NCAA Tournament third-round preview: No. 4-seed Maryland men’s soccer vs. No. 13-seed UConn

No. 4-seed Maryland men’s soccer’s second-round performance against North Carolina was far from its best this season. But the Terps still found their way to victory, advancing to the third round for the first time since 2018. In the NCAA Tournament, that’s all that really matters. 

Maryland had trouble eliminating a Tar Heels’ squad with heavy legs. The Terps couldn’t find the game-winner in regulation or across the two overtime periods. That set the stage for Laurin Mack’s heroics. The goalkeeper made consecutive saves in the shootout before burying his own penalty kick.

“One of the best performances I’ve seen [in a] PK shootout, probably since 2005, when Chris Seitz saved two PKs,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “But Laurin topped him because he also scored the game-winner.”

If it wasn’t for Mack, Maryland’s postseason journey likely would have been over. The Terps only fired three shots on frame throughout 110 minutes. But Maryland held strong defensively, limiting North Carolina without a quality chance in the first half and keeping it to one goal.

The Terps’ offense has strung together consecutive poor performances, including a shutout in the Big Ten Tournament. That’ll need to change in their third-round matchup against No. 13-seed UConn on Saturday. The game starts at 1 p.m. and will air on ESPN+.

No. 13-seed UConn Huskies (12-4-4, 5-2-1 Big East)

2024 record: 8-4-6, 3-2-3 Big East

Chris Gbandi was one of the program’s most decorated players, winning the Hermann Trophy — the award for the top player in the country — and leading the Huskies to a national championship. In 2022, he returned to his alma mater as the head coach. While it’s taken some time for UConn to find success, Gbandi has led the Huskies back to the promise land.

Last season’s team had all the makings of one ready to snap a seven-year postseason drought. UConn produced its best start since 2010, culminating a 10-game unbeaten run and receiving a top-15 ranking. But the Huskies quickly fell apart. With just one win in its final eight games, UConn saw its season end in the Big East Tournament.

After nearly matching last year’s unbeaten run, the Huskies have sustained their early-season success. Outside of a trio of blowout losses to No. 7-seed Georgetown and No. 11-seed Bryant, UConn has thrived in close games. Nine of the Huskies’ 12 victories have been decided by two goals or less — a promising sign in the NCAA Tournament.

Players to watch

Austin Brummett, senior forward, No. 9 — UConn’s offense has turned into a one-man show, and Brummett is that guy. The three-year San Diego St starter is having a breakout season after transferring to Storrs, Connecticut. Brummett has a team-high 10 goals — the 27th-most in the country — and seems to always be positioned well in the box.

Kyle Durham, redshirt sophomore goalkeeper, No. 13 — Durham’s first collegiate season has exceeded all expectations. The young netminder was thrown in the fire, but has handled the pressure well. Despite allowing 16 goals — 11 of which came in those three losses — Durham leads the conference in saves (93) and saves per game (4.65). He also has eight shutouts.

Sabri Hanni, redshirt sophomore midfielder, No. 10 — Hanni has been instrumental to the Huskies success this season. While he doesn’t have an incredible stat line — three goals and five assists — he has been a cog in UConn’s midfield. Hanni does all the dirty work defensively and drifts forward in possession, a leading reason behind his All-Big East first team selection.

Strength

Scoring in bunches. The Huskies don’t need to create a ton of quality chances in the attacking half to produce results. And when they do find the back of the net, there’s usually a second goal close behind. UConn has totalled five three-goal halves. That was evident in their 3-1 NCAA Tournament victory over Cornell, with two goals in two minutes just before halftime.

Weakness

Controlling the game. While the scoreline doesn’t reflect it, the Huskies were far from the best team in their second-round contest. Cornell outshot UConn, 30-9, and had the more promising spells of possession. That’s been a trend this season. The Huskies have had 19 less shots than their opponents, but have still scored 14 more goals. UConn’s clinical nature should give Maryland some trouble on Saturday.

Three things to watch

1. How does Stephane Njike bounce back? Solo runs from Njike have sometimes been the Terps’ best form of offense this season. He has seven goals and seven assists — most have come from his elite dribbling skills and blazing pace. But the Njike has been shut down over the past two games and looked a bit predictable in the attacking half. 

2. Postseason droughts snapped. Saturday’s contest will be Maryland’s first NCAA Tournament third-round appearance since 2018. The Terps went on to win the program’s fourth national championship that season. UConn hasn’t reached the third round since 2013, when it reached the quarterfinals in three straight seasons.

3. Brummett vs. Maryland’s center backs. Lasse Kelp and Tristen Rose have been tasked with slowing down some of the nation’s top attackers this season. Palmer Ault and Sergi Solans Ormo have totaled two goals in three matches against the Terps. But Brummett’s ruthless striking capability makes him a tough guard.