Buzz Williams did not pretend his team played clean basketball. Maryland’s 74-67 win over UNLV was messy, choppy and borderline reckless with the ball, but it was also resilient, physical and ultimately enough to lift the Terrapins to a 5-1 record.
“We were discombobulated, which is what they wanted,” Williams said after Maryland turned the ball over 20 times, including 15 in a disjointed first half. “We made incredibly poor decisions, and we could never get in a rhythm.”
Those giveaways should have sunk them. Instead, Maryland controlled the glass, winning the rebounding battle 46 to 38 and holding the Rebels to 37% shooting. Williams called that combination “amazing.”
“When you are giving the team the ball 22% of the time, you are playing against an avalanche,” he said. “But our coaches are doing a really good job. We practice rebounding as much as we practice offense and defense because that has been our Achilles heel.”
MORE: Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins headline Team USA
The Terps found scoring balance that overcame all the chaos. Pharrel Payne delivered his best game of the season with 20 points on seven of eight shooting along with eight rebounds. Darius Adams added 15, and Diggy Coit scored 11 with three made threes. Andre Mills and Myles Rice combined for 17 more.
The player who changed the tone was freshman Aleks Alston, who played only 17 minutes but made every shot, grabbed six rebounds and showed the poise Buzz Williams trusts.
“I thought he was great,” Williams said. “In the first half he may have been the best player on the floor for us. Offensively he is the best high low passer we have. And he may be the best catch shoot player we have.”
Maryland finished at 42% from the field and 29% from three, but second chance plays and effort details made the difference. Williams said the win was less about execution and more about withstanding pressure.
“We have to make sure we are applying the lessons,” he said. “Survive the avalanche. That is what tonight was.”
Next up is Gonzaga with less than twenty four hours to prepare. “A lot of lessons,” Williams said. “And we will need every one of them tomorrow.”
More college basketball news:
- Hurley says toughness was key in win over Texas
- UCONN prepping for another title run
- What Matt Painter said after Purdue’s win in Alabama
- Darryn Peterson on tough night in Chapel Hill