UCLA @ Maryland preview
XFINITY Center
Last Meeting ( Dec 22, 2023 ) Maryland 69, UCLA 60
It hasn't been a happy new year so far for Maryland and No. 22 UCLA.
With two Big Ten Conference losses each since the calendar flipped, the Terrapins (11-4, 1-3) and Bruins (11-4, 2-2) are looking to regain their previous form when they meet Friday night in College Park, Md.
While clean-shaven coaches Kevin Willard of Maryland and Mick Cronin of UCLA have a similar appearance on the sidelines, their defeats in 2025 also have borne resemblance.
In each team's last two losses, the Terrapins and Bruins have held leads in the second half before faltering.
The coaches even sounded alike after their most recent setbacks.
"We have to come up with rebounds late in the game. It's two games in a row," Willard said after Maryland lost at then-No. 9 Oregon, 83-79, on Sunday.
Cronin waxed similarly on Tuesday night after No. 24 Michigan hammered UCLA, 94-75, in Los Angeles.
"We finally do get a stop and can't get a defensive rebound," said Cronin, who also called his team "soft" and "delusional."
UCLA was flying high when it toppled then-No. 14 Gonzaga, 65-62, on Dec. 28. With a resume that included wins over Arizona and Oregon, the Bruins vaulted to a No. 15 ranking.
But UCLA opened January with a 66-58 loss at Nebraska, followed by its collapse against Michigan. In the defeats, the Bruins were out-rebounded by a combined 74-61. They also shot just 12.5 percent (6 of 48) from 3-point range.
Against Michigan, UCLA gave up 18 more points than it had in a game this season. It allowed 61.5 percent shooting from the floor and 53.6 percent (15 of 28) from 3-point range.
"I have to run on the court to get guys to play hard. It's crazy. And it's every day. I'm tired of it," Cronin said. "I have the most energy of everybody at practice every day. I'm upset with everybody in that locker room, my assistant coaches and my players."
UCLA's top scorer Tyler Bilodeau has remained effective during the mini-swoon, scoring a combined 32 points on 14-of-24 shooting with 10 rebounds in the two losses.
However, Sebastian Mack, Eric Dailey Jr. and Dylan Andrews have missed all 18 of their combined attempts from deep in the two defeats.
Maryland is coming off a tough West Coast road trip. In addition to its loss at Oregon, the Terrapins fell 75-69 at Washington on Jan. 2.
The Terps led by as many as nine points against the Huskies and by 13 versus the Ducks. But fading in the second half has been a disturbing pattern. In each of their four losses, they were up at the break.
"I'm looking at that starting lineup and they start games really well but what I'm kind of noticing is that when we come out of halftime is that group is really struggling," Willard said.
Each of the starters for Maryland is averaging at least 11.9 points per game, including frontcourt players Derik Queen (16.0) and Julian Reese (13.0).
Belmont transfer Ja'Kobi Gillespie contributes 13.0 points and a team-high 4.1 assists per game. He also leads the Terrapins with 33 treys, while Selton Miguel and Rodney Rice have made 29 each.
UCLA leads the series 7-3, with the teams splitting games the last two seasons, each winning on the other's home floor.
--Field Level Media