Maryland (11-11, 3-8) vs. #16 Ohio State (13-5, 6-3)
February 6, 2022

1:00 pm EDT

COLLEGE PARK, MD – The Maryland men’s basketball team travels to Columbus to face No. 13 Ohio State Sunday afternoon on CBS and the Maryland Sports Radio Network.

OHIO STATE STORYLINES

ROAD WARRIORS

• The Terps picked up their second straight conference victory with a tip-to-horn defeat of Rutgers, 68-60 on Jan. 25. 
• The backcourt duo of Fatts Russell and Eric Ayala was sensational, combining for 45 points on 15-of-29 shooting (10-of-17 3FG).
• Ayala’s five 3’s pushed him over 200 for his career, becoming just the fifth Terp in history to reach the milestone

AYALA WATCH

• Senior Eric Ayala knocked down his 204th career 3-pointer against Michigan State (2/1) to move into fourth on Maryland’s all-time 3-pointers list behind Juan Dixon (239), Greivis Vasquez (230) and Anthony Cowan Jr. (206).
• Ayala also ranks 27th in program history with 1,340 points.

GETTING EVEN; REELING IN RANKED WINS

• Maryland is 3-0 in rematches this season, having defeated Northwestern, Illinois and Rutgers after previously losing to them earlier in the season.
• Maryland is one of five schools nationally to win at least four games against ranked teams in each of the last three seasons (2018-21), joined by Kansas, Michigan State, Purdue, Iowa and Michigan. 

LIVING AT THE LINE

• Maryland currently leads the Big Ten in free throws made (338) and is second in free throws attempted (449), while converting at a 75-percent rate (4th in the Big Ten).
• The effort has been led by Fatts Russell and Eric Ayala, who both rank in the top-10 in the Big Ten in free throws attempted.

FATTS GETTING HIS

• Graduate guard Fatts Russell needs just 22 points to reach 1,900 for his career. He is the only active player in Division I with 1800 points, 450 assists and 225 steals to his ledger.
• Among active career leaders, Russell is fifth in free throws made (495), 13th in steals (235), 23rd in points (1878) and 35th in assists (491).

SERIES HISTORY

• Maryland has won seven of its last 10 meetings against the Buckeyes, and are looking for their first win in Columbus since Jan. 18, 2019 when Eric Ayala was a freshman.
• Anthony Cowan Jr. scored 20 points in the win, while Bruno Fernando added 13 points and 15 rebounds.
• This is interim head coach Danny Manning‘s first career meeting with the Buckeyes as a head coach.

COURTESY MARYLAND ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS