University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
19-12
Maryland
21-9
Gophers Fall at No. 24 Maryland, 69-60
3/8/2019 8:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Anthony Cowan scored 21 points, Jalen Smith had 19 points and 11 rebounds and No. 24 Maryland beat Minnesota 69-60 on Friday night to end the regular season in feel-good fashion following a two-game skid.
The Terrapins led by 12 at halftime, stretched the margin to 19 in the opening three minutes of the second half and went up 54-32 with 13 minutes left.
Bruno Fernando had 11 points and 11 rebounds to help Maryland (22-9, 13-7 Big Ten) avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season. The Terps were coming off a lopsided defeat at Penn State and their lone conference loss at home, versus Michigan.
Amir Coffey scored 23 points for Minnesota (19-12, 9-11). The Golden Gophers' only lead was 2-0.
Limited to 10 points against Michigan, Cowan topped that with a 12-point first half against Minnesota. The junior guard finished with a team-high five assists and played 37 minutes.
Smith, a lanky 6-foot-10 freshman, just missed matching his career high of 21 points, set against Minnesota in 82-67 victory Jan. 8.
Maryland led 34-22 at halftime despite missing 11 of its final 12 shots.
Minnesota had more turnovers (8) than baskets (7) in the first half and was 2 for 14 from inside the arc.
The Terrapins led 9-6 before Smith drilled successive 3-pointers to ignite an 18-7 run. Smith added a dunk during the surge and Cowan capped it with a 3 from the top of the key.
Smith started the second half with two free throws and Cowan made a layup to launch a 9-2 spurt that made it 43-24.
BIG PICTURE
Minnesota: The Golden Gophers are a different team on the road, a problem that is not unique in the Big Ten. Minnesota finished 13-3 at home and 2-9 on the road, including 2-8 in the conference.
Maryland: The Terrapins desperately needed a blowout victory to erase the bitter taste of the two games that preceded it. Coach Mark Turgeon can only hope this serves as a confidence boost heading into the Big Ten Tournament.
UP NEXT
Both teams open play Thursday in the Big Ten Tournament at the United Center in Chicago.
