In a challenging matchup, Maryland men’s basketball faced a tough defeat to No. 12 Gonzaga, falling 100-61 in their second game of the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas. Trailing by as many as 21 points midway through the first half, the Terps adopted a faster pace in hopes of igniting their offense. A key moment came when Andre Mills, despite heavy contact, made an unusual putback shot while sitting on the floor, providing a brief spark for Maryland.
Head coach Buzz Williams highlighted Gonzaga’s dominance, stating, “I will always give credit to the opponent. They made us not play well. But our urgency and our response [to] not playing well is not near at the standard that it’s going to have to become.” The Bulldogs, with notable performances from forwards Graham Ike and Braden Huff, exploited Maryland’s defense with effective play both inside and beyond the arc, hitting four of their first seven three-point shots.
Maryland struggled throughout the game to establish an offensive rhythm. Pharrel Payne shined early, scoring six of the Terps’ first 11 points, but his second foul led to a nearly four-minute scoreless stretch for the team. The Terps briefly closed the gap thanks to Mills’ and Darius Adams’ contributions, but they could not maintain the momentum, and Gonzaga quickly expanded their lead.
Despite some defensive adjustments, the disparity in performance became evident as the game progressed. Maryland’s offense suffered a significant slowdown, managing just one field goal in over six minutes during the second half.
Williams commented on the need for accountability, saying, “We were exposed on multiple levels, and that’s the ownership that we have to have, and that includes me.” The game served as a reminder of the challenges of competing at a high level, especially without key players George Turkson and Solomon Washington, which affected their frontcourt presence.
The Terps’ 18 turnovers contributed significantly to their struggles, with Gonzaga capitalizing on these mistakes to rack up points. The bench, which had previously shown promise against UNLV, produced only nine points in this game, underlining the disparity in overall performance.
Looking ahead, Maryland prepares to face No. 8 Alabama in their final tournament game. Williams remains hopeful stating, “As discouraging as it is, it’s encouraging that we get a chance to respond tomorrow.” With renewed focus, the Terps aim for a more cohesive performance as the tournament continues.