Maryland’s exhibition win over Georgia Tech offered an early look at what this team could become, and the most obvious answer came on the defensive end. The Terps forced 13 steals and turned those into 22 points off turnovers, flashing a far more aggressive style than they showed last season, when they finished 346th out of 365 Division I teams in steal percentage.
That uptick in pressure looked like the kind of defense Kevin Williams has built before. Maryland was getting after the ball, disrupting passing lanes and creating easy offense before Georgia Tech could settle in. Williams pointed to the opening stretch of possessions as a big reason the numbers looked the way they did.
“I thought that in the first half, some of the things that we’re trying to accomplish in the first 10 seconds of the possession led to a lot of the numbers that you mentioned,” Williams said when asked about Maryland’s steals and points off turnovers.
He wasn’t nearly as satisfied with what followed. Williams said the Terps “failed almost every possession in the second half” in terms of what they wanted to do defensively during those first 10 seconds.
Still, Maryland got the kind of jolt it was hoping for from Pharrel Payne. In his first game action since a season-ending leg injury against Michigan in December, Payne looked like the same force he was before the injury, finishing with a team-high 16 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists in 20 minutes.
The numbers were strong enough on their own. The energy made it even louder.
Payne was flying after loose balls, sprinting the floor and throwing down an alley-oop that sent the Maryland bench up. For a player returning after such a long layoff, the effort level stood out just as much as the production.
Payne’s importance to this team extends well beyond Sunday’s box score. Williams praised his makeup on Thursday at Big Ten Media Day in an interview with Big Ten Network’s Dave Revsine and Bruce Weber.
“He's one of the better human beings I've ever had a chance to coach,” Williams said. “His person, his spirit, and his ability to lead, even when he wasn't playing, has been transformative in his life.”
If Payne looks like a centerpiece for Maryland, Kaden House made a strong case to be the freshman most ready to help right away. Baba Oladotun entered as the highest-rated newcomer, and Austin Brown was the only freshman in the starting lineup, but House, a 6-foot-3 guard, was the one who popped. He scored 14 points on 4-for-7 shooting, hit both of his 3-point attempts, went 4-for-4 at the line and added a fast-break dunk.
“He’s Mensa-level smart in a way that’s incredibly rare,” Williams said when asked about House after the game.
That kind of feel fits with House’s background; his father is former NBA player Eddie House. It also showed up in the way he approached the defensive end. House was active with his hands, picked up two steals and spoke plainly about how much defense matters to his game.
“It’s really important to me because I feel like that’s how I’ll stay on the floor,” House said when asked about the importance of defense to his game. “I’m really just a defensive-minded guard.”
There were growing pains, including foul trouble that eventually sent him out with 8:44 left, but the early signs were encouraging. House looked like a freshman with both the skill and the processing speed to help on day one, and Maryland could use that kind of two-way contribution quickly.
In Other News...
Ohio State Faces A Bigger Test Than Fans Might Think
Maryland fans watching from the side may take comfort in the fact that Ohio State still has a little lineup uncertainty heading into its next Big Ten test. Ryan Day said the Buckeyes are expecting a good portion of the five starters it held out against Maryland to return for Indiana, a useful development as the schedule tightens and the opponent gets more demanding. Curt Cignetti, meanwhile, has already framed Indianas preparation around the challenge of matching Ohio States pace and physicality, with the Hoosiers getting ready for a game that will say plenty about where they stand.
Jeremiah Smith remains the matchup everyone circles first for Ohio State, but Indianas defensive readiness is part of what makes this feel more than a routine checkpoint. The Hoosiers are aiming to keep their own momentum rolling and have no intention of being intimidated by the setting or the stakes, which is why this game carries the feel of a bigger test than some around Columbus might want to admit. If Ohio State is indeed closer to full strength, this should still be one of the conference games that reveals the most about both teams. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Fans Got An Encouraging First Look At Buzz Williams' Team
Marylands first public look at Buzz Williams team offered plenty for fans to like in an 85-70 exhibition win over Georgia Tech at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. The Terps played with noticeable energy on the defensive end and on the glass, and the early returns suggested a roster that can lean on more depth than last seasons group. Payne was especially active, scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds, while Kaden House added 14 points off the bench to give Maryland a useful boost beyond its starters.
The encouraging start also came with a reminder that exhibitions are as much about evaluation as results, especially with incoming pieces and the 2026 class still part of the bigger picture for this program. Maryland looked capable of defending and rebounding at a higher level, but the evening did not come without concern, as one of the Terps rotation pieces had to leave early with a leg issue that will bear watching as the schedule gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Marylands Other Teams Gave Terps Fans A Needed October Lift
For Maryland fans looking for something to hang onto in October, the rest of the athletic department provided a welcome detour from the football disappointment. The Terps picked up wins in mens basketball, womens soccer and volleyball, while the spring sports crew, the Dirty Terps, kept things moving with a pair of victories over Towson that helped round out a much better weekend than the one in Columbus.
Marylands baseball group has reason to feel good heading into the stretch run of the fall schedule after taking both ends of the doubleheader from Towson, including a tight opener and a more comfortable second game. The next checkpoint comes Oct. 18, when Georgetown visits for another doubleheader, giving the Terps another chance to build on a day that reminded fans the programs other teams can still supply some momentum. [Read more 🡒]