Maryland head coach Buzz Williams is searching for a "marriage" between his team’s offensive and defensive identities as the Terrapins struggle to find consistency amid a flurry of injuries and lineup changes. Following a 30-point loss to 12th-ranked Purdue at the Xfinity Center on Sunday, Williams spoke on how he has utilized 10 different starting lineups this season. The Terps (8-13, 1-9 Big Ten) struggled to contain the Boilermakers’ perimeter shooting and were dominated on the glass, giving up 11 offensive rebounds in a lopsided first half.
Williams is involved in an ongoing data-collection phase as he searches for a spark. "If you’ve done 10 different starting lineups, it’s obvious that you’re trying to still sort through and figure out different ways you can find the spark," Williams said Monday during his weekly appearance on 105.7 The Fan. He noted that the team is currently struggling with a "marriage" of offensive and defensive efficiencies, admitting that the coaching staff has yet to figure out the right groupings to balance the two.
Despite the mounting losses, Williams praised his players' resolve, noting that six student-athletes were in the facility for voluntary workouts on Monday morning despite it being their scheduled off-day. While he criticized the team's "moxie" during a recent second-half collapse at Michigan State, Williams insisted the locker room remains unified. The Terrapins are currently preparing for a heavy slate of conference play, including a home matchup Thursday against Ohio State and a road trip to Minnesota next Sunday.
The focus now shifts to Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton, whom Williams credited for creating "gravity" on the floor that opens up shots for Ohio State's perimeter shooters. With a road trip to Minneapolis looming on Super Bowl Sunday, Williams remains buried in film rather than football festivities. "I don’t look at the internet once we start practice," Williams said, adding that he relies on his graduate assistants to print out articles for him to read on the treadmill to keep up with the outside world.