Points in Transition: Iowa vs. No. 25 Maryland preview

Last time the Iowa men's basketball team suffered a blowout loss, the Hawkeyes returned to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for their next game and won. Iowa also hasn't taken back-to-back losses since its four-game losing streak in late November. Due respect to Michigan, but No. 25 Maryland poses a stiffer test this time around, especially with Melo Trimble and freshman Anthony Cowan leading the way.

For each Big Ten game this season, we'll look at key players, strengths and weaknesses for both teams and the key to winning for both sides. Here's a breakdown of the matchup between Iowa and No. 25 Maryland:

Key player

Iowa: Jordan Bohannon, guard — As Bohannon, Peter Jok and Coach Fran McCaffery acknowledged, Thursday night's game against Maryland will be heavily influenced by what Iowa's guards can do. Bohannon said it starts with him defensively, and he's right. Fellow freshman Cowan has been dynamic so far, and it'll be up to Bohannon to at least slow him down and disrupt his distribution of the ball.

Maryland: Melo Trimble, guard — He tested the NBA waters like Jok did over the offseason, but it was the Terrapins' tremendous gain that he decided to return. Trimble fills much the same role for Maryland that Jok does for Iowa, but with very different styles. Trimble gets to the rim — and the free throw line — better than most. It'll take consistent, active help defense to just slow him down.

Strengths

Iowa: Just because the last game out was as bad as it was doesn't mean Iowa is doing nothing well right now. That's what made Sunday so perplexing, actually.

The Hawkeyes share the ball very well. They still have guys who can score in multiple ways, and just found another one in Ryan Kriener, apparently. They very well could get another scorer back in Dale Jones, who practiced as a full go this week. If Dom Uhl's thumb makes progress, they'll get him back, too.

Most of all, this group — even as young as they are — has the confidence to not get bogged down by a poor performance. They believe in themselves enough that once they've gotten the corrections they need to make, they have no problem convincing themselves they can get back what they did against Purdue. It's not tangible, necessarily, but it's rather important.

Maryland: Iowa might be confident, but the Hawkeyes are going to have to be efficient if they're going to have success against a very good Terrapin defense.

Maryland ranks 38th in the nation on KenPom.com in Adjusted defense at .950 points per possession, allow just a 46.1 percent effective field goal percentage and sport an opponent free throw rate of 28.6, good for 52nd in the nation. They force teams into longer possessions and bad shots on a fairly regular basis.

Additionally, Maryland is Iowa-esque in that it has a ton of young players replacing veterans from a year ago, but have won the close games Iowa hasn't. Three of the Terrapins' wins have come by one point. Four more came by seven points or less. They've figured out how to close.

Weaknesses

Iowa: Hate to belabor a point that's been made more than once this season, but consistent inconsistency has been a frustrating trait for this Hawkeyes team this season. Just about the time they and everyone else think they have things figured out and have their bugaboos worked out, things like Northwestern happen.

That confidence that serves them well can spill over into overconfidence sometimes, especially if they're not totally locked into what they're doing — as Bohannon said Tuesday. The Iowa players have shown they can get a little too sped up and dribble into trouble, turn the ball over and quick-shoot. It's part of the growing pains, yes, but at some point it has to go away for them to be successful on a regular basis.

Maryland: As good as the Terrapins' defense has been overall, there have been times where they've not pushed teams into bad spots well enough.

Maryland is average to below average nationally in defensive turnover percentage and opponent offensive rebounding percentage. If Iowa can operate without ball pressure or the passing lanes being filled, the Hawkeyes could make the Terrapins pay dearly. Iowa also has done well on the offensive boards a few times this season, and Maryland can't afford to allow second-chance points.

On the other side of the ball, the Terrapins aren't the best shooting team, either. They rank 111th in effective field goal percentage at 51.8 percent and 117th in the nation in 3-point percentage at 36.2 percent. If they're not getting to the rim, it's been a tough road at times.

Iowa wins if …

Trimble and Cowan are slowed in dribble penetration and the Hawkeyes can clean up on the boards. As mentioned, Maryland doesn't shoot lights out, so Iowa must take away second-chance opportunities — especially in the paint. Iowa has shown it can before, and must again to get the upset.

Maryland wins if …

Iowa once again struggles containing quick guards. The Terrapins have gotten a lot out of those two guards, but also Kevin Huerter — who at 6-foot-7 plays that guard/forward hybrid role. If Maryland can do what Northwestern did and what Purdue did the first time, knocking Iowa out of rhythm in the process, it easily can leave Carver-Hawkeye Arena with a win.

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