The Maryland Terrapins have been a struggling team in recent years since winning a national championship back in 2002, but have started to turn things around under head coach Mark Turgeon.
In his second year with the team, Turgeon has Maryland off to an excellent 4-1 and will look to continue their strong play as they visit the Northwestern Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Maryland enters the game on a four-game winning streak after dropping their opening game 72-69 on a neutral site in Brooklyn against defending national champion Kentucky on Nov. 9.
The Terrapins are scoring 76 points per game this season and are ranked 3rd in assists in the nation with 19.4 per game. The team has slacked defensively in the past two games, allowing 74 points in both, but the team has been solid overall, allowing just 63.6 points per game.
Maryland will have a lot to focus on, as Northwestern runs the Princeton offense and will be moving the ball around with speed and precision.
"It's a tough challenge for our team, where we are right now. They have shooters all over the floor. Lafayette got hot against us, we had trouble guarding it," Turgeon said to the Washington Post. "That game will help us Tuesday. It's just a hard game. A lot of stuff to throw at our guys. We've played against the system in the past. Hopefully we'll break it down, have the right game plan defensively. Hopefully we'll be able to execute it."
Sophomore Alex Len has been the most impressive player for the Terrapins, leading the team in scoring and rebounding with 15.6 points and 8.2 rebounds respectively this season. The center scored 23 points in the opening loss against Kentucky and has scored in double digits in every game this season.
Guard Nick Faust is second on the team with 10.6 points per game and is averaging four rebounds per game. The sophomore had 13 points in the team's 83-74 win against Lafayette last Tuesday and scored 11 while adding two rebounds and five assists in the 70-53 victory over Georgia South on Saturday.
The trip to Northwestern game will be the first official road trip for Maryland this season after four games at home and the opener against Kentucky on a neutral court. The team plays George Mason on Sunday at the neutral Verizon Center and will not face another true road opponent until ACC conference play begins in January.
Last season Maryland went 17-15 and finished in eighth place in the ACC with a 6-10 record. The team lost in second round of ACC tournament 85-69 to North Carolina and hasn't been to the NCAA tournament since 2010.
The Wildcats have been one of the surprise teams in the Big Ten this season after starting 6-0, but the team has yet to face a tough opponent. The Terrapins will give Northwestern a solid test and give the team a chance to play at home for the first time since Nov. 20, a 69-50 win against Delaware State.
The Wildcats are ranked 5th in assists per game this season, but will need to shoot the ball better if they want to stay unbeaten. The team is ranked 112th in field goal percentage with 45 percent and made only 38 percent of their shots in a 55-31 win against TCU on Friday in the South Padre Island Invitational Tournament.
Northwestern held off Illinois State for a 72-69 overtime win on Saturday and have been one of the best defensive teams in the conference, allowing just 53.3 points per game this season.
Leading scorer Drew Crawford had 20 points and nine rebounds in the win and added three 3-pointers. The senior has been one of the most impressive players for the Wildcats this year, averaging 13.7 points and five rebounds.
Senior guard Reggie Hearn is tied for the scoring lead, also averaging 13.7 points, and has been brilliant shooting from 3-point range this season, making over 57 percent of his shots.
The Wildcats will have to focus on the interior against the Terrapins, who have the best rebounding margin in the ACC. Northwestern is only ranked 57th in rebounding, but has a skilled big man in senior Jared Swopshire, who is leading the team with 6.5 rebounds per game.
Last season the Wildcats went 19-14 and finished seventh in the Big Ten, tied with Iowa, at 8-10. The team played in the NIT tournament and lost to Washington 76-55 in the second round.
The two schools are playing for only the second time since 1958. The last meeting resulted in a 66-62 win for Northwestern. Check out some black and white footage from that game, thanks to the archives of Northwestern University.
WATCH the Maryland vs. Northwestern LIVE STREAM by clicking HERE.
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