Maryland opened its 2026-27 season by leaning into exactly what Buzz Williams wants his team to be: physical, relentless, and overwhelming on the glass. The Terrapins rolled past Bucknell 96-67 on Monday at XFINITY Center, taking control early and never letting the Bison breathe.
The game was effectively decided by halftime, when Maryland had already built a 44-30 cushion. From there, the Terps kept pressing the advantage and outscored Bucknell 52-37 over the final 20 minutes, turning a solid start into a lopsided finish.
What separated Maryland most was the rebounding. The Terps owned the backboards by a massive 54-22 margin, a +32 edge that fed everything else they did well. They kept Bucknell to one shot on possession after possession, then used those stops to fuel extra chances and easy offense going the other way.
That control showed up in the overall flow too. Maryland led for 95 percent of the game, with Bucknell’s only lead coming early and lasting just long enough to reach a two-point edge. The Terps also handled business inside the arc and at the line, shooting 47 percent from the field and 68 percent on free throws, while Bucknell finished at 43 percent from the floor and 64 percent at the stripe.
The one area that didn’t quite match Maryland’s dominance was perimeter defense. The Terps shot just 25 percent from three, but they also gave up 12 made threes to Bucknell, which connected on 39 percent of its attempts from deep.
Sophomore guard Andre Mills led the way with a game-high double-double, scoring 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds, including nine on the defensive end. He also went 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. It was his fifth career 20-point game and his second double-double.
Freshman guard Kaden House added 14 points on 4-of-9 shooting and pulled down five rebounds. Pharrel Payne chipped in 13 points and six rebounds, reaching double figures for the 53rd time in his career and the 10th time at Maryland.
Tomislav Buljan gave Maryland a strong 20-minute stretch off the bench, finishing with 10 points and seven rebounds. He shot 3-of-6 from the field, made all four of his free throws, added two steals, and grabbed five offensive rebounds. It was his 24th career double-figure game.
Baba Oladotun also made his presence felt in limited minutes, finishing with seven points, four rebounds, and an assist. He scored on a driving layup with 36 seconds left and then came through on the defensive end 25 seconds later, blocking a layup attempt by Bucknell’s Luke Soden at the 0:11 mark before House secured the rebound.
DJ Wagner helped steady the offense as well, finishing with three assists in 22 minutes. He also logged his 49th career game with 10 or more points.
Maryland now moves on with a season-opening win that showcased its frontcourt strength and physical edge, while also leaving room to clean up its perimeter defense. Next up on the non-conference schedule are a road game at Georgetown and a home matchup with No. 9 Virginia.
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