COLLEGE PARK, MD – Rutgers (16-7, 7-5) limited No. 9 Maryland (18-4, 8-3) to 34.0 percent (18-of-53) shooting in a 56-51 loss Tuesday evening at the Xfinity Center. The Scarlet Knights overcame an eight-point deficit to tie the contest with three minutes remaining, but could not complete the comeback, as the Terrapins improved to 13-0 at home this season.

"I'm proud of our effort," said Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. "That was a big time game and we stepped up and went blow to blow with a team that has NBA talent. We were just a few possessions short. They beat us at the foul line. That ended up being the difference."

Akwasi Yeboah scored a team-high 13 points and Montez Mathis added 10 in RU's first game over a span of eight contests with seven foes either ranked or receiving votes. The Scarlet Knights held a five-point halftime lead and forced the Terps into a near-12-minute field goal drought in the hard-fought defeat.

"It's on me at the end of the game to make sure we get better looks," said Pikiell. "They made it hard. They have a big shot blocker in the paint. We just came up a little short today. These guys are young and we're playing quality teams."

Maryland opened 4-of-7 from behind the arc to take a 14-6 lead. Yeboah then hit three straight from distance, spurring a 19-4 run that provided RU its initial advantage, which was stretched to 25-18. The defense clamped down on the Terrapins, forcing a near eight-minute scoring drought that included five turnovers.

Maryland did not make a field goal in the final 9:21 of the frame, and the visitors entered the locker room at the midpoint with a 25-20 lead. The Terps shot just 24.1 percent in the opening half, while Rutgers made 39.3 percent of its field goal attempts, with four blocks and four steals.

The UM field goal drought continued after the break, stretching to 11:41 overall. RU held its lead at the under-16 media timeout, but the Terrapin offense picked up, making 6-of-8 shots to spark 12-2 run that enabled a 34-29 lead.

Rutgers got back to within a possession at 34-32 after a Shaq Carter slam dunk. Maryland answered with a trio of three-pointers, pushing its lead to 47-39.

RU rallied with an 8-0 run to tie the game at 47-47 at the final media timeout. Maryland, which had nine more attempts at the charity stripe than the Scarlet Knights, made 7-of-9 in the final few minutes, however, to secure the win.  

"It was a great college basketball game," said Pikiell. "Maryland is really good. We played well. We played hard."

Rutgers returns to action in a 6:30 p.m. tip-off at the RAC on Sunday versus Northwestern. The game will be televised on BTN with Cory Provus and Bob Wenzel on the call.

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Postgame Notes

• Akwasi Yeboah reached double-figures for the 13th time this season and 83rd time in his career. He tied his season-highs in three-pointers (three) and blocks (two)
• Montez Mathis reached double-figures for the eighth time this season and 21st time in his career.
• Ron Harper Jr. had a career-high three blocks.
• The Terrapins were RU's third straight opponent that it had not defeated since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014-15. RU defeated Purdue but suffered losses to Michigan and the Terrapins.
• Rutgers held Maryland to 56 points and 34.0 percent shooting - both representing the lowest totals by a ranked foe in Big Ten play against the Scarlet Knights since joining the league. 
• Four of the top six worst field goal shooting performances against the Scarlet Knights in a Big Ten Conference game have come this season. 
• Maryland has now won five straight and is 13-0 at home.