If you walk into a bar in College Park right now, you aren't going to hear people talking about "steady progress" or "building for the future." You're going to hear a lot of noise about the current state of the Maryland Terrapins basketball record and, more specifically, how the program is trying to find its soul again after a wild couple of years.
Honestly, the numbers on the page don't always tell the full story.
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Currently, as of mid-January 2026, the Terps are sitting at a rough 7–10 overall record and a winless 0–6 in Big Ten play. That’s a massive, jarring shift from just a year ago. It’s the kind of record that makes fans check the calendar to see how long until lacrosse season starts.
But to understand how we got to this point—basically a total rebuild under first-year head coach Buzz Williams—you have to look at the whiplash of the 2024-25 season. That was a year where Maryland looked like a national powerhouse again, finishing 27–9 and making a run to the Sweet Sixteen. Then, the floor fell out. Kevin Willard left for Villanova, taking his staff with him, and the roster largely evaporated.
The Current State of the Maryland Terrapins Basketball Record
It is pretty ugly right now. There is no sugarcoating it.
The 2025-26 squad is struggling to find its footing in a Big Ten conference that feels more like a gauntlet than ever. They’ve dropped games to teams they should beat, and they’ve been physically overmatched in conference play. The home-court advantage at the Xfinity Center, usually a fortress, has felt a bit more like a library lately, with a 4-3 home record that doesn't scare anybody.
Wait, it gets more specific.
- Overall Record: 7–10
- Big Ten Record: 0–6
- The Problem: They are giving up nearly 78 points a game while only scoring 73.
- The Bright Spot: David Coit has been an absolute flamethrower. He dropped 41 points against Villanova earlier this season, tying Greivis Vasquez for the most points in a single game in program history.
It’s a weird time. You’ve got a freshman class that looks promising but is clearly getting bullied by the 24-year-old "super seniors" that seem to populate every other Big Ten roster.
Why the 2024-25 Season Still Haunts College Park
Most fans are still stuck on last year. Can you blame them?
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Under Kevin Willard, the Terps finished with a 27–9 record and tied for second in the Big Ten. They were ranked as high as 9th in the AP Poll. They had Derik Queen—the Baltimore native who actually lived up to the massive hype—and Ja'Kobi Gillespie running the point. That team felt like it was one or two plays away from a Final Four before losing a heartbreaker to Florida in the Sweet Sixteen.
The contrast is wild.
Last year's team shot 47% from the field. This year's team is hovering around 41%. Last year, the defense was a top-10 unit nationally. This year, it's... not. When Willard bailed for Villanova (a move that still gets him booed if his name even comes up in Prince George's County), he left Buzz Williams with a "cupboard is bare" situation.
Williams is a good coach—he's won everywhere he's been—but he's basically trying to build a house while the previous owner took the plumbing and the electrical wiring with him.
A Historical Look at the Numbers
If you’re a real stats nerd, you know that Maryland’s all-time record is actually quite prestigious. We’re talking about over 100 seasons of basketball with a total record of roughly 1691–1122. That’s a .601 winning percentage over a century.
People forget that Maryland spent decades in the ACC before jumping to the Big Ten in 2014. That transition changed the "feel" of the Maryland Terrapins basketball record significantly. In the ACC, it was about speed, guard play, and hating Duke. In the Big Ten, it’s been about size, post play, and trying to survive road trips to West Lafayette and Lincoln.
Key Milestones in the Record Books
- The 2002 National Title: The gold standard. Gary Williams led the team to a 32–4 record. Juan Dixon, Lonny Baxter, Steve Blake. That team was untouchable.
- The Lefty Driesell Era: Lefty turned Maryland into "The UCLA of the East." He went 348–159. He didn't win the big one, but he made Maryland a national brand.
- The ACC/Big Ten Challenge "Curse": For a long time, Maryland couldn't win a game against their old ACC rivals after switching conferences. They went 0-5 in their first five attempts. It was like the ghost of the ACC was holding a grudge.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Terps
There’s a common misconception that Maryland has "fallen off" since joining the Big Ten.
That's just not true.
Since 2014, they’ve actually been one of the more consistent teams in the conference. Mark Turgeon, despite the fan frustration, had a 24–7 season in 2020 that likely would have seen a deep tournament run if the world hadn't shut down. Kevin Willard had two 20-win seasons in three years.
The current 7-10 record is an outlier, not the new normal. It’s a "reset" year.
The real issue isn't the total number of wins; it's the lack of "big game" consistency. Since 2002, the Terps have only been to the Sweet Sixteen three times (2003, 2016, 2025). For a program with this much money, this much recruiting talent in its backyard, and this much history, that’s the stat that hurts the most.
Actionable Insights for the Rest of the Season
If you're betting on or just following the Terps for the remainder of the 2026 season, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Transfer Portal: Buzz Williams is likely going to hit the portal harder than anyone in the country this spring. This current record is a recruiting tool—he can promise immediate playing time to high-level guards.
- The "Home" Factor: Don't automatically assume a win at the Xfinity Center right now. The atmosphere has dipped, and the team is 1-2 in their last three home games. Wait for them to cover a spread before you trust them.
- Individual Stats vs. Team Success: David Coit and Pharrel Payne are going to get theirs. They are high-usage players. But until the defensive efficiency (currently ranked outside the top 150) improves, those points won't translate to wins.
- Schedule Strength: The back half of the Big Ten schedule is slightly easier. Expect them to pick up 4-5 wins in February to at least keep the record from being a total disaster.
The Maryland Terrapins basketball record is currently in a valley. But if history shows us anything, this program usually finds a way to climb back out, usually behind a chip-on-the-shoulder guard from Baltimore who plays like his hair is on fire.
Keep an eye on the freshman development over these last 12 games. That will tell you more about the 2027 season than the final score of a Tuesday night game in January.