COLLEGE PARK — Melo Trimble scored 18 points, Diamond Stone made a pivotal three-point play with 1:13 left in overtime and No. 7 Maryland squeezed past Northwestern 62-56 on Tuesday night.
The Terrapins (17-2, 6-1 Big Ten) shot 44 percent and were outrebounded 41-31 by the scrappy, hustling Wildcats (15-5, 3-4 Big Ten).
Trimble played well in overtime, opening the scoring with a three-point play and getting assists on two baskets, including the layup by Stone that put Maryland ahead, 58-55.
Stone finished with 11 points and Robert Carter Jr. added 10. Despite struggling mightily in this one — giving up 16 offensive rebounds and collecting only four — the Terrapins swept the season series after beating the Wildcats, 72-59, on Jan. 2.
Aaron Falzon scored 13 points for the Wildcats before fouling out with 3:36 left in overtime. Bryant McIntosh had 12 points on 5-for-18 shooting.
Thanks to its domination on the offensive glass, Northwestern took 17 more shots than Maryland and made two more baskets, but the Terrapins outscored the Wildcats, 16-5, at the free throw line.
Northwestern opened the second half by missing six of seven shots from the field to fall behind, 39-31.
Maryland then went roughly four minutes without a point, and a runner in the lane by McIntosh made it 39-38. Minutes later, Tre Demps capped the 12-2 run with a jumper for a 45-43 lead with 7:41 remaining.
The Terrapins went ahead 48-47 on a 3-pointer by Jake Layman with 4:43 left — the final basket by either team until overtime.
Regulation ended with Trimble firing a shot that, appropriately, clanged off the rim.
Maryland trailed for the majority of the first half before using a late 10-0 run to take a 31-29 halftime lead.
Northwestern controlled the boards in the opening minutes and got eight points from Dererk Pardon in going up, 16-9.
The Terrapins answered with an 8-2 run, but successive 3s by Scottie Lindsey and Falzon restored the seven-point cushion.
It was 27-21 before Maryland center Damonte Dodd scored on a follow and Jared Nickens added a three-point play. Trimble followed with a 3-pointer to give Maryland its first lead.
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