New Look Terps under Buzz Williams earn first win over Coppin State
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Maryland basketball's winning energy was contagious last night. The Maryland men's basketball team began the 2025-26 basketball season with an 83-61 road victory over Coppin State. Head coach Buzz Williams became the ninth Terps head coach to open his tenure with a victory. The Terps have now opened up 12-straight campaigns with victories.
The Terps were provided with great scoring production, which saw five players finish in double figures: Pharrel Payne (21 points), Dairus Adams (16 points), Elijah Saunders (14 points), Andre Milis (13 points), and Guillermo Del Pino (13 points).
In his Terrapin debut, Payne came out of the gate hot, setting a new record for most points scored by a transfer in his debut game.
Williams' team was ready from the opening tip, amassing an early double-digit lead that saw them ahead 20-6 in the game's first eight minutes. The team was hitting on all cylinders despite missing transfers: G Myles Rice and F Solomon Washington due to ankle injuries.
Elijah doing it all by himself 😤
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) November 3, 2025
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The Terps were hot from beyond the arc in the first half, shooting 8-of-15 from three, which helped them score 47 points and take a 15-point lead into halftime.
In the second half, Maryland's offense slowed significantly, going only 9-of-25 from the field and 2-of-12 from three. However, due to their high defensive effort, Coppin State fared no better than the Terps. Maryland did not sink its first bucket in the second half until the 13:40 mark, which was a three-point jumper by Isaiah Watts.
Maryland found its opening using nearly a four-and-a-half,14-0 run in the late stages of the second half to pull away and guide them to a comfortable 18-point victory.
Payne led the way in the second half, picking up the slumping offense, scoring 15 points, and hitting all seven of his free throw attempts. He was physically imposing on the Eagles' defense, which tried different strategies to stop him but had no answer.
Terps Team Stats
45.5 % shooting from the field
10 three pointers made; tying a program record for most made in a season opener
Your @SIRIUSXM Call of the Game
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) November 4, 2025
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23-of-25 from the charity stripe: 92%
34 rebounds (11 offensive)
16 assists
11 steals
14 fast break points
30 points in the paint
30 points scored off turnovers
The team had a nice showing, but they need to improve in the second half, especially in the opening with their offensive possessions, turning the ball over, and not overrelying on outside shots from the perimeter. However, the energy was there, especially on the defensive end, where players were closing out shots, communicating well, rotating, and staying engaged.
Up Next:
The Terps' home opener is against in-state foes the Georgetown Hoyas on Nov. 7, with tipoff starting at 6 p.m.
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Jaden's sports journalism career began at the College of Southern Maryland from 2022-2023, where he was brought in to cover baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball at CSM. In late 2023, he began interning at the University of Maryland Athletics Department as a contributing writer to help develop feature stories and game recaps. He also creates his own sports media content on professional Washington teams with LegacyMaker Sports Network.