Maryland @ Michigan preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 24, 2018 ) Michigan 85, Maryland 61

Seventh-ranked Michigan looks to bounce back from its most humbling loss of the season when it hosts No. 25 Maryland on Saturday. The Wolverines held sole possession of first place in the Big Ten before dropping a 75-69 decision to cellar dweller Penn State on Tuesday, and hope to keep pace with No. 12 Michigan State at the top of the standings by extending their home winning streak to 22 games.

"This time of year teams are going to lose and we have to learn from it," Michigan coach John Beilein told reporters. "If there are things that happened in this game that helps us beat Maryland then I'm all in and that's the way we have to look at it." Maryland is within a game of the Spartans and Wolverines following a 70-56 comeback victory against 11th-ranked Purdue on Tuesday. The Terrapins outscored the Boilermakers 40-18 in the second half en route to their third victory in four games and hope to stay in the mix for their first Big Ten regular season title since joining the conference in 2014-15 by halting a two-game slide to the Wolverines. "It's a huge win for us and it helps us build our confidence for sure," Maryland center Bruno Fernando told reporters. "We are taking it one game at a time and we have Michigan next so that's all we are thinking about right now."

TV: Noon ET, FOX

ABOUT MARYLAND (19-6, 10-4 Big Ten): Jalen Smith scored 14 of his team-high 16 points in the second half to go along with a pair of blocked shots against the Boilermakers as the Terrapins improved to 9-0 this season when the freshman forward scores 15 or more points. Eric Ayala tallied 15 points and six rebounds while Anthony Cowan produced 12 points and six assists as Maryland shot 60 percent from the floor in the second half. Fernando added 12 points and 12 rebounds to register his seventh consecutive double-double and the 16th of a stellar sophomore season.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (22-3, 11-3): Charles Matthews led the way with 24 points and pulled down six rebounds in the loss to Penn State to finish with at least 20 points for the fifth time this season. Jordan Poole added 17 points, four assists and four rebounds, but went 1-of-8 from 3-point land in a game which saw Beilein ejected for the first time since 1979. Zavier Simpson, who has been masterful at running the offense this season, scored eight points, but finished with six of the Wolverines' 12 turnovers while Isaiah Livers came off the bench to register seven points and seven rebounds.

TIP-INS

1. Michigan C Jon Teske has blocked two or more shots in 16 games this season.

2. Maryland is 0-18 on the road against ranked teams under Mark Turgeon.

3. The Wolverines are ranked third nationally in scoring defense (57.8).

PREDICTION: Michigan 67, Maryland 63