Taylor Lyons: Buzz Williams is still looking for his Maryland breakthrough

Taylor Lyons, The Baltimore Sun on Nov 15, 2026

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland fans proved Friday that they are longing for a reason to explode for winning basketball.

They’ll have to keep waiting.

Maryland was on track to upset No. 6 Virginia and surely bring those who filled Xfinity Center onto the court. The Terps led by 11 at halftime and by 10 with 13 minutes remaining, had a boisterous crowd behind them and appeared to have worn down a Cavaliers team that was playing its fourth game in eight days.

Instead, those fans left deflated after an 87-83 loss. Players struggled to answer for what went wrong after blowing a double-digit lead in the second half. And Buzz Williams is still chasing his first signature win as Maryland’s coach after also falling to another local rival last week.

“I am disappointed in the result,” he said. “It’s been two really strong lessons with disappointing results.”

It was encouraging to see the Terps compete with one of the nation’s best teams after the lopsided loss to Georgetown. Friday was perhaps the best Maryland has played under Williams across the coach’s 36 games in College Park.

But it’s still unclear if all the investment, roster overhaul and internal changes will actually lead to more wins. They nearly had one Friday. How they let it slip away will haunt this group.

“We did not have the physical, mental, emotional stamina and endurance from start to finish that’s required,” Williams said. “In regard to how we played on Saturday versus how we played on Friday, I think we’ve made strides. That’s still not enough.”

Williams called Friday “the best crowd that I’ve had as a head coach.” He first felt the weight of what a win could mean before the game. Johnny Holliday walked the coach through the history between Maryland and Virginia while recording their pregame interview. Then, after Williams took photos with his family on the court and headed to the locker room, fans chanted his name. He repaid them with a smile and fist pump.

Over the next two hours, Williams’ team played their best half of the season, then watched the lead they’d built slowly melt. Virginia took the lead, 72-71, with just under six minutes remaining and closed the contest on seven straight made baskets, shooting 76% in the second half.

Maryland, meanwhile, looked helpless and went nearly five minutes without a score.

Freshman Kaden House, who scored a career-high 17 points, couldn’t pinpoint Maryland’s defensive struggles. Asked to diagnose them after the game, he paused, shrugged, and admitted: “I don’t really know.”

More questions remain. Williams hasn’t figured out his rotations yet. Andre Mills, who was expected to drive the offense, shot 2 for 13. Seventeen-year-old freshman Baba Oladotun is clearly not ready for the moment. He logged three fouls, a turnover and two points in six minutes.

The only sure thing seems to be Pharrel Payne, who again led Maryland in scoring, this time with 20 points.

“It was great energy out there from beginning to end,” said Mike McNair, who added 15 points on 3-for-6 shooting from 3-point range. “Disappointed that we couldn’t get the win.”

That word, disappointed, was repeated often by players and Williams. They share that feeling with everyone in College Park.

Maryland fans showed they are ready to buy into the program shaped in Williams’ image. Another loss will yet again keep them from fully getting there.

“When you play in this sort of environment, it’s what we’ve all dreamed of, playing in or coaching in,” Williams said. “Your best is required.”

The loss moves Williams to 17-49 in his career against Associated Press Top 25 teams, including 10 straight defeats.

Fans’ eagerness to erupt for their team is understandable given the hell they’ve endured from Maryland athletics over the past two years, from Kevin Willard’s dishonest exit to three dreadful football seasons in a row and Williams’ mess of a first impression.

It’s more than they deserve to sit through. But they keep showing up. They’ve waited a long time for a night like Friday. It didn’t quite deliver.

They left disappointed.

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