COLLEGE PARK, MD – The Maryland men's basketball team won its final non-conference game of the season as it downed the Brown Bears, 81-67, on Thursday night at XFINITY Center. Four Terps scored at least 15 points with Eric Ayala leading the way with 22 points as Maryland moved to 8-4 overall. 

A 13-0 run spurt midway through the second half propelled the Terps to a lead they wouldn't relinquish over the final 12 minutes of the action. Maryland outscored Brown, 46-28, in the second half. 

Along with Ayala, Fatts Russell (18 points), Hakim Hart (17 points), and Donta Scott (15 points) scored in double-figures for Maryland. 

Brown (8-7) was led by Tamenang Choh, who scored 25 points. 

From The Coach

"I liked the way we bounced back in the second half. We did a great job of guarding. Hakim Hart took on the challenge of defending [Tamenang] Choh and did a tremendous job. I think in the second half we were able to go on the 13-0 run [which] gave us a little juice and lifted us. We did a good job getting to the free-throw line. That was beneficial to us because we got a lot of guys on their team in foul trouble."

Breaking Down The Action

• The Bears took a 39-35 lead into halftime, with their largest lead coming at 37-30. Choh scored 18 points for Brown, while Scott led Maryland with eight and three rebounds. 
• Scott gave the Terps its first three-pointer of the game to make the score 45-44 in favor of Brown, but an errant shot by the Bears and a fastbreak layup by Russell gave Maryland a 46-45 lead with 15:26 remaining. The Terps would use a 13-0 in total to take a 52-45 lead with 12:40 left in the game. Maryland's lead would continue to grow as they took a 71-58 lead after a layup from Ian Martinez with just under six minutes remaining. Maryland would punctuate the game with a couple of late highlight-reel dunks from Hart. 

Double-Figure Update

• Ayala (20 points) has scored in double-figures in 10 games this season and now has 61 in his career. 
• Russell (18 points) hit double-figures for the ninth time this season and 85th time in his career. 
• Hart (17 points) scored in double figures for the sixth time this season and 14th time in his career.
• Scott (15 points) scored in double-figures for the seventh time this season and 30th time in his career. 

Nifty 15

• The Terps had four players score 15 or more points for the first time since the 2020 Big Ten Championship clinching game against Michigan (3/8/20) when Anthony Cowan (20), Ayala (19), Jalen Smith (18) and Aaron Wiggins (15) all hit the 15-point mark. 

Wahab Big Boards

• Qudus Wahab posted his second double-double of the season and 11th of his career with seven points and 12 rebounds. 
• Wahab had his second game this season and 12th of his career with double-figure rebounds as he hauled down 12. 
• He had a career-high 15 rebounds vs. George Washington earlier this year, along with a season-high 18 points. 

Series History

• Maryland and Brown met for just the fourth time in series history, with the Terrapins winning all four previous meetings.
• The last meeting was on Dec. 8, 1979, as Taylor Baldwin posted 16 points and 14 rebounds and the great Albert King added 14 points of his own in a 72-59 victory at Cole Field House.

Brown Out 

• The Terps played consecutive games against teams that wear the color brown for the first time in history on the heels of Tuesday's 76-55 win over Lehigh. 
• All-time, Maryland is now 10-1 against teams that wear brown: Brown (4-0), Lehigh (3-0), Valparaiso (2-0), Wyoming (1-0) and St. Bonaventure (0-1). 

Up Next 

• The Terps will hit the road for its first Big Ten road matchup as it'll take on the Iowa Hawkeyes on Monday, Jan. 3, at 9 p.m.
• The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network and Maryland Sports Radio Network.