Field Level Media
Dec 19, 2019
Quincy McKnight scored a game-high 17 points, including two key free throws with 1.1 seconds left, as host Seton Hall upset No. 7 Maryland 52-48 on Thursday night in Newark, N.J.
McKnight also added eight rebounds and six assists as the Pirates held off a late Maryland rally to win despite missing their top two scorers, who are out with injuries. Anthony Nelson pitched in with 10 points while Jared Rhoden added eight points and 12 rebounds.
Maryland (10-2) has lost two in a row after winning its first 10 and being ranked as high as No. 3 in the country. But Penn State defeated the Terrapins 76-69 on Dec. 10, and Maryland had not played since then and could not shake off the rust.
The Terrapins needed more than 17 minutes to make it into double figures. They missed 19 of 25 shots in the first half. Their 48 points overall were 11 worse than their next-lowest total of the season. They shot just 26.9 percent from the field for the game.
Seton Hall (7-4) was playing without top scorer Myles Powell (21.2 points per game), who suffered a concussion in last Saturday's loss to Rutgers, and No. 2 scorer Sandro Mamukelashvili (10.9 ppg), who has a broken wrist.
Seton Hall played strong defense throughout the game, especially inside, where Romaro Gill and Ike Obiagu (six blocks apiece) bothered Maryland when the Terrapins tried to drive. The Pirates finished with 15 blocks overall compared with five for the Terrapins.
That stingy defense is another reason why Maryland never made a big run after falling behind early. The Terrapins simply could not score enough or get high-percentage shots on a regular basis.
Despite shooting poorly, Maryland hung around early but then went scoreless for over eight minutes. That's why the Pirates held a 20-7 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the first half, but the Terrapins chipped away in the final minutes.
Anthony Cowan Jr., who led the Terrapins with 16 points, made two of three free throws with 3.2 seconds left that cut the lead to 50-48 after Seton Hall had missed some key foul shots. But McKnight got fouled and sank both of his shots to wrap the win. He went 6-for-6 from the line.
--Field Level Media