Another night, another fast start as Maryland men's basketball cruised to its fourth straight win and eighth in their last nine games.
In a game they led for all but 48 seconds, Maryland wasted no time imposing their will on USC, jumping out to an 11-0 lead in the opening minutes at Xfinity Center. Back-to-back three-pointers from Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Selton Miguel capped off the early burst, forcing USC head coach Eric Musselman to burn a timeout just 90 seconds into the game in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
Coming into the matchup, Maryland had been one of the fastest-starting teams in the nation, averaging 41.7 first-half points per game—ranking fourth nationally and marking the highest first-half scoring average by any Big Ten team in the last 15 years. At home, that trend held true once again.
USC finally got on the board following the early timeout, capitalizing on a pair of defensive lapses by the Terps. The Trojans found a spark behind redshirt freshman Wesley Yates III, who kept them in the game with timely buckets. Yates finished with a team-high 21 points, helping USC chip away at Maryland’s early lead.
Despite the Trojans’ best efforts, Maryland never relinquished control. The Terps dictated the pace with efficient shooting and relentless defense, forcing USC into tough looks. Gillespie and Rodney Rice orchestrated the offense, finishing with a combined 42 points.
"Rod's been good all year. The best thing about Rodney is he's fun to coach," Maryland head coach Kevin Willard said. "He's very coachable and he's a great competitor… Every game, he leads us in plus-minus. Every game, he's going out there, and he's got a great knack – he's a scorer."
Meanwhile, Derik Queen and Julian Reese dominated the interior, both recording double-doubles—Queen’s 10th of the season and Reese’s 13th. Their presence on the boards was pivotal as Maryland outrebounded USC 41-26, limiting second-chance opportunities and keeping the Trojans out of rhythm.
At halftime, Maryland held a 45-38 lead, once again flexing its power in the opening 20 minutes.
"He just said keep pushing the pace, play fast," Rice said of Willard's halftime message. "That's what we do. That's how we're going to create opportunities."
The Terps carried that momentum into the second half, using a balanced attack to keep USC at bay. Maryland’s starting five—the highest-scoring unit in the nation coming into the game, averaging 69.8 points per contest—surpassed that mark, combining for 85 points in another high-powered performance.
“Man, all the guys can go, can create for themselves and others,” Rice said. “I like what’s going on right now.”
Though USC made offensive pushes throughout the half, Maryland never wavered. The Terps remained composed, executing in crunch time to close out the game. The Trojans entered the night with a 13-5 record when scoring 70 or more points, but tonight still wasn’t enough, as USC finished with 71 in the loss.
Willard credited Maryland’s defensive composure down the stretch, pointing to the team’s ability to learn from past experiences.
“I think those guys have, you know, I think having that happen at Indiana, having that happen at Nebraska, there wasn't a whole lot of panic," Willard said. "It was just more about getting back to what we were doing defensively, and I thought they did a good job responding.”
With the 17-point win, Maryland also defended their home court for the 13th straight time, continuing their dominance at Xfinity Center, where they remain one of the toughest teams to beat. The 16th home win also marks the second-most among any team nationally.
The victory marked Maryland’s first-ever Big Ten matchup against USC and their first meeting overall since 1990. The Terps are now 4-0 all-time against the Trojans.
“I just like the way they're playing," Willard said when asked about what's clicking for his team. "I think they do have a lot of confidence. I like our defensive intensity. More than anything, I like the fact I can throw the ball inside on a consistent basis.”
Now tied for fourth place in the Big Ten with Purdue, Maryland remains firmly in the hunt for conference positioning as they continue their impressive stretch of play.
By: Henry Lilienfeld
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