Preview: Penn State, Maryland men's basketball meet searching for first Big Ten win

Ahmed Ghafir
2 days ago
2 min read

Penn State (9-8, 0-6) vs. Maryland (7-10, 0-6)

When & Where: Jan. 18, 2026 | 12 PM | XFINITY CENTER

TV: BTN | Jason Horowitz (pxp), Earl Watson (analyst)

Radio: One Maryland App, 105.7 FM (Baltimore), 980 AM (DC), SiriusXM channel 372

Betting: Maryland -2.5 | O/U: 147.5 (DraftKings)

In a matchup featuring two of the three remaining winless teams in Big Ten play, Maryland welcomes Penn State in the lone matchup between the two teams this season.

Maryland won by four in the last matchup, marking the program’s first road win in the series since Feb. 14, 2015, while Maryland has won four of the last six total games and leads the all-time series, 18-15.

But Sunday will be a chance for both teams to find some positives in what has proven to be a tough season for both squads. It also marks Maryland’s final home game of the month with fifth-ranked Purdue set to open the February slate.

Penn State ranks 0-8 in Quad 1 or 2 games this season with all nine of their wins in Quad 4 matchups with head coach Mike Rhoades just 41-40 entering the game. They opened conference play with a 41-point road loss against Indiana before falling by four against ninth-ranked Michigan State at home. Eight days later, the losing streak extended to there after a 34-point loss vs. Pittsburgh at home.

Tennessee transfer Freddie Dilione and freshman Kayden Mingo both enter Sunday's matchup averaging over 14 points per game, joining freshman guard Melih Tunca as Nittany Lions averaging double figures scoring.

While Penn State struggles from three, Eli Rice, averaging 7.6 points in just shy of 20 minutes per game, also enters Sunday shooting over 44% from three. Maryland has been out-rebounded in each of their last four games, but they’ll have a chance to change that against a Penn State team that has struggled on the boards to open the season.

Maryland, meanwhile, has dropped nine of their last 11 games with combined 41 point wins over Wagner and Old Dominion sandwiched in between the stretch. Head coach Buzz Williams will look for his first Big Ten win before his team shifts their attention to upcoming top-15 matchups on the road over the next week.

Sunday also marks Hispanic Heritage Day with program legend Greivis Vasquez back in College Park.

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