Maryland Shows Flashes, But Frustration Mounts in Another Blowout Loss to Ohio State
Coming off back-to-back defeats by 43 and 30 points, Maryland men’s basketball entered Thursday night’s matchup against Ohio State hoping to right the ship. Instead, they walked away with a 20-point loss that, while technically an improvement on the scoreboard, did little to ease the growing frustration around this season.
This game wasn’t just another tally in the loss column - it was a missed opportunity. Maryland had moments, real stretches where things clicked. But those stretches were fleeting, and the inconsistency that’s plagued this team all year reared its head once again.
Here are three key takeaways from the Terps’ latest setback.
1. The Pieces Are There - At Least in Theory
For a few early possessions, Maryland looked like a team with a plan. The offense had flow, the ball moved with purpose, and the starting lineup of Darius Adams, Andre Mills, Solomon Washington, Elijah Saunders, and Collin Metcalf showed some real cohesion.
Metcalf, who’s barely cracked the rotation this season, gave the Terps 15 solid minutes. He didn’t light up the box score, but his presence created spacing that allowed others - particularly Adams and Saunders - to operate more comfortably.
Saunders, in particular, looked like a player finally being used in a role that suits his skill set. Playing as a true stretch forward, he found himself in advantageous matchups and made the most of them.
Freed from battling bigger bodies in the paint, Saunders was able to pick his spots on the perimeter and crash the rim with timing and control. It was the kind of performance that hinted at what he could be if used consistently in that role.
In the backcourt, Andre Mills continues to be one of the lone bright spots. He’s been stringing together solid performances, and his explosive dunk in this one was a deserved reward for a player who’s been doing the dirty work. Mills has scored 50 points over his last four games and brings a level of energy and physicality that Maryland desperately needs.
There are glimmers of hope. The talent isn’t completely absent. But the execution, the chemistry, and the consistency just aren’t there - and at this point in the season, that’s a tough pill to swallow.
2. Lineup Chaos Reflects Deeper Issues
If you blinked during the second half, you might’ve missed one of the more head-scratching lineups Maryland has rolled out this year - and that’s saying something.
At one point, the Terps had Metcalf, Aleks Alston, Washington, Saunders, and Diggy Coit on the floor together. That’s not a lineup you’d expect to see outside of a practice scrimmage, let alone in a Big Ten game.
And it wasn’t just a quirky look - it was ineffective. The offense stalled, settling for isolation threes instead of leveraging any size or matchup advantage.
This speaks to a broader trend under head coach Buzz Williams, who’s never been shy about using his bench. But this season, the rotation has become a revolving door.
Through 22 games, Maryland has used 11 different starting lineups. Thursday’s group was just the latest experiment.
According to EvanMiya, the Terps had already used 145 different lineup combinations entering the game. That number only grew against the Buckeyes. For context, only three Big Ten teams have used more - and two of them, Oregon and Rutgers, are also struggling to find any rhythm.
The constant shuffling might be a product of necessity, but it’s also a sign of a team still searching for its identity deep into the season. The offense, at times, looks like it’s running on fumes - passing around the perimeter until the shot clock forces a decision. There’s no clear structure, no go-to option, no reliable set to lean on when things get tight.
It’s not just one player or one position group. The inconsistency is systemic.
3. Diggy Coit: High Ceiling, Low Floor
Few players in college basketball can heat up like Diggy Coit. When he’s on, he’s electric - a true microwave scorer who can swing a game in a matter of possessions. But when he’s off, as he was in the first half against Ohio State, it’s hard to watch.
Coit’s nine minutes in the opening half were a mess: four points, three turnovers, and a handful of unforced errors that led directly to Buckeye buckets. He struggled to catch clean passes, bobbling the ball in situations where there was no defensive pressure. His shot selection didn’t help either - his three attempts from deep weren’t just misses, they were barely grazes.
And defensively, he remains a liability. His size and effort can’t always make up for the physical mismatches he faces, and when his shot isn’t falling, it’s tough to justify extended minutes.
That’s the paradox with Coit. His highs are undeniable.
He’s got the kind of scoring ability that can change a game. But the lows?
They’re just as dramatic. Until he finds some middle ground - some consistency - he’ll remain a wild card in a deck that already has too many.
Final Thoughts
Maryland’s loss to Ohio State wasn’t just about the final score. It was about the missed chances, the lack of cohesion, and the continued search for answers that never seem to come.
There are moments - brief, encouraging moments - where the Terps show what they could be. But those moments are buried under a mountain of lineup changes, offensive confusion, and defensive lapses.
With the season slipping away, the question isn’t just whether Maryland can win games. It’s whether they can find an identity - something to build on, something to believe in.
Right now, that foundation is still missing.