Maryland men’s basketball wrapped up its West Coast road trip with a challenging clash against USC on Tuesday night, facing off in Los Angeles for a Big Ten battle that promised fireworks—and certainly delivered. The Terps entered the contest without Rodney Rice, sidelined for the year with a shoulder injury, and aimed to cap their trip on a high note. But USC, hungry for their first-ever win over Maryland, seized the opportunity with a second-half surge that proved decisive, ultimately defeating the Terps 88-71.
Tip-off came late for East Coast fans, scheduled at 10:30 p.m. ET, but those who stayed up were treated to a back-and-forth affair brimming with lead changes, momentum swings, and individual heroics. David Coit, Maryland’s star guard, was the headline act for the Terps, exploding for 30 points—a feat that marked his third 30+ point performance of the season and the ninth of his collegiate career. Coit was on fire early, dropping 19 points in a razor-thin first half and keeping Maryland in the hunt as the teams traded blows.
“We have, in a mature way, accepted where we're deficient and accepted where we need to improve, and we're trying to have a spirit of learning,” said head coach Buzz Williams after the game. Williams’ words reflected both the night’s disappointments and the team’s ongoing development. The Terps, coming off six days in California, showed flashes of brilliance but also the growing pains of a squad adapting to adversity.
The first half saw Maryland flex its offensive muscle, shooting an impressive 50% from the field (11-of-22) and capitalizing at the free-throw line by making 14 of 17 attempts. Isaiah Watts got the Terps on the board with a trio of free throws, and an Andre Mills three-pointer gave Maryland its first lead at 6-4. Elijah Saunders answered for USC, and the Trojans responded with a 9-1 run to take a 17-10 advantage midway through the half.
Coit, however, refused to let the game slip away. He nailed a long three for his first points, quickly followed by another from deep to reach eight early. By the seven-minute mark, he became the first player to hit double figures with a pair of free throws. Solomon Washington, who would finish with 11 points and eight rebounds, kept the Terps close with a second-chance jumper, cutting the USC lead to 24-22. Maryland then strung together a 6-0 run to go up 31-29, with Coit’s steady hand ensuring the Terps stayed in front, 33-31, as the half wound down.
But the Trojans had answers of their own. The first half closed with USC holding a slim 42-41 lead, setting the stage for a second half that would see the momentum shift dramatically. The opening moments were tightly contested—Washington tied things up with a free throw, and Darius Adams, continuing his strong freshman campaign, gave Maryland the edge with his second jumper of the night.
Adams, who finished with 11 points—his fourth double-digit scoring effort in the last five games—has been finding his rhythm at the right time for the Terps. “I think we played pretty well in the first half and the first 10 minutes of the second half,” Williams observed, noting the team’s energy and execution out of the locker room. Coit pushed his total past 20 with another three, briefly putting Maryland ahead 47-44.
But then the game’s defining sequence arrived. The Trojans, led by Jordan Marsh’s 20-point night, unleashed a 10-0 run that flipped the script and put USC up 58-52. Maryland battled to stay within striking distance—Myles Rice’s second basket cut the deficit to five with under 12 minutes to play, and Coit’s fourth triple at the halfway point of the second half kept hope alive. Adams chipped in with steady free-throw shooting, reaching double figures yet again.
Yet USC’s momentum was undeniable. With six and a half minutes to go, the Trojans had built an 11-point cushion. Coit continued to fight, hitting a jumper to reach his 30-point milestone, but the Terps couldn’t close the gap. The Trojans closed out the 88-71 victory, celebrating their first-ever win over Maryland in program history.
Despite the loss, the Terps showed resilience and flashes of what could be. There were eight lead changes over the course of the contest, and Maryland managed to hold USC’s Ezra Ausar—who came in averaging 16.7 points per game—to just 12 on the night. The Terps’ ability to draw fouls and convert at the line remained a strength; their 14-of-21 free-throw shooting in the first half was a testament to their aggressive play. For the season, Maryland now stands with 318 made free throws, second-most in the Big Ten, and 218 offensive rebounds, good for third in the conference. Their 139 three-pointers are the eighth-most in the league, and Coit’s 43 threes this year are tied for fourth-most individually in the Big Ten.
Williams acknowledged both the positives and areas for improvement: “We are so reliant on offensive rebounds. We didn't do a great job of that, but we did a much better job getting fouled and we did a good job not fouling them. I thought that changing defenses at times was very effective. Our collective thought was much better and much more fluid. There was more symmetry happening on both ends of the floor and I didn't think there were as many mental errors.”
“Not good enough, but making some strides. I appreciate the resiliency of our group,” Williams continued. “There were some positives. In six days in California, we've learned a lot. We've got to apply those things.”
Looking ahead, the Terps will regroup and return home to College Park, where they’ll host Penn State on January 18 for Hispanic Heritage Day. Tipoff is set for 12 PM, and the game will be broadcast on BTN. With the Big Ten season heating up, Maryland will be eager to build on the lessons learned from their West Coast journey and channel their growth into a strong performance on their home floor.
For now, the Terps leave Los Angeles with plenty to reflect on—a tough defeat, but also a showcase of individual brilliance and team potential that could pay dividends as the season rolls on.
