The Terps look to bounce back after consecutive disheartening road losses.
Maryland men’s basketball’s West Coast road trip didn’t go as planned.
Back-to-back close losses to Washington and No. 15 Oregon put the Terps at 1-3 against conference opponents, well behind the 8-ball in the Big Ten standings. They’ve got a hole to dig themselves out of starting Friday, when they return to Xfinity Center to take on No. 22 UCLA.
Maryland is 9-1 at home, with its only loss coming by just four points to No. 7 Marquette. It will need to find some of that home-court magic to secure its first ranked win of the year.
Friday’s contest will tip off at 8 p.m. and broadcast on Fox.
UCLA Bruins (11-4, 2-2 Big Ten)
2023-24 record: 16-17, 10-10 Big Ten
The Bruins find themselves in a similar situation to Maryland. They started the year hot against a largely weak nonconference schedule, before losing three of their last four to North Carolina, Nebraska and No. 24 Michigan — the latter by 19 points at home.
Beating the Terps is crucial for UCLA to regain momentum heading into the bulk of its Big Ten schedule. It’s got the talent to make some noise in the conference, already having stacked wins over Oregon and No. 18 Gonzaga this season. Key transfers have overhauled a roster that went just 16-17 in 2023-24.
And if anyone’s qualified to get the team on the right track, it’s Bruins head coach Mick Cronin. Cronin has led the Bruins to two Sweet 16’s and a Final Four during his tenure in Pasadena, and previously took Cincinatti to six consecutive dances.
Players to know
Tyler Bilodeau, junior forward, 6-foot-9, No. 34 — Bilodeau transferred from Oregon State this past offseason and immediately slotted in as the Bruins’ top offensive weapon. He leads them with 14.7 points per game, shooting 50.3% from the field on 11.4 attempts per game. Bilodeau has eclipsed 20 points in three games this season, including 26 in UCLA’s loss to North Carolina.
Kobe Johnson, senior guard, 6-foot-6, No. 0 — The USC transfer is a versatile two-way threat that the Bruins rely on for a lot. He is big for a guard and can slot into plenty of different positions depending on the look Cronin wants. Johnson — the brother of Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson — is averaging just 7.8 points per game, but he’s the team leader in assists (3.3), rebounds (5.8) and steals (2.1) per game.
Eric Dailey Jr., sophomore forward, 6-foot-8, No. 3 — Yet another player the Bruins brought in from the portal, Dailey spent his freshman year at Oklahoma State. He’s started all but one game this season and is averaging UCLA’s second-most points per game (11.5), while also contributing 4.4 rebounds per game and 1.4 steals per game.
Strength
Defense. The Bruins have limited opponents to a Big Ten-low 61.5 points per game, tied for the 11th-best mark in the country. That average is partially skewed by a weak nonconference slate — they held Lehigh, Boston University, CSU Fullerton and Southern Utah to less than 50 points — but UCLA has also showed out against high-majors in Washington (58 points allowed), Arizona (54 points allowed) and No. 18 Gonzaga (62 points allowed). Its 9.1 steals per game ranks second in the Big Ten.
Weakness
Rebounding. Despite the Bruins’ defensive prowess, they haven’t been successful bringing in boards this season. Their 34.1 rebounds per game this season are fourth-fewest in the Big Ten, and their 23.1 defensive rebounds per game are the fewest.
Three things to watch
1. Back at Xfinity Center. The Terps are back in friendly confines for the first time in 2025. Their only Big Ten win came in College Park in blowout fashion against Ohio State. Looking to bounce back from a disheartening road stretch, Maryland will need the support of its home crowd.
2. Can Ja’Kobi Gillespie find his form? Gillespie has been a bright spot for Maryland this season but put forth two of his worst performances of the season on the road trip. He scored just one point and fouled out against Washington. And while he recorded 16 points against Oregon, his offensive presence and defense was noticeably off. The Terps need Gillespie at his best against yet another ranked opponent in UCLA.
3. Potential for first ranked win. The Terps play just two more currently-ranked opponents at home: UCLA Wednesday and Michigan State on Feb. 26. A win over a top-25 program is crucial for Maryland’s national standing entering March, and the Bruins present a strong chance to obtain one.