Jan 7, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Buzz Williams looks on during the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

If there's one way to describe the Maryland men's basketball 2025 campaign, it is simple: disappointment.

In year one under head coach Buzz Williams, the Terps failed to compete in a competitive Big Ten conference that featured many teams that were a part of March Madness, including the eventual National Champion, the Michigan Wolverines.

What resulted was a program-tying worst finish, with a 12-21 overall record and a 4-16 conference record.

Many fans expressed their frustration with the one consistent factor of the Terps last season: their inconsistent play on both sides of the ball.

Even super-fan and alumnus, ESPN sportscaster Scott Van Pelt, spoke at length in an interview about how that wasn't the Maryland standard on the floor.

So why is CBS College Basketball Insider, Jon Rothstein, expressing faith in the program to turn things around in the second year under Williams? Yesterday, the Terps received the final news for their final roster construction ahead of the 2026-27 College Basketball season with the return of big man Pharrel Payne.

Despite the team's rough season last year, Payne was the Terps' best player and brightest spot when he was on the courtbringing a physical and dominant presence in the paint on both sides, which allowed him to play a bully, old-school style.

However, injuries limited Payne to only 10 games on the season, which Maryland sorely missed.

The NCAA sent Payne a waiver for a medical redshirt for last season, allowing him to return to College Park in 2026.

This was the news that Williams, his staff, and his fans had been waiting on, allowing the focus to shift towards camp throughout the summer and early fall, leading into the new season.

Let's dive a little deeper into the other factors of Rothstein's prediction for the Terps...

The No.

12 Ranked 2026 Recruiting Class Yes, that title is correct.

Among hundreds of schools across the nation, Williams and his staff secured the 12th-best incoming class, according to 247Sports.

This class features...

- Five-star forward Baba Oladotun (a top-10 player in the entire 2026 overall class) - Four-star combo guard Kaden House (the son of former NBA champion Eddie House) - Four-star forward Adama Tambedou (high energy-physical double-double machine) - Three-star forward Austin Brown (the first commitment of the Terps 2026 class) This class ushers in a new era of Terps who look to guide and lead the Terps for years to come with their dynamic, physical play that fits what head coach Williams aims to continue implementing in the program.

More Experience Within The Roster Last season, the Terps built a roster consisting of transfers who hadn't really had a real opportunity to play at their previous schools and showcase their abilities.

This led to the growing pains and struggles of the team throughout the year.

This year, Williams has opted for a more experienced group of veterans in his transfer additions who can play his physical, hard-nosed style.

Transfered Out Of Maryland | Joining The The Terps | |---|---| G Myles Rice | F Robert Jennings II | G Isaiah Watts | G Mike McNair | G Darius Adams | G DJ Wagner | G Nick Blake | G Bishop Boswell | G Jaziah Harper | F Tomislav Buljan | F Aleks Alston | F Maban Jabbriel | The common trend among the additions to Williams' second class of transfers is the size and length they bring, with no player under 6-foot-4 in this class.

Buljan was a huge pickup in the frontcourt to assist Payne.

Buljan averaged 13.1 points and 10.3 rebounds, shooting 54% from the field and even extending out to the three-point line a little at 30.8%.

Wagner and McNair provide the Terps' backcourt with shot-creating and perimeter shooting that was lacking for the Terps outside of David Coit and returning freshman standout guard Andre Mills.

Wagner had a down year last season at Arkansas, which saw a dip in minutes but saw him average 11.2 points as a sophomore.

McNair averaged a career-high 16.9 points last season, shooting 47.9 % from the field and an elite 44.4% from three.

Jennings can bring a Solomon Washington-type energy, where his athleticism and rim presence can be utilized.

Jabbriel's addition adds more shooting from outside that can hurt opposing teams out of the pick-and-roll and help a team that shot 31.7% from three (303rd nationally) vastly improve.

With that being said, Maryland's future looks bright heading into the 2026-27 season.

Hopefully, the results carry over onto the court and recapture the excitement fans had back in the 2024-25 season.

Stay up to date with the Terrapins by bookmarking Maryland On SI and follow us on Twitter.

Jaden's sports journalism career began at the College of Southern Maryland from 2022-2023, where he was brought in to cover baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball at CSM.

In late 2023, he began interning at the University of Maryland Athletics Department as a contributing writer to help develop feature stories and game recaps.

He also creates his own sports media content on professional Washington teams with LegacyMaker Sports Network.

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