Maryland Basketball Endures Disastrous Season Under New Coach

Buzz Williams' first year leading the Terrapins has been marked by blowout losses and a lack of competitiveness.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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Buzz Williams' first season as head coach of the Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team has been a disaster, with the team suffering several blowout losses, including a 93-63 defeat to Purdue and a 91-48 loss to Michigan State. The Terrapins have already matched their total number of 30-point losses from the previous 20 seasons, raising questions about the team's competitiveness and the direction of the program under Williams.

Why it matters

Maryland has a proud basketball tradition, having won a national championship in 2002 under Gary Williams. However, the program has struggled to maintain consistent success in recent years, going through coaching changes and roster turnover. Buzz Williams' arrival was seen as a chance to stabilize the program, but the team's poor performance this season has raised concerns about the long-term outlook.

The details

In addition to the blowout losses to Purdue and Michigan State, Maryland has also suffered defeats of 39 points to Gonzaga and 33 points to Alabama. The team's struggles have led head coach Buzz Williams to take frequent timeouts in an attempt to stop opposing runs. Despite having some talented players, such as transfer Diggy Coit and senior Pharrel Payne, the Terrapins have been unable to find any consistency or competitiveness this season.

  • On February 4, 2026, Maryland suffered a 93-63 loss to Purdue, the team's most lopsided home defeat since 2002.
  • On January 28, 2026, Maryland lost to Michigan State 91-48, the program's most lopsided defeat anywhere since 1944.

The players

Buzz Williams

The head coach of the Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team, who is in his first season with the program after previously coaching at Texas A&M.

Diggy Coit

A graduate student transfer from Kansas who has surpassed 40 points twice this season for Maryland.

Pharrel Payne

A senior and the leading scorer for Maryland, who has been out since mid-December due to a leg injury.

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What they’re saying

“We were not competitive from start to finish at Michigan State, in my opinion, on either side of the ball. I felt that way more after Michigan State, from start to finish, than I had any other game that we had played.”

— Buzz Williams, Head Coach (cbsnews.com)

“We're calling this month Foundational February. We're just sticking to the foundation, getting back to the way we want to play and how hard we want to play every possession.”

— Andre Mills, Redshirt Freshman (cbsnews.com)

“I think that we're not really focused on the outcome. We're focused on us getting better every single day. That's going to make the outcome different. Obviously there's frustration, just because we're losing.”

— Darius Adams, Freshman (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The Terrapins will look to regroup and build a foundation for the future, with a focus on player development and recruiting. Their next game is against Ohio State on Thursday, February 9th.

The takeaway

Buzz Williams' first season at Maryland has been a major disappointment, with the team suffering multiple blowout losses and struggling to find any semblance of competitiveness. While the Terrapins have some talented players, the lack of a consistent foundation has plagued the program, raising questions about the long-term direction under Williams' leadership.