Maryland men’s basketball is in the midst of a rebuilding year.
Maryland sits at 7-10 overall (0-6 Big Ten) and is searching for its first victory since a 73-58 win against Old Dominion on Dec. 28. This marks the program’s worst start in league play since beginning 1-5 in the 2021-22 season, a year it ultimately finished 7-13 in Big Ten play.
“In some ways, I think we’ve stopped losing, and we’ve had momentum in the process of all of this. We just haven’t had momentum in the results,” head coach Buzz Williams said after an 84-66 loss to Indiana on Jan. 7.
“We’re making progress, but the scoreboard doesn’t say it,” he added. “And Buzz Williams, in his first year at Maryland, is 0-for [in the Big Ten]. I have no justification for that, other than I’ve got to do better, and I’m going to try the best I can with the right attitude and the right tone to continue to find ways to study, to help these guys.”
Maryland faces Penn State (9–8, 0–6) on Jan. 18 at noon, with both teams still seeking their first conference win. Here are three thoughts heading into the game between the Terrapins and Nittany Lions.
Maryland needs a win.
Penn State could provide the Terrapins with an opportunity to reset, but the road toughens quickly afterward with matchups against three ranked opponents: No. 13 Illinois, No. 12 Michigan State and No. 5 Purdue. The Terrapins have yet to defeat a ranked team this season.
Fourteen regular-season games still remain, leaving plenty of basketball to play. There are no draft lottery ping-pong balls that can give the Terrapins a chance to choose the best recruit in the 2026 class.
Maryland will instead be playing for pride, identity and momentum heading into the 2026 season.
Who will be on the roster next season?
When former head coach Kevin Willard departed for Villanova, virtually every player left as well.
Derik Queen is now with the New Orleans Pelicans. Julian Reese is with the Toronto Raptors’ G League squad. Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice transferred to Tennessee and USC, respectively. Some players even followed Willard to Villanova. In short, the Crab Five has been missed.
Williams accepted the job on April 2, 2025, leaving little time to build the current roster before the transfer portal closed on April 22. As a result, the team was assembled quickly.
Maryland has 11 freshman, sophomore or juniors who could potentially return next season, including Darius Adams, Andre Mills, Myles Rice and Isaiah Watts.
Two key players Williams brought over from Texas A&M, big men Solomon Washington and Pharrel Payne, play vital roles for the team but are in their final year of eligibility. It remains to be seen whether Payne will return from injury, and if he doesn’t, whether he would pursue a medical redshirt.
Payne, out since Dec. 13, is averaging 17.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Washington has taken on a larger load in Payne’s absence, averaging 9.9 points and 9.2 rebounds.
This is only Year 1 of Williams’ rebuild. Decisions this spring will shape the next phase.
At least there’s next year.
Williams is working quickly to rejuvenate the program despite a challenging first season. Maryland’s 2026 recruiting class — headlined by five-star Silver Spring native Baba Oladotun –could be its strongest since 2018, when Jalen Smith, Aaron Wiggins, and Eric Ayala arrived.
The class also includes commitments from Kaden House, Adama Tambedou and Austin Brown.
The 2026-27 season looks more promising given the young talent heading to College Park, but it remains to be seen how the rest of the roster will shake out.
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