Maryland men's basketball falls to .500 after 80-72 loss at Virginia

Ahmed Ghafir
6 days ago
2 min read

Maryland men’s basketball battled on the road and at times looked capable of pulling off the upset on the road, but it was all Virginia for the final 15 minutes of the game as Maryland fell 80-72, dropping their ninth in the last 11 meetings against their former ACC rival and third straight game of the 2025-26 season.

This marks Maryland’s worst record through 12 games since sitting 6-6 (1-5) overall to open the 2020-21 season.

With Pharrel Payne sidelined as expected, Elijah Saunders drew the start at the five with George Turkson Jr. stepping in at the four for his second straight start.

Virginia opened with momentum as Maryland missed their first four shots and coughed up three turnovers in the opening four minutes as the ‘Hoos opened with an early 7-0 lead. But Maryland would capitalize on a cold stretch for Virginia, who scored just two field goals over the next 12 minutes, as the Terps took the lead on the road midway through the first half.

It helped that Maryland was in the bonus for the final nine minutes of the first half, but it would be the battle on the glass that tipped in Maryland’s favor with nine offensive rebounds turning into six second-chance points through the first 16 minutes, highlighted by an Andre Mills three to put Maryland ahead, 17-11, with less than six minutes in the first half.

But that Virginia scoring drought would be short-lived after the ‘Hoos closed the first half on a 13-0 run over the final 3:42 to take a 24-19 lead into halftime with three Maryland turnovers over the final five minutes.

Virginia opened on a quick 4-0 run in the opening minute of the second half before head coach Buzz Williams called timeout, providing the spark needed after Maryland drained four threes over the next three minutes to tie the game at 33 at the U-16 media timeout.

Diggy Coit would then give Maryland its first lead of the second half after drilling a pair of free throws, but it’d prove to be the final lead of the day.

A 15-2 run over the next 3:35 was capped off by an Isaiah Watts three off the fastbreak before Virginia held on to a double digit lead for the final 6:25 in regulation.

Maryland will now close out non-conference play next Sunday, Dec. 26 vs. Old Dominion for a 6 PM tipoff at home.

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