Maryland Drops Friday Night Contest Against Oregon

The Maryland Terrapins couldn't kick off the new 2026 year on the right foot, dropping their matchup against Oregon last night.

Jan 2, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins guard David Coit (8) react during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

It's a new year for the Maryland men's basketball team. They were hoping to begin the year on the right note and hit a soft reset against Oregon last night. However, the Ducks had other plans defeating the Terps 64-54 at Xfinity Center.

Solomon Washington had a big-time performance for the Terps (7-7, 0-3 Big Ten), scoring a team-high 17 points while also securing a double-double, grabbing 12 boards. Washington finished with his second-straight double-double last night.

Washington's energy was on notice on both ends of the floor, filling in place of the injured Pharrel Payne, who will miss some time after sustaining a leg injury in December.

But what hurt the Terps last night against the Ducks (8-6, 1-2 Big Ten) was a common trend in their losses this season: poor shooting from the field.

Maryland shot an abysmal 28% from the floor, 20% from the three-point line, and scored only 12 points total in the paint. Funny enough, the Terps didn't turn the ball over much (10 turnovers) and garnered themselves more offensive chances, grabbing 16 offensive rebounds.

Oregon was also without its best player, Jackson Shelstad, who is dealing with a hand injury. In his absence, center Nate Bittle and guard Takai Simpkins each led the way with 16 points each.

Trailing 34-27 after the first half, Maryland knew it needed to generate stops and baskets to climb back in the game.

That they did.

Baskets by Darius Adams and Washington helped the Terps climb back into the game and eventually cut Oregon's lead to 43-40. Elijah Saunders made a key game-tying three-pointer from the right corner at the 10:59 mark.

Elijah from the corner 🎯 pic.twitter.com/VYnYMQeHCB

— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) January 3, 2026

However, after that bucket, it was all Oregon moving forward using a 12-2 run over nearly the next seven minutes that propelled them to their victory. The Ducks shot 49% from the field, and scored 32 points in the paint.

It's been a tough season for Maryland, which has lacked consistency on the court, and Head Coach Buzz Williams has tried to find an answer by switching up lineups and strategies for his team.

Entering Friday's matchup, both teams held a 7-6 record, and surely the Terps viewed it as a winnable contest for their first conference victory, albeit against a team that has played better than its record suggests.

Maryland didn't have much offensive production with guards David Coit, Andre Mills, and Adams combining for 21 points on 6-of-34 shooting and seven turnovers. Not the scoring you're looking for out of your backcourt.

Guard Isaiah Watts was the only other double-digit scorer for Maryland, with 11 points, three 3-pointers on 4-of-8 shooting as a whole.

Up Next

Maryland stays in College Park, welcoming Indiana on Wednesday night for another Big Ten showdown with tipoff beginning at 6:30 p.m.

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