Maryland 80, Northern Iowa 66: Evan Smotrycz scored 17 of his career high-tying 20 points in the second half as the Terrapins downed the Panthers in the semifinals of the Paradise Jam tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Smotrycz grabbed nine rebounds while Jake Layman poured in 19 points for Maryland (3-2), which will meet Providence in Monday’s title game. Nick Faust added 17 points and Dez Wells contributed 16 as the Terrapins won two straight for the first time this season.
Seth Tuttle finished with 19 points and nine rebounds to lead Northern Iowa (2-3), which tied a season high with 14 turnovers and shot a season-low 24.1 percent beyond the arc. The Panthers will square off against La Salle in the third-place game Monday.
Maryland, which failed to connect on any of its eight 3-point attempts in the opening 20 minutes, hit five of its first six after the break - including three in a row from Smotrycz. The Michigan transfer’s first 3-pointer contributed to the Terrapins’ 14-5 surge near the start of the second half while his second and third long-range jumpers came during a 1:23 stretch in which he scored eight straight points.
Although the Panthers trailed by as many as 10 before Smotrycz’s scoring flurry, they cut the deficit to 61-59 on a 3-pointer by Nate Buss with 5:54 left. Layman followed with a three-point play on the other end and Smotrycz stretched the margin to seven on a putback moments later following a steal by Faust.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Maryland recorded nine steals, getting a season-high three from Faust. ... The Panthers’ effort from 3-point range came one game after they shot a season-high 57.1 percent in their 90-81 victory over Loyola Marymount on Saturday. … The Terrapins drained six of their 10 3-point attempts in the second half.
Northern Iowa | Maryland | |
Seth Tuttle 19 | Scoring | Evan Smotrycz 20 |
Deon Mitchell 5 | Assists | Dezmine Wells 6 |
Chip Rank 9 | Rebounds | Evan Smotrycz 9 |
Seth Tuttle 7 | Free Throws Made | Jake Layman 7 |
Wes Washpun 3 | Steals | Nick Faust 3 |
Nate Buss 1 | Blocks | Shaquille Cleare 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Northern Iowa | 66 | 38.6 | 7-29 | 15-18 | 12 | 32 | 3 | 3 | 14 |
Maryland | 80 | 48.3 | 6-18 | 16-25 | 12 | 36 | 2 | 9 | 8 |