Maryland men's basketball collapses in second half, fall vs. UVA

20 hours ago

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In a game that Maryland men's basketball seemingly had complete control of in the first half, it was Virginia who pulled away late after an 87-83 loss pushed head coach Buzz Williams to 1-2 to begin the regular season.

Pharrel Payne logged his second 20-point game, finishing with exactly 20 points while shooting 60% from the field and 80% from the free throw line. He was one of three in double figures alongside Mike McNair, who shot 50% across his six attempts from three, and Kaden House, who tallied 17 points, three offensive rebounds and one steal.

Head coach Buzz Williams did turn to a change in the starting lineup with Robert Jennings replacing Tomislav Buljan, which proved impactful after it was Jennings who opened the game's scoring courtesy of an assist from DJ Wagner. Buljan served as the six man instead, while Kaden House provided an early lift after scoring four points, including one bucket courtesy of an offensive rebound from Baba Oladotun's missed three point attempt.

Yet the difference in the first half proved to be turnovers, but this time, in Maryland's favor. Maryland turned eight UVA turnovers into 13 points, while committing just three through the first 20 minutes.

Kaden House loomed large after becoming one of three Terps to record double figures scoring by halftime, doing so after turning a pair of offense boards into four second chance points, part of the 12 that Maryland amassed through the first half.

Mike McNairJr. would drain a three in the closing seconds of the first half to not only become one of three double figure scorers alongside Pharrel Payne and House, but also push Maryland ahead, 47-36, at halftime.

Then, the second half happened where Virginia outscored Maryland by 15 and shot nearly 77% from the field and 60% from three, while making their final seven field goals. Virginia jumped out to a 12-6 run to open the second half and cut Maryland's lead in half, but Maryland would answer back courtesy of DJ Wagner, who knocked down his first three attempts from the field including first three pointer in a Maryland uniform in a regular season game.

Yet the Hoos would climb all the way back, eventually tying the game at 67 before a three pointer from Chance Mallory briefly gave Virginia a one point lead. But Maryland would answer with a bucket from Buljan in the paint, marking a stretch where the two teams traded one point leads, before Buljan then split a pair of attempts from the line to tie the game at 72.

Kaden House would be the one to will Maryland back into the game after coming down with another offensive rebound that drew an and-one opportunity, but Virginia was able to bounce back harder behind the three point line. Virginia forward Sam Lewis, who recorded a game-high 28 points while shooting 75% from the floor, delivered the go-ahead bucket after his layup with 5:42 put Maryland in a deficit for good.

Maryland will look to get back to .500 when they face Alcorn State on Monday with tipoff set for 6 PM.

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