Maryland men’s basketball had every excuse to slump to defeat in its game against Marquette.
For the first time this season, the Terps took an early lead. Allowing the Golden Eagles to come back and take
a sizable lead was deflating enough; watching Pharrel Payne, the team’s leader, get stretchered off following a gruesome fall could have only made things worse.
Instead, Maryland rallied, winning the game, 89-82. The Terps displayed remarkable character, a hallmark of teams led by head coach Buzz Williams.
Such an emotionally intense game often leads to a comedown; the next game for Maryland comes back at home against a Mount St. Mary’s team which has the potential to cause some problems.
The game will tip off Wednesday at 7 p.m. and be available to watch on Big Ten Plus.
Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers (1-3, 0-0 MAAC)
2024 record: 23-13, 12-8 MAAC
Head coach Donny Lind enters his second season as head coach at the Mount having already won over the fanbase. Lind made an instant impact, with the Mountaineers finishing above .500 in the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference before going on a run to win the MAAC Tournament.
With an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Mount beat American University in Dayton before losing handily to Duke. The game against American gave the Mountaineers their most wins in a season since they moved to Division I in 1988-89.
Having lost each of its top five scorers from that 2024-25 season, Mount St. Mary’s was going to have a difficult time repeating its performances. Losing away to high-major opponents West Virginia and Cincinnati by 16 and 17 points, respectively, were decent results that indicated the Mountaineers will remain a tough out. Losing at home to Bucknell by 11 points, however, was a bit less decent.
Players to watch
Xavier Lipscomb, graduate student guard, 6-foot-2, No. 45 — Lipscomb started every game for Mount St. Mary’s last year, averaging a team-high 33.5 minutes per outing. This year, the Washington, D.C., native has maintained his consistent presence on the court while improving his production. He’s averaging 10.8 points per game, is tied for the team lead in assists and leads his team in rebounds and steals.
Luke McEldon, redshirt sophomore forward, 6-foot-10, No. 21 — Despite his young age, McEldon is a true journeyman. Originally from London, the forward became a three-star recruit in Massachusetts before attending Santa Clara University in California. After playing just three games his sophomore year, McEldon found a new home in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and he has thrived with the Mount: he has made 56% of his field goals and averages 11 points and six assists per game.
Trey Deveaux, graduate student forward, 6-foot-5, No. 5 — Deveaux’s ascent through the game has been remarkable. A career that began at Central Community College in Nebraska then stopped for a year at Division II Wayne State College and Division I Western Illinois before landing in Maryland. Deveaux’s scoring has gone down as his level has gone up, but he still averages 11 points per game at his highest level yet.
Strength
Three-point defending. The Mountaineers hold their opponents to a combined 3-point percentage of 27.1%, limiting their effectiveness from deep. Only Bucknell shot over their season average from beyond the arc against the Mount.
Weakness
Free throw shooting. Mount St. Mary’s has made just 41-of-72 free throw attempts. Its completion rate of 56.9% ranks 354th in Division I. Maryland, which averages 18 fouls committed per game, could have some of its blushes spared by poor shooting at the line.
Three things to watch
1. Can Maryland’s backcourt maintain momentum? Four different guards — Darius Adams, Andre Mills, Diggy Coit and Isaiah Watts — scored double-digit points for the Terps in Milwaukee as the team collectively had its best offensive output of the year. Continued production from that quartet, particularly from beyond the arc, will be imperative for the Terps moving forward.
2. Turnovers could be key. Maryland turned 11 turnovers into 16 points against Marquette, continuing its trend on the year of playing well in transition. At the same time, Mount St. Mary’s has averaged 17.5 turnovers a game through its first four appearances on the year. The Mount’s inability to keep ahold of the rock could be punished by Maryland.
3. Hello, Colin Metcalf? When asked on Oct. 30 about Maryland’s plans for backups at center, Williams mentioned Elijah Saunders and George Turkson as candidates but didn’t mention Collin Metcalf, a transfer center from Northeastern. When asked why, Williams said Metcalf was not fully healthy but not very productive, and said they “do need him to continue to try to figure it out.”
Now, Metcalf might be figuring it out on the fly. He had just nine minutes through the Terps’ first three games — and none against Georgetown — but played 12 minutes against Marquette. He finished with four points, two rebounds, two blocks and three fouls. The Terps will need more from Metcalf in the absence of Pharrel Payne.
