Maryland basketball just hit a new low, and not the kind you can brush off with a “tough night” shrug. Over the weekend, the Terps suffered a 91-48 blowout loss to Michigan State - the largest margin of defeat in a conference game in program history. That’s not just a bad night at the office; that’s a full-blown alarm bell for a team still searching for its identity under head coach Buzz Williams.
Maryland athletic director Jim Smith addressed the team’s struggles in a recent radio appearance, and while he didn’t sugarcoat the situation, he also offered some insight into the factors behind the slide.
“Every game, they’re going out and playing hard,” Smith said. “We’re hitting a bad stretch in every game.”
That much is clear. The Terps aren’t short on effort - but effort alone isn’t enough in the Big Ten, where every possession is a war and every road trip feels like a test of survival. Smith pointed to the team’s inexperience with Big Ten play as one of the key issues.
“We have a lot of players that have never seen Big Ten action, so they’re learning the hard way right now on the road,” he said.
That learning curve has been steep. The Big Ten isn’t known for easing new faces into the grind.
Physicality, depth, and high-level coaching are baked into the DNA of this league. And when you’ve got a roster still adjusting to the pace and pressure, the growing pains can be brutal - as Saturday’s result made painfully clear.
Scheduling Woes and Rhythm Disruption
Smith also highlighted the unique scheduling challenges that come with Big Ten basketball. Unlike some conferences where games are more predictably spaced out, the Big Ten throws teams into a whirlwind of inconsistent game days and long travel stretches.
“You have no continuity,” Smith said. “On the men’s side, we’re playing every day of the week, and that makes it really hard to get into a rhythm.”
He’s not wrong. Rhythm matters - especially for a team trying to establish chemistry.
One week you’re playing on a Tuesday night, the next it’s a Sunday afternoon, and somewhere in between you’re hopping flights across multiple states. For a young team still trying to find its footing, that lack of routine can be a real hurdle.
“It’s like that for everyone in this conference,” Smith acknowledged. “But it is not easy in the Big Ten.”
Lineup Shuffles and Player Development
With the losses piling up, Maryland has been forced to shake things up. Lineups have changed game to game, and while that might raise questions from the outside, Smith made it clear that it’s not about waving the white flag - it’s about finding the right combinations to win.
“We’ve got some guys that were hurt that we can now get some time and see how they can contribute,” he said. “The coaches are just trying to find the best matchup lineup to give us the best chance to win.”
That’s the reality of a season like this. It’s about tinkering, adjusting, and seeing who steps up when given the opportunity. And while the results haven’t been there yet, these reps could pay off down the road - especially if the Terps can find a core group that clicks.
Women’s Basketball: A Bright Spot on the Horizon
While the men’s team continues to search for answers, the women’s squad has a marquee matchup on deck, hosting No. 10 Iowa. Smith was quick to highlight the significance of the game - and the opportunity it presents.
“It’s two really good teams,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch if you can make your way over here.”
Despite dealing with some injuries of their own, Maryland’s women have shown resilience, and this game offers a chance to make a statement against one of the nation’s top programs.
Big Ten Football and Indiana’s Rise
Shifting to the gridiron, Smith weighed in on Indiana football’s recent success - a storyline that’s turned heads across the country. After winning three straight, Indiana has firmly planted itself in the national conversation, and Smith sees that as a win for the entire conference.
“When you win three in a row, you are the power conference,” he said. “Being in the Big Ten is where you want to be, and they compete at the highest level.”
He gave credit to Indiana AD Scott Dolson for hiring Curt Cignetti and praised the university’s leadership for doubling down on athletics. That kind of commitment, Smith said, is what fuels success - and it’s a model Maryland is watching closely.
“They believed it, and then they went and got it done,” Smith said. “It’s just great for the Big Ten.”
NIL: The New Battlefield
No conversation about college sports in 2026 is complete without touching on NIL, and Smith didn’t shy away from the topic. In fact, he leaned into it, calling on supporters to step up and invest in the program’s future.
“We’re making big investments this year. It’s going to require bigger investments next year,” he said.
**“There is a real desire to be competitive and a real understanding now of what it takes.” **
Maryland has been active in the portal, and Smith emphasized that NIL support has played a major role in both retaining talent and bringing in new faces. The message was clear: if you want to see Maryland win, NIL is no longer optional - it’s essential.
Maryland basketball is in the thick of a brutal stretch, and there’s no sugarcoating that. But behind the scenes, there’s a broader effort underway - from roster development to NIL fundraising - to get the program back on track.
It won’t happen overnight, but the pieces are being moved. Now, it’s about finding the right formula to turn things around.