OnMonday, the Maryland Terrapins officially ushered in their 2026-27 college basketball season with an authoritative, physical statement at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Maryland, pulling away from the Bucknell Bison for a96-67victory. Establishing complete command early with relentless interior pressure, Maryland seized a44-30 lead at the intermission before turning on the secondary boosters in the second half, outscoring Bucknell52-37over the final 20 minutes.
The decisive win provides a resounding start for head coach Buzz Williams' squad. The Terrapins dictated the game's physical baseline from the opening tip, ensuring the outcome was never in question while offering Terps fans a compelling preview of the program's frontcourt leverage and deep, athletic rotation heading into non-conference play.
The centerpiece of Maryland's performance was an overwhelming display on the backboards, translating Buzz Williams' hallmark emphasis on physical toughness into complete operational control of the glass. The Terrapins dismantled Bucknell inside, imposing their length and force to assemble a dominant +32 rebounding differential (54 to 22). Maryland turned second-chance opportunities into immediate paint production while neutralizing Bucknell's interior efforts.
Maryland established total frontcourt leverage by relentlessly crashing the glass, effectively robbing the Bison of second-chance putbacks while generating consistent extra possessions for the Terps' baseline attack. By cleanly securing defensive rebounds on 40 Bucknell missed shots, the Terrapins contained their opponent to single-shot trips and instantly ignited a relentless transition offense down court.
Maryland seized tempo control for 95 percent of the contest's duration, mounting a peak advantage of 29 points while limiting Bucknell to leading for just 3 percent of game time (peaking early at a modest two-point margin). The Terrapins dominated inside the arc and at the charity stripe, shooting 47 percent (34-of-72) from the floor compared to Bucknell's 43 percent (23-of-53) and converting 68 percent (21-of-31) of their free throws (vs. Bucknell's 9-of-14 for 64 percent).
High-intensity ball pressure also enabled Maryland to force 18 turnovers while committing just 13. However, the game exposed clear areas for defensive growth. While Maryland struggled to find rhythm from long range at 25 percent (7-of-28), they allowed the Bison to catch fire from beyond the arc, connecting on 39 percent (12-of-31) of their three-point attempts.
Sophomore guard Andre Millsput together a game-high double-double, anchoring the floor on both ends. Mills poured in22 pointson an efficient8-of-12shooting night, complemented by a3-of-4performance from the free-throw line. His night was headlined by a game-high11 rebounds(9 defensive, 2 offensive), anchoring Maryland's physical frontline presence. Mills recorded his fifth career 20-point game and his second double-double.
Freshman guard Kaden House flexed his dynamic perimeter skill set, delivering 14 points on 4-of-9 shooting while securing five rebounds. Pharrel Payne provided a steady inside presence, finishing with 13 points and six rebounds while helping anchor the frontcourt on both ends of the floor. Payne reached double figures for the 53rd time in his career and the 10th time at Maryland.
Tomislav Buljan made the most of his 20 minutes on the floor, finishing with 10 points and seven rebounds while providing a strong presence in the paint. The sophomore forward shot 3-of-6 from the field and was perfect from the free-throw line (4-for-4), showcasing efficiency on the offensive end. Buljan also made his impact felt defensively with two steals and helped control the glass with five offensive rebounds, creating valuable second-chance opportunities for his team. He played in his 24th career double-figure game.
Freshman forward Baba Oladotun headlined the bench unit with a stat-sheet-filling performance, recording seven points on 3-of-6 shooting, four rebounds, and an assist. Oladotun saved his best work for the final minute of play, showcasing his two-way impact. After slashing through the lane for a driving layup with 36 seconds remaining, he skied just 25 seconds later to reject a layup attempt by Bucknell's Luke Soden at the 0:11 mark, setting up a defensive rebound for House.
Beyond Oladotun, Maryland's rotation players provided essential backcourt structure and defensive energy across all 40 minutes. Point guard DJ Wagner orchestrated the offense smoothly, dishing out three assists in 22 minutes of floor leadership. Wagner logged his 49th career game with 10+ points.
With an emphatic season-opening win in hand, Maryland turns its focus toward ironing out perimeter contest schemes while reinforcing its elite glass-clearing identity. The Terrapins will look to leverage this 96-67 triumph as momentum builds for a demanding upcoming non-conference slate, feature-highlighted by a rivalry road clash at Georgetown and a marquee home showdown against ACC powerhouse No. 9 Virginia.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/maryland as Maryland Overpowers Bucknell 96-67 in Season-Opening Statement at XFINITY Center .
