Men’s Basketball Drives South to Face Maryland Sunday

Sunday, March 1

College Park, Md.

12 PM

Rutgers University

Maryland

Men’s Basketball Drives South to Face Maryland Sunday

Feb 25 | Men's Basketball

Live Stats Watch on FS1

Game is at Noon on FS1

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's basketball has three games left in the regular season. The closing stretch starts with a road game this Sunday at the Xfinity Center, as RU drives south for College Park to face Maryland at noon Sunday on FS1.

About Rutgers

Rutgers enters the game at 11-17 overall and 4-13 in the Big Ten. Last time out, RU fell 79-72 to Washington. Rutgers was led by Lino Mark, who finished with 18 points, setting his career-high in scoring for the second straight game. Mark scored in double-figures for the fourth time in the last five games after scoring double-figures just twice prior to that. Mark had 16 of his 18 points after halftime. Darren Buchanan added 17 points. That matched his season-high on the year, equaling his output against Iowa. Tariq Francis, who had 14 points, is 13^th in the Big Ten at 16.5 points per game.

Tariq Francis is 124-of-138 on free throws this year (89.9%), which is second best in the Big Ten. Francis can break into the top-20 on RU's single season free throws made list with two more makes from the stripe. Only two Scarlet Knights since 1991 have made at least 126 free throws in a season: Quincy Douby (2005-06, 149) and Dylan Harper (2024-25, 126). His current percentage would stand as the fourth best in a single season at RU and best since 1996. Geoff Billet was the most recent Scarlet Knight to shoot 90% from the free throw line in a year, one of just three all-time.

Most Free Throws Made in A Single Season at Rutgers
11. Keith Hughes (1990-91) 144
12. Kelvin Troy (1979-80) 134
13. Keith Hughes (1989-90) 130
14. Eric Riggins (1985-86) 129
John Battle (1984-85) 129
Kelvin Troy (1980-81) 129
17. Kevin Black (1982-83) 127
Bob Lloyd (1964-65) 127
Doug Patton (1959-60) 127
20. Dylan Harper (2024-25) 126
Tariq Francis (2025-26) 124

Best Single Season Free Throw Percentage at Rutgers
1. Steve Kaplan (1969-70) .927
2. Bob Lloyd (1966-67) .921
3. Geoff Billet (1995-96) .900
4. Tariq Francis (2025-26) .899
5. Myles Mack (2013-14) .895
6. Cam Spencer (2022-23) .894

About Maryland

Under first-year head coach Buzz Williams, Maryland stands at 11-17 overall and 4-13 in the Big Ten. Williams, who previously was the head coach at New Orleans, Marquette, Virginia Tech and Texas A&M, is in his first season in the Big Ten. He was 6-0 against RU at Marquette from 2008-2013 as BIG EAST foes.

The Terps have won three of the past six, with wins over Minnesota, Iowa and Washington. They are 1-2 since playing Rutgers, beating Washington and losing to Northwestern and Nebraska. Last time out, Maryland battled on the road against No. 12 Nebraska, making 12 three-pointers, but saw Nebraska rally late to improve to 24-4. Elijah Saunders had 15 points with five three-pointers in the game, pushing UMD to 239 made three-pointers on the season.

David Coit stands at 14.1 points per game. The graduate student guard, who previously spent last season at Kansas and two seasons at NIU (averaging 20.8 ppg in 2023-24) is from Columbus, N.J. Darius Adams (11.1 ppg) is another New Jersey native, hailing from Manchester and starting his high school basketball at Manasquan High School. His sister, Destiny Adams, played for Rutgers' women's basketball team, where she was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2023-24 after leading RU at 17.9 points per game. Andre Mills is at 11.6 points per game as the freshman has double-digits in eight of his last 10 games including a 39-point outburst against Northwestern. RU limited him to nine points on 3-of-14 shooting in their previous matchup.

About the Series

Rutgers will face Maryland for the second time in a two-week span, previously hosting the Terps on Feb. 15. The Scarlet Knights outlasted Maryland 68-57 in that contest. As the Scarlet Knights celebrated its annual Letterwinners Game and held its Knights of Honor festivities, RU outscored UMD 41-30 in the second half after a tied score at halftime. Tariq Francis had 21 points and Harun Zrno added 13.

Rutgers has won six of the past nine games over Maryland (dating back to a win on March 3, 2020) and has nine wins in 24 lifetime meetings. Maryland won the last meeting in College Park, a 90-81 win last season when the Terps were ranked No. 18 nationally despite 19 points from Dylan Grant.

Up Next

Two more games will remain in the regular season following this tilt. A trip to No. 13/13 Michigan State is next on Thursday night, then back home to host Penn State on Sunday.