briefs
Maryland holds off Penn state
Fatts Russell scored eight of his 18 points at the free-throw line with less than a minute to play and Maryland held off Penn State 67-61 on Monday night.
Maryland (13-14, 5-11 Big Ten Conference) didn’t have a basket in the last 6:20 of the game and didn’t score until Russell made the first of two free throws with 53 seconds remaining to put the Terps up 60-53. Sam Sessoms and Myles Dread both made 3-pointers to twice get Penn State (11-13, 6-10) within four points, but Russell sank 7 of 8 free throws in the final 40 seconds to preserve the win.
Russell is 25 points shy of 2,000 for his career. He is the only active D-I player with 1,900 career points, 500 assists and 225 steals. Eric Ayala hit three 3-pointers and scored 13 points. Ayala has 210 career 3-pointers, third all-time for the Terrapins. He trails only Juan Dixon (239) and Greivis Vasquez (230) on the Terps’ all-time list. Donta Scott added 12 points.
Ian Martinez’s layup with 3 seconds left in the first half pulled Maryland even at 28-all. Russell’s three-point play gave Maryland a 35-34 lead with 15:37 remaining and the Terps never trailed again.
Maryland ended a four-game losing streak to the Nittany Lions.
Sessoms scored 17 to pace Penn State. John Harrar pitched in with 14 points and 13 rebounds for his third straight double-double and ninth of the season. Jalen Pickett added 13 points with six rebounds and six assists. Dread scored just six points, but he sank two 3-pointers to tie Danny Morrissey for fifth place on PSU’s all-time career list with 221.
Howard suspended
Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard has been suspended the final five games of the regular season and fined $40,000 for hitting a Wisconsin assistant in the head, triggering a postgame melee.
The Big Ten Conference also on Monday suspended three players one game for the altercation following the Badgers’ 77-63 win on Sunday: Michigan’s Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams II, and Jahcobi Neath of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard was fined $10,000 for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy, but was not suspended. Howard is expected to be back for the Big Ten tournament, which begins March 9 in Indianapolis.
“After taking time to reflect on all that happened, I realize how unacceptable both my actions and words were, and how they affected so many,” Howard said Monday in a statement released by the university. “I am truly sorry.”