Sports
Maryland Spoils Carter’s Return
By: Zach Kautz
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The Ohio Bobcats finally got Jason Carter back.
In his first game back, Carter scored six points, grabbed two rebounds in 16 minutes of action, but the Maryland Terrapins spoiled any chance of a return to remember.
Ohio (4-4) traveled to College Park, Maryland on Thursday night to face the Maryland Terrapins (8-3) and Maryland defeated Ohio 87-62.
The game provided Ohio with a good test, to play in front of a hostile crowd against a Big Ten team.
At first, it looked like Ohio would fail this test.
Maryland jumped out to a quick 15-2 lead to start the game, sinking their first five shots of the game. Michael Cekovsky, a 7-foot 1 sophomore from Slovakia, started off strong. Cekovsky had six of Maryland’s first 15 points. Cekovsky finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and shot a perfect six of six from the field.
Maryland continued the hot start and pulled ahead 20-5 with 13:31 remaining in the first half.
A 7-2 run by Ohio, capped off by a James Gollon layup put Ohio down 22-14 with under 10 minutes to go.
Eight quick points by Justin Jackson gave Maryland their largest lead of the half, 16.
From there, the teams traded baskets for the rest of the half. A layup by Carter made it a 41-28 game at the half, in favor of the Terrapins.
Ohio struggled shooting in the first half. Ohio was just 2-9 from beyond the arc. That struggle continued into the second half. Ohio was just 21-60 (35 percent) from the field and 5-20 (25 percent) from 3-point land.
The second half was all Maryland. The Terrapins pulled ahead by 20 just three minutes into the half. Ohio tried to make a run. A Zach Butler layup cut it to 53-41. However, that run came to an end. Seven straight Maryland points put the Terrapins up 19. The lead stayed around 20 for the remainder of the game.
Maryland had four players score in double figures. Kevin Huerter and Anthony Cowan Jr. led the way. Huerter had a game high 17-points. Cowan Jr. filled the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
For Ohio, senior Mike Laster was the only Bobcat to score in double figures with 14 points. Junior Doug Taylor had eight points and six assists.
For the second straight game, Ohio forced at least 15 turnovers on defense. Ohio forced Maryland into 19 miscues and had 10 steals.
Ohio is back in action, on Sunday when they take on Western Kentucky from the Convocation Center. Tipoff is set for 2p.m.