COLLEGE PARK — The new year has not brought a change in fortune for Maryland men’s basketball when facing Big Ten opponents.
In search of their inaugural conference win under coach Buzz Williams, the Terps suffered a disappointing defeat as visiting Oregon claimed a 64-54 victory on Friday night, in front of an announced crowd of 11,291 at the Xfinity Center.
Currently, Maryland (7-7, 0-3 Big Ten) has experienced its first winless start to the league since the 2021-22 season, which began with an 0-4 record. The team has also not managed to achieve a winning streak since they notched four consecutive wins in November, marking their sixth loss in the past eight games.
After showcasing a dominant first half in their previous game against Old Dominion, where they established a commanding 45-18 lead with an impressive 10 of 19 shooting from beyond the arc, the Terps’ offensive prowess was noticeably absent against the Ducks (8-6, 1-2). Maryland struggled, shooting a mere 27.3% in the first half and missing 24 of 33 shots from the field, including 14 of 18 attempts from long range. At one point, the Terps missed 10 consecutive shots.
The performance did not improve significantly in the second half, as Maryland managed to convert only 28.1% (9 of 32) of their attempts, and they recorded just three field goals in the last 14 minutes of play. Ultimately, they finished the game with an efficiency rate of 27.7% (18 of 65), which marked their second-lowest performance of the season, following a 25% showing in their 70-60 loss to Georgetown on November 7. Oregon effectively capitalized on its scoring opportunities to maintain control and secure the win.
Williams acknowledged that Oregon’s defense posed significant challenges for the Terps. However, he also believed the quality of shots taken by his players was not inherently poor.
“Nothing we attempted was easy,” he remarked. “I viewed many of our offensive efforts as the right approach. While we didn’t shoot the percentage we needed, I wouldn’t categorize our attempts as poor. I felt many were good shots; we just didn’t convert.”
Leading the Terps, senior small forward Solomon Washington recorded both the highest points (17) and the most rebounds (12), marking his second consecutive double-double of the season. Junior shooting guard Isaiah Watts, who had previously exploded for 17 points in the first half against Old Dominion, also contributed 11 points, alongside two rebounds and two steals.
However, Maryland missed critical contributions from players expected to ignite the offense during the continued absence of senior power forward Pharrel Payne, who has sat out three straight games due to a right knee injury. Graduate student point guard David Coit, averaging 13.7 points per game, managed only eight points in this outing. Redshirt freshman shooting guard Andre Mills, who had been averaging 9.2 points, struggled as he made just one of his ten attempts and finished with four points.
The Terps significantly felt Payne’s absence in the paint, as Oregon outscored them 32-12 in that area and grabbed 40 rebounds compared to Maryland’s 37.
Despite this, Williams found solace in the rebounding stats, noting that Oregon had only seven offensive rebounds — their lowest of the season.
“We did a decent job on the offensive boards, though not outstanding,” he said. “Considering they ranked 18th nationally, we excelled in restricting their second-chance opportunities. However, we simply didn’t score enough points, didn’t convert enough free throws, and our shooting percentage wasn’t high enough to win a Big Ten game.”
The Ducks opened the game with a quick 6-point lead within 62 seconds, seemingly setting the stage for a smooth victory. However, Maryland quickly responded with eight unanswered points in just 3 minutes and 5 seconds, narrowing the margin to 8-6.
This would ultimately be the Terps’ only lead throughout the match. Following the early score, Oregon responded with a 9-0 run within 2 minutes and 40 seconds, consistently maintaining a lead that only shrank to three points on two occasions during the first half.
Late in the first half, Washington’s layup reduced the deficit to 23-20, but Oregon ended the period with an 11-7 run, heading into halftime ahead 34-27.
In the second half, the Ducks extended their lead to eight points before Maryland’s senior power forward Elijah Saunders sank a three-pointer that tied the game at 43-43 midway through the half. However, Oregon then executed a 12-2 run that extinguished any hopes of a Terps comeback.
Washington disagreed with the idea that their inability to capitalize on the 43-43 tie was deflating.
“It’s basketball,” he asserted. “Teams will go on runs. We need to maintain our mental focus. I need to lead by example and encourage the team to push back, never giving up and keeping the fight alive.”
Oregon’s senior point guard Takai Simpkins led his team with 16 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while senior center Nate Bittle recorded 17 points, seven rebounds, five blocks, and three assists. Additionally, junior power forward Kwame Evans Jr., a native of Baltimore, contributed 12 points and eight rebounds.
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