Terps Hoops Set For Friday Evening Against No. 6 Virginia
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An opportunity awaits the Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team this Friday at Xfinity Center. The Terps (1-1) welcome the No. 6 Virginia Cavaliers for a showdown between two DMV rivals early in the 2026 season.
Friday's contest will also be the Terps' annual Red Out.
Maryland returns home after a tough showing against Georgetown last Saturday, falling 86-74 at Capital One Arena. The Terps' offense couldn't match the Hoyas' offense, which finished the contest shooting over 50% from the field (27-of-52) and 50% from three (15-of-30).
Pharrel Payne has continued his strong play from his limited appearances last season, finishing with 28 points and eight rebounds, leading the way for the Terps.
No. 6 Virginia has resumed the season where they left off in 2025, dominating the opposition and now holding a perfect 4-0 start. The Cavaliers have won every game this year by double digits, including a ranked matchup against No. 19 Arkansas.
Game Details:
- When: Friday, November 13th, 2026
- Location: Xfinity Center, College Park, Maryland
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- How To Watch: Peacock / NBCSN
- Listen: Maryland Sports Radio Network
Opponent: No. 6 Virginia
Head Coach: Ryan Odom | Odom is entering his second season with the Cavaliers after guiding them to an impressive 30-6 overall record, including a second-place finish in the ACC. Odom was also named a semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year as UVA advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Overall Record Against Virginia:
These two teams have a storied history dating back to the year 1913. The Terps lead the overall head-to-head matchups, 108-77. However, the recent matchups haven't been kind to UMD, with UVA taking 9 of the past 10 meetings. Six of those contests have been decided by single digits, with three contests going to overtime.
Despite Maryland leaving the ACC in 2014, this is still a matchup that brings high-intensity energy not only on the floor but in the building.
Key Players:
F Thijs De Ridder | Sophomore: Buzz Williams and his staff are very familiar with De Ridder after facing him at UVA last season. De Ridder is known for his physical, brusque style of play in the paint and uses it to rebound and defend. Pharrel Payne will have his hands full and must also watch out for the European big man's three-level scoring ability.
G Chance Mallory | Sophomore: Mallory was recruited by Maryland but ultimately lost out to the hometown school, UVA. Mallory guides the offense as the pace-setter, providing not only perimeter shooting but also playmaking and hard-hustling backcourt defense.
G Sam Lewis | Senior: It's pretty simple to sum up Lewis: bucket getter. Lewis is a great shot creator with the potential to be the guy you turn to late in the game to get a bucket. Maryland's perimeter defense has to be better and needs to apply on-ball pressure consistently.
Keys To Victory:
1.) Find The Three Ball
2.) Defend The Three Ball
3.) Box Out
4.) Move The Ball
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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.