Northwestern Feb. 20, 2019. Ohio State won 63-49. Credit: Amal Saeed | Assistant Photo Editor
When it rains, it pours for Ohio State, which couldn’t put an end to its offensive struggles against Maryland Tuesday, taking its third straight loss.
No. 11 Ohio State (11-4, 1-3 Big Ten) shot just 5-for-27 from 3-point range, and fell 67-55 to No. 12 Maryland (13-2, 3-1) while its midseason skid continues.
The Buckeyes tried to mount a late-game surge, down seven with three minutes to play, but Maryland sophomore guard Aaron Wiggins corralled a 3-point miss for a two-handed put-back dunk to extend the Terrapin lead once again.
Five minutes earlier, Wiggins ran out for an uncontested transition dunk after an Ohio State turnover to take a 12 point lead — its largest of the game.
With no other Ohio State wing stepping up, senior forward Andre Wesson had one of his best games of the season. He finished with 14 points and kept the Maryland lead within single digits in the final six minutes.
The Wesson brothers combined for 29 points on the night.
After voicing complaints about foul calls in college basketball following the Wisconsin loss, Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann took his distaste to the court and was called for a technical in the second half.
Maryland junior guard Darryl Morsell scored inside on the ensuing possession, and the Terrapins pushed their lead to seven points in the second half to quell a strong start from Buckeyes to start the final period.
Junior forward Kaleb Wesson had the hot hand for Ohio State against Wisconsin, but he was cold early in Maryland.
Matched up against 6-foot-10 sophomore forward Jalen Smith and 7-foot-2 freshman center Chol Marial, Kaleb Wesson had a tough time getting separation in the post, and shot 2-for-8 in the first half.
Smith had the upper hand in the matchup, swatting a Wesson jump-hook attempt in the post and drawing an offensive foul on the Buckeye big man midway through the half, hitting two 3-pointers on the other end.
It wasn’t only Kaleb Wesson who had trouble scoring for the Buckeyes. Ohio State shot 29 percent from the field in the first half, and just 3-for-13 from deep.
The Buckeyes hit just two more 3s the rest of the game, while Maryland shot 44 percent from beyond the arc. Seven of its eight 3-pointers came in the first half alone.
The lone bright spot for the Buckeyes in the opening half was freshman guard D.J. Carton, who got the first start of his collegiate career due to an illness limiting redshirt junior guard CJ Walker.
Carton scored seven points on 3-for-5 shooting after being held to three total points in Ohio State’s past two losses. However, he’d finish just 6-for-15 shooting.
Despite taking an 8-0 lead to begin the game and holding Maryland scoreless for the first five minutes, Ohio State took a six-point deficit into halftime, down 28-22.
After a poor night shooting for sophomore guard Duane Washington against Wisconsin, going 6-for-19, his woes only continued against Maryland. Washington was 2-for-11 against Maryland.
Sophomore guard Luther Muhammad was no better, missing each of his six shot attempts — all from the 3-point line.
Ohio State heads to Indiana for a noon matchup Saturday with the Hoosiers.
