Maryland @ Indiana

Indiana held off Maryland 21-15 at Indiana University in Bloomington on January 21, 2024, with bonus-point victories proving decisive in a close Big Ten dual. The Hoosiers picked up critical extra points that Maryland could not fully overcome, turning a tight meet into a six-point win.

Indiana’s margin came largely from three major decisions. Michael Spangler’s 15-3 major at 125 added a valuable bonus, and Brayton Lee’s 15-4 major at 157 and Roman Rogotzke’s 13-3 major at 184 piled on the extra scoring that separated the teams. Those majors gave Indiana the kind of burst of team points that made the difference in the final tally.

Maryland fought back with its own bonus wins. Braxton Brown’s 18-3 technical fall at 133 was the night’s biggest individual scoring play and Ethen Miller’s 12-1 major at 149 added more pressure on the Hoosiers. Even with that 5-point tech fall and a major of their own, Maryland could not erase the gap created by Indiana’s three majors.

The meet came down to bonus efficiency. Maryland’s tech fall and major kept the Terrapins within reach, but Indiana’s collection of major decisions supplied the extra points needed for the 21-15 finishing score. The dual highlighted how a handful of bonus results can swing a Big Ten matchup one way or the other.