By Heerah Jayakumar
Despite a shaky first half, the Terps used a strong second half to secure a win against Bucknell on Nov. 3.
This was Maryland’s 13th consecutive season opener win, and its highest-scoring opener since 2010. Fans were excited to watch a new season of the team back on the court, especially with some standout players.
“I think we have a pretty good chance [of winning],” said freshman Justin Topek, who is enrolled in letters and sciences. “This is my first time ever going to a Maryland basketball game, so I think we’ll do good.”
The Bison took the lead at times early in the first half. By the end of the half, the Terps had found their footing and went into halftime with a 14-point lead.
“We started off rocky, but we had emotion,” said senior journalism major Andrew Wilson. “They’re just getting the nerves out.”
Sophomore guard Andre Mills was a standout performer throughout the game, scoring 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Mills will be a player to look out for this season, especially given he was a redshirt freshman and started 25 of 33 games last season.
Other notable players included freshman guard Kaden House, who was all over the stat sheet with 14 points, five rebounds and two steals in his first game as a Terp. In his first game back since suffering a knee injury on Dec. 13, redshirt senior forward/center Pharrel Payne scored 13 against the Bisons and had six rebounds.
“The second half definitely went a lot better, kind of cleaned up the little sloppy turnover mistakes and transition defense,” sophomore environmental science and policy major Nick Gallo said.
Maryland’s 54-22 rebound advantage demonstrated its strong presence in the paint, with Mills and Payne playing key roles on the glass.
Maryland will face Georgetown on Nov. 7 at Capital One Arena, where it will look to carry momentum into its next matchup.
Editor’s Note: Andrew Wilson, a source interviewed for this article, has previously contributed freelance work to Stories Beneath the Shell.
Featured Image: The exterior of SECU Stadium during Spring 2026. Photo by Anika Stikeleather.