Maryland men’s basketball fizzles out against USC, 88-71

Maryland men’s basketball saw things slip away in real time.

Down six to USC with just over seven minutes left, some of the Terps’ prominent weaknesses hampered it from securing their first Big Ten win. First, Maryland’s lack of size was exposed inside, as Jaden Brownell spun for a flush at the rim. On the other end, Darius Adams missed a baseline jumper — emblematic of Maryland’s shooting woes as of late.

Then, as the Terps have seen over some of their recent contests, those mistakes compounded. Defensive miscues allowed Brownell to hit a wide open three just seconds after Adams’ miss — suddenly, the Trojans led by 11. 

USC used this energy to storm past the Terps, 88-71, leaving Maryland still looking for answers down the stretch in close games.

Maryland did not give up from behind the arc — even if teams goaded it into taking those deep looks. Akin to their contest against UCLA, the Terps’ first six shots from the field came from downtown. They made two of them, and Isaiah Watts was fouled on another.

USC’s leading scorer, Chad Baker-Mazara, did not start the game. Instead, the Trojans imposed their size and rebounding ability on the Terps, something few programs have been able to do lately. But between Jacob Cofie and Gabe Dynes — both standing at 6-foot-10 or taller — interior passing and subsequent buckets were relatively easy to come by.

Over the first 10 minutes of play, USC racked up 16 of their 22 points in the paint. Meanwhile, just two of Maryland’s 16 came in that area. Dynes’ size and defensive role — he acted as a roving five and help defender — deterred the Terps from driving into the lane. 

Head coach Buzz Williams tried to combat USC’s overwhelming size, inserting both Collin Metcalf and Aleks Alston into the rotation periodically. And while it helped to counter some of Maryland’s interior defensive issues, it gave Baker-Mazara more opportunities to find his rhythm. The sixth-year forward quickly poured on seven points in his first eight minutes.

Maryland’s seven turnovers before even reaching halftime didn’t help it gain any momentum. Rather, it aided the Trojans in doing what they prefer — running explosive fast breaks. Ezra Ausar had a few emphatic slams in this span.

But despite its shortcomings, Maryland still seized a lead as the first half dwindled. Much of its offense came courtesy of Diggy Coit, who assumed the one-man hero role Terps fans have become somewhat accustomed to. His off-balance fadeaways and stepback threes landed him 19 first-half points.

Part of Maryland’s advantage came from its ability to slow the game down. Much of Williams’ philosophy revolves around getting to the free throw line — the Terps shot 17 free throws in the opening 20 minutes. USC’s fast-pace strategy was hindered as a result, and it fell a bit out of rhythm.

The Trojans ultimately led by one at the break, 42-41.

Coit picked up right where he left off to begin the second period. He added on a rapid six points — including a nifty step-through and-one bucket — to help Maryland reclaim the lead. But that lead didn’t last long.

Ausar’s inside aggressiveness didn’t dissipate, and Jordan Marsh’s three put the Trojans up by four points. This, coupled with two Maryland fouls in succession, swung momentum in favor of the home team.

Marsh helped to further orchestrate USC’s run, feeding Dynes for a nice alley-oop finish. And while the Trojans weren’t especially dominant on the offensive end, Maryland incurred yet another second half scoring drought — this one lasted over three minutes with just 10 minutes left to play. 

The floodgates soon opened for the Trojans. Brownell emerged as a microwave scorer, and Marsh continued his steady second half. Cofie even showed his range, with the big hitting a dagger three to put USC up by 14.

The game handed Maryland its 10th defeat of the season — that’s more than it had all last year, including the postseason.

Three things to know

1. Still no Big Ten success. The Terps are now a staggering 0-6 in conference play. Looking ahead, it’s worth wondering just how many Big Ten games the Terps could realistically win. Up next, Penn State could offer Maryland their most realistic reprieve. Beyond that, the Terps are slated for three straight ranked matchups, which could produce ugly results.

2. Diggy’s day. Coit has had some exceptional performances this season — notably his 41 point outing against Mount St. Mary’s and 31 points against Michigan. When Coit’s hot from the field, few can stop him, but he’s been extremely inconsistent throughout the season. He scored just 26 points combined over the Terps’ previous four games — fewer than his 30 Tuesday.

3. A match on the boards. Maryland outdid its last two opponents, UCLA and Indiana, on the glass — and relatively handily, at that. But the Terps met their match in the towering Trojan bigs. They were outrebounded 35-24 overall and 13-4 on the offensive glass.