If you just looked at the final score — Georgetown 86, Maryland 74 — you might think Saturday night’s clash at Capital One Arena was a competitive, hard-fought local rivalry game. It wasn’t. The Hoyas absolutely dominated the Terrapins for roughly 35 minutes, building a lead as large as 27 points before a late, garbage-time Maryland run made the final margin look somewhat respectable.
Head Coach Ed Cooley’s squad put on an absolute clinic from beyond the arc in his fourth season at the helm, while Buzz Williams’ Terps looked completely lost on the perimeter.
Here are the biggest takeaways from Georgetown’s statement victory.
1. The 3-Point Disparity Was Jaw-Dropping
In modern college basketball, the math usually wins. On Saturday night, the math was heavily tilted toward the Hoyas. Georgetown rained down 15 three-pointers on 30 attempts (50%)—the program’s highest single-game total from deep since 2010.
Jaland Lowe (22 points) and Kayvaun Mulready (15 points) each knocked down five triples, while Elmarko Jackson added three more. Whenever Maryland tried to build momentum, a Georgetown guard hit a back-breaking three. Conversely, the Terps’ perimeter offense was broken. Maryland shot an abysmal 3-for-20 (15%) from deep, mostly settling for harried, contested looks at the end of the shot clock. You cannot get outscored by 36 points from beyond the arc and expect to win on the road.
2. Pharrel Payne Was a One-Man Wrecking Crew
If there is a silver lining for Maryland fans, it is Pharrel Payne’s absolute dominance in the paint. Payne finished with 28 points and 8 rebounds, shooting a highly efficient 10-of-14 from the floor and a perfect 8-of-8 from the charity stripe.
The problem? He had zero help for the first 35 minutes. While Payne was feasting, the rest of the Maryland roster went a combined 8-of-29 from the field in the first half. Payne was the only reason the Terps weren’t down by 30 at the break, scoring the team’s final bucket of the half to cut the deficit to 28.
3. Georgetown’s Length Dictated the Terms Early
Maryland tried to establish a physical, driving identity early on, but Georgetown’s frontcourt size completely altered the game plan. The Hoyas deployed 7-foot-1 Vincent Iwuchukwu (12 points) and 7-foot Chol Machot, who deterred shots at the rim and forced Maryland into a perimeter-oriented game they were ill-equipped to play.
Once Georgetown proved they could protect the paint, their perimeter defense pressured the ball, leading to sloppy Maryland turnovers and transition baskets the other way.
4. A Complete Backcourt Mismatch
Georgetown’s guards dictated the pace and execution from the opening tip. Jaland Lowe didn’t just score 22 points; he directed the offense beautifully with 8 assists. Elmarko Jackson chipped in 17 points, and the Hoyas’ backcourt routinely found the open man when Maryland’s defense scrambled.
On the flip side, Maryland’s guards struggled immensely to set up clean half-court sets. The Terps were outscored 22-8 over eight minutes in the first half because they couldn’t get into their offensive flow. Frustration boiled over at the start of the second half, highlighted by Maryland guard Mike McNair picking up three fouls in the first 33 seconds.
5. Don’t Let the Late Run Fool You
Maryland closed the game on a 19-6 run to trim a 25+ point deficit down to 12. Freshman Kaden House showed a nice spark, scoring all 13 of his points in the second half. But context matters. Georgetown had largely called off the dogs by that point, and the game was completely out of reach.
The Bottom Line: Georgetown (2-0) looks like a team that has bought into Ed Cooley’s system, boasting dangerous perimeter weapons and rim protection. Maryland (1-1) has serious soul-searching to do on guard play and offensive execution. Buzz Williams has to figure out how to generate spacing and clean looks for his shooters quickly—because a matchup with No. 9 Virginia is looming on Friday.
