Three Things to Watch: Indiana Battles Maryland in Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals

Here are three storylines to watch when Indiana takes on Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Friday night at the United Center.

CHICAGO, Ill. – Indiana begins postseason play on Friday against Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.

No. 6 seed Maryland defeated Minnesota 70-54 on Thursday night, and No. 3 seed Indiana has been off since its 75-73 win over Michigan on Sunday. Maryland beat Indiana 66-55 in their lone matchup of the season.

Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 9 p.m. ET, and here are three storylines to keep an eye on ahead of the game.

Three things to watch in Indiana vs. Maryland

1. Indiana handling Maryland's pressure

Maryland applied a full-court press against Indiana in the first matchup on Jan. 31, which kept the Hoosiers out of sync all night. Coach Mike Woodson said it slowed Indiana's offense down, and they failed to execute by the time they broke the press and got organized. The result was a 66-55 Maryland win in a game where Indiana shot 37.5 percent with 11 turnovers. 

It was a particularly rough night for Indiana freshman point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, who made 1-of-14 shots with four turnovers. Hood-Schifino bounced back on numerous occasions en route to winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and he'll need to stay poised against Maryland's pressure on Friday. Trey Galloway's speed and aggressive style of play could help catch the Maryland defense out of position, too.

2. Maryland's streaky 3-point shooting

Maryland shot 32.7 percent from 3-point range in the regular season, tied for eighth in the Big Ten. Four Terrapins have attempted 110-plus threes this season, but each of them shoot below 33.3 percent. In Thursday night's 70-54 win over Minnesota, Maryland broke the game open with improved 3-point shooting. The Terrapins went 6-for-12 from beyond the arc in the first half alone, but that number dropped to 2-for-9 in the second half. Donta Scott led the way with 20 points on 4-for-8 3-point shooting. 

In the first matchup, Indiana gave Maryland open looks from the perimeter and dared them to shoot. The Terrapins made just 5-of-22 3-point attempts, but they capitalized on 21 Indiana fouls to go 25-for-29 from the free throw line. Jahmir Young's quickness gave Indiana trouble in that game, and the Hoosiers will have to limit his drives to the basket.

3. Lefty matchup inside

Friday's game features a pair of lefty forwards battling in the paint, Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis and Maryland's Julian Reese. Jackson-Davis was a unanimous first team All-Big Ten selection, and he's in line for first team All-American honors after averaging 20.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.8 blocks. In the first matchup against Maryland, Jackson-Davis scored 18 points and grabbed 20 rebounds, but the remaining Hoosiers shot 32.5 percent.

On the other sideline, Julian Reese has taken a big step forward in his sophomore year. After averaging 5.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per game off the bench last year, Reese has started 29 games this year and averages 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds. A 63.8 field goal percentage makes Reese one of the most efficient players in the country, and he's an improved shot blocker as well.

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