While Maryland men’s basketball fans won’t get to see former guard Rodney Rice on the court — he is out with a season-ending injury — Tuesday night’s contest against USC still has importance on both sides.
In what was expected to be a rebuilding year, the Terps are still searching for their first Big Ten win of the season. But with only 15 games left, including five against ranked teams, those chances are dwindling.
With Chad Baker-Mazara not fully healthy, Tuesday was a prime chance for Maryland to snap its losing streak.
But a sloppy and poor shooting second half overshadowed Diggy Coit’s 30-point performance. The Terps suffered a 88-71 loss to USC at the Galen Center, extending its skid to four games. Maryland is now 0-6 in Big Ten play.
With Maryland in need of a breakout performance, Coit delivered one of his signature takeover games. After totalling just 18 combined points in the Terps’ last two contests, Coit broke out of his offensive slump.
In just over two minutes, the 5-foot-11 guard poured in 10 straight Maryland points. Whether it was from deep or attacking the paint, Coit was feeling it in the first half. He totalled 19 of the Terps’ 42 points in the opening half.
Even with his offensive success carrying into the second half — he added 11 more points — Coit’s performance wasn’t enough.
Maryland and USC sat on opposite ends of the Big Ten standings last season. However, heavy roster turnover for both teams forced their respective head coaches to be active in the portal. The two sides combined for a staggering 21 transfers over the offseason.
While some of Maryland’s new arrivals have not lived up to expectations, USC has largely found success with its new roster. The Trojans have had two quick stints in the AP top-25 poll, but blowout losses to powerhouses Michigan and Michigan State have distanced them from being ranked.
Still, USC is expected to be competing for an NCAA Tournament berth. Baker-Mazara has driven its success. The 25-year-old Auburn transfer is averaging 19.9 points and 3.4 assists per game.
His impact was immediately felt off the bench. He scored seven first-half points in just eight minutes on the court, fueling the Trojans’ early production.
While USC’s offense is one of the top in the conference — it ranks fourth in scoring at 84.3 points per game — Maryland has struggled to keep pace with some high-powered teams this season.
The Terps’ inability to knock down shots from deep has been at the forefront of this rough stretch. Maryland is the second-worst three-point team in the Big Ten and has shot under 20 percent in each of its previous three games.
But Tuesday night appeared to be a turning point for the Terps from deep, until they couldn’t buy a bucket in the second half.
Andre Mills and Elijah Saunders each splashed an early triple to keep Maryland within striking distance. In total, the Terps shot an impressive 5-for-12 from behind the arc in the first half.
Maryland also got to the line at a high clip, knocking down 14 first-half free throws.
But USC’s size disparity across the court allowed it to score 24 points in the paint and corral 10 offensive rebounds. Those two elements fueled the Trojans to a one-point lead at halftime.
While Maryland’s offense cooled down in the second half — it failed to make a bucket in over four minutes — USC only caught fire. In particular, guard Jordan Marsh. The junior totalled a game-high 17 second-half points.
After only shooting 27.3 percent from three-point range in the first half, the Trojans found their stroke. USC rained in five triples and shot over 50 percent from the field to open up a double-digit lead.
Coit tried his best to will Maryland back within striking distance, but the Trojans’ depth and firepower was too much to overcome. USC’s bench combined for 46 points, while the Terps only received eight total points from Myles Rice, Andre Mills and George Turkson.
With four of the Trojans’ top five players in minutes standing at 6-foot-7 or taller, USC dominated the paint. 44 of its 88 points came inside and 13 offensive rebounds led to 10 second-chance points. Without a true big man, Maryland never stood a chance at slowing the Trojans down.
