Purdue @ Maryland preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 6, 2018 ) Maryland 60, Purdue 62

Maryland begins a stretch where it plays three consecutive top-20 ranked teams on Tuesday night when it hosts No. 11 Purdue. The 25th-ranked Terrapins, who then hit the road to play at No. 7 Michigan and No. 17 Iowa, begin the week tied for fourth place and two games behind the Wolverines in the ultra-competitive Big Ten Conference.

The Terps will at least have had six days off since a 60-45 victory at Nebraska to prepare for the brutal make-it-or-break-it part of their conference schedule. Purdue also comes in off a win over the Cornhuskers (81-62) on Saturday night and has won eight in a row. The Boilermakers eked out a 62-60 victory in the first meeting between the two teams on Dec. 6 in West Lafayette, Ind., behind 20 points from preseason All-American guard Carsen Edwards and sophomore guard Nojel Eastern's block of Darryl Morsell's potential game-winning 3-point try at the buzzer. "It felt like they had six guys out there (defensively)," Maryland coach Mark Turgeon told reporters after his team shot just 35.1 percent, including 9-of-27 from 3-point range, and turned the ball over 17 times. "They were everywhere."

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT PURDUE (17-6, 10-2 Big Ten): Edwards leads the Big Ten in scoring (24.6), which also ranks seventh nationally, and has made 87 shots from 3-point range - tied for sixth-most in the country entering Monday. Senior guard Ryan Cline is the only other player averaging in double figures scoring (12.7) and is also lethal behind the arc, connecting on 35-of-65 treys (53.8 percent) over the last 10 games. Eastern leads the team in rebounding (5.3) while 7-3 sophomore center Matt Haarms gives the Boilermakers a big inside presence, averaging 7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.

ABOUT MARYLAND (18-6, 9-4): Junior point guard Anthony Cowan Jr., who had 18 points and six assists in the first meeting, leads the team in scoring (16.2) and assists (4.5). Bruno Fernando, a 6-10, 245-pound sophomore forward, is second in scoring (14.8) while also grabbing 10.7 rebounds per game - which ranks second in the Big Ten - and is averaging 2.0 blocks per game. Freshman forward Jalen Smith (11.8) also is averaging in double figures scoring and is coming in off his third double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds) in the win at Nebraska.

TIP-INS

1. Fernando has recorded a double-double in 15 games this season, including the last six in a row.

2. Maryland leads the Big Ten and was tied for second in the nation entering the week in rebounding margin (plus-10.4).

3. Purdue leads the series with Maryland 5-2 after winning the last five, with both teams scoring an identical 494 points in the seven games.

PREDICTION: Maryland 72, Purdue 70