{"id":139717,"date":"2022-11-26T07:48:29","date_gmt":"2022-11-26T07:48:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/no-23-maryland-mens-basketball-beats-coppin-state-95-79-in-juan-dixons-return-to-college-park\/"},"modified":"2022-11-26T07:48:29","modified_gmt":"2022-11-26T07:48:29","slug":"no-23-maryland-mens-basketball-beats-coppin-state-95-79-in-juan-dixons-return-to-college-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/no-23-maryland-mens-basketball-beats-coppin-state-95-79-in-juan-dixons-return-to-college-park\/","title":{"rendered":"no. 23 Maryland men’s basketball beats Coppin State, 95-79, in Juan Dixon’s return to College Park"},"content":{"rendered":"
As Maryland men’s basketball’s all-time leading scorer and the centerpiece of the only team to bring a national championship to College Park, Juan Dixon’s jersey hangs in the rafters of XFINITY Center. Naturally, when he brought his Coppin State team there for a matchup with the Terps, there was plenty of added motivation.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for him, his squad ran into another Baltimore native repping Maryland \u2014 Julian Reese.<\/p>\n
Reese, a sophomore forward, has burst onto the scene and blossomed into a star in his second collegiate season. He entered Friday’s game averaging 13.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, shooting a blistering 79.4% from the field.<\/p>\n
He bested all three of those numbers in the first half against Coppin State, converting all nine of his attempts from the field for a total of 22 points, also grabbing eight rebounds. Reese finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds; his playing time was limited in the second half after getting into foul trouble.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting into the game, you wanna bring that intensity that some people, some people not bringing it,\u201d Reese said. \u201cAgain, just confidence really. I feel like if I play like that, we unstoppable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reese’s play spearheaded a 95-79 Maryland victory, improving the team’s record to 6-0 and keeping it undefeated early in Kevin Willard’s first season as head coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cFelt great coming back home, being on the sidelines,\u201d Dixon said after the game. \u201cYou know, Maryland’s gonna have a great season. They have a great coach, have a great bunch, the guys play hard and they execute really well. But I’m proud of our guys, and we’re gonna keep getting better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before Reese took the game over, the Eagles hung around and kept it close, even taking the lead on a few occasions. Maryland struggled to establish itself and struggled shooting the ball, starting 0-for-4 from three. With Dixon providing energy from the sideline, Coppin State kept it competitive against its in-state foe.<\/p>\n
That changed when Maryland began to focus its play through Reese, who created some separation on the scoreboard.<\/p>\n
Although it was Reese that led the way for the Terps, senior guard Hakim Hart showed out in the first half too, tallying 16 points. With just over a minute on the clock, Hart knocked down a 3-pointer directly in front of Dixon and the Eagles’ sideline.<\/p>\n
Hart, known more for his stoic demeanor than anything of the contrary, was given a technical foul for directing his celebration at the opponent. After some choice words were exchanged between Willard and the officials, Hart let his play do the talking and nailed another triple to send the Terps into the half with a 47-36 lead. He finished the game with 22 points and eight rebounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s very fun playing with this group of guys,\u201d Hart said. \u201cThe offense is very good. It fits my style of play. It’s just fun overall.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coppin State never seriously threatened Maryland’s lead in the second half, but the strong play of senior guard Sam Sessoms kept the Eagles within striking distance. Sessoms, who transferred from Penn State and had scored a total of 31 points against Maryland in three prior matchups with the Nittany Lions, was the Eagles’ best player Friday, ending his night with 28 points. Early in the second half, he was assessed a technical foul, some foreshadowing for the events that would transpire not long after.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were going to let him get his a little bit,\u201d Willard said of his plan for Sessoms. \u201cWe were going to try to take away some of his kicks. He’s been passing the basketball at a very high level … He’s a good player.\u201d<\/p>\n