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Northwestern has lost five games in a row, and now is just 10-9 overall on the season and inching closer to the Big Ten cellar with every conference loss. NU's last four losses have been by seven points or less and the last two, to Michigan and Ohio State, were both two-point defeats. Those kinds of demoralizing finishes really get to a team and probably have the Wildcats doubting themselves.
However, thinking back to the past is not what this team needs to do right now to gain some respectability in their conference. Sunday, they take on a ranked Maryland Terrapins team that has been amazing for much of the year, but was just crushed 89-70 at Assembly Hall by Indiana in their last game. You can be sure Mark Turgeon's Terps are hungry for a win.
Talent-wise, Northwestern is at a disadvantage in this game. Maryland has star freshman Melo Trimble at the point, Dez Wells at small forward and breakout junior Jake Layman up front, to name a few. That doesn't mean the Wildcats should wither away and accept another loss. They need to continue to do what kept them in the game against Michigan and Ohio State but have to make the shots and stops late in the game to pull off a huge upset.
Here's everything you need to know about the game:
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
TV: Big Ten Network
Online: BTN2Go
Radio: WGN, 720 AM in Chicagoland and wgnradio.com
Line: Maryland opened as a 13-point favorite on Saturday. Some sites have the line down to 12 in favor of Maryland while others have kept it at 13.
KenPom: KenPom says Northwestern has just a 9 percent chance to win the game. Maryland is projected to win 69-56.
Key Stat: Trimble, who has been incredible as a true freshman, has a complete offensive game but is truly outstanding at getting to the free throw line, and hitting once he gets there. He has -- as of Saturday night -- taken the 11th-most free throws (139) in Division I and is converting them at nearly 88 percent (his 122 made free throws are tied for 3rd-most in the country with Iowa's Aaron White). Already this season, Trimble has taken 13 or more free throws in five different games. With that ability, he can simultaneously get opponents in foul trouble while also contributing a lot of points quickly.
Check back here right before tip to follow along with us during the game on our gamethread.