Box Score LOS ANGELES, CA – Jahmir Young had a career night as Maryland head coach
Kevin Willard won his 300th game and the Terrapins won at UCLA, 69-60, on Friday night at Pauley Pavilion. The Terps (8-4) have now won four games in a row overall. The victory was Maryland's first-ever at UCLA.
Willard became the fifth active coach in the Big Ten to reach the 300-win threshold and the Terps picked up their first road win of the season. Maryland avenged its, 87-60, loss against UCLA on Dec. 12, 2022, which was its worst margin of defeat while playing at the XFINITY Center. However, it was also the last time Maryland lost at the XFINITY Center. The Terps have won 18 home games in a row since that defeat – the fourth-longest streak in the nation.
UCLA had no answers for
Jahmir Young who carried the Terps with a career-high 37 points, scoring 23 in the first half alone. He was also incredibly efficient going 13-of-19 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range. He scored the most points in a game by a Terp since Diamond Stone had 39 vs. Penn State on Dec. 30, 2015.
Young went 0-of-8 from the floor and was neutralized to just three points in the last matchup against UCLA - his lowest scoring performance as a Terp. However, he responded with a career performance.
Donta Scott added 17 points and tied the program record for career games played (141) alongside Juan Dixon and Jake Layman. He will have the opportunity to set the new record on Dec. 28 when the Terps return from the holiday break to host Coppin State.
Maryland led by as many as 20 points three minutes into the second half. UCLA clawed back to make it a one point game but the Terps first half dominance was too much to overcome.
The Terps defense held UCLA to 1-of-14 from beyond the arc and just 31.5 percent from the floor.
The Bruins (5-6) suffered their fourth loss in a row. Sebastian Mack was the leading scorer for UCLA with 17 points.
UCLA will be a future Big Ten opponent for Maryland when it joins the conference in 2024.
Coach Willard's Take
"[Jahmir Young] was phenomenal. He had it going early, he felt it. He made some great reads early on coming off down screens. I think he saw that first one go in and you could see his eyes, he really wanted the basketball. At the end of the game we really needed a bucket, and with Julian [Reese] out we put the ball in his hands and he made some big plays."
Jahmir Young on Helping Lead the Team to the Victory
"Just remembering that feeling from last year. We haven't won a road game this year so I really wanted to help lead these young guys and this team. I just wanted to go out and play as hard as I could. We have a break for a few days, so I wanted to go out there and leave it all out on the floor."
Breaking Down the Action
- The Terps took an early lead as Jahmir Young scored the first eight points at the first media timeout. He went 3-3 from the floor while knocking down two 3-pointers.
- There were 15 total fouls called in the first 10 minutes. Maryland allowed UCLA to reach the bonus at the 11:21 mark, but the Terps held a 18-10 advantage after Young converted an and-one.
- Young and Jordan Geronimo knocked down back-to-back threes to give the Terps a 13 point lead. Young's 16 points was more than UCLA's entire team with eight minutes to play in the first.
- Young remained on fire and connected on his fourth straight 3-pointer without a miss to give Maryland a 33-19 lead with 6:08 to play. He reached 20+ points in just 12 minutes of action.
- The Terps entered halftime with a 43-28 lead. Maryland's offense exploded, knocking down 7-12 threes in the half. Young led the way with 23 points while missing just one shot from the field.
- Donta Scott opened the second half with a 3-pointer to make him the second Terp to reach double figures. A jumpshot by Young a few minutes later gave Maryland a 20 point lead.
- UCLA cut the lead to 10 points midway through the second half while the Terps were in the middle of a five minute scoring drought. The Bruins also engineered a 12-2 run over that period.
- UCLA continued to cut the lead and with 7:25 remaining the Terps only led by six points. Maryland didn't score from the floor for over eight minutes and were outclassed in the paint.
- Maryland led by only two points with 5:27 remaining after going 10 minutes without a made field goal.
- Young scored five points in the final two minutes to seal the victory.
Mr. 300
- Maryland head coach Kevin Willard won his 300th game as a head coach.
- He is the fifth active coach in the Big Ten to reach that career mark.
- He is now 30-17 as head coach at Maryland in his second season at the helm of the Terrapins.
- Prior to Maryland, we went 225-161 at Seton Hall from 2010-22. He won 45 games as head coach at Iona from 2007-10.
Double-Figure Factors
- Jahmir Young (37 points) dropped double-figures for the 117th time in his career and the 11th time in 12 games and seventh game in a row this season.
- Donta Scott (17 points) tallied double-figures for the 70th time in his career and fifth time this season.
Fear The Jahmir
- Young's 37 points were the most by a Terp since since Diamond Stone scored 39 vs. Penn State on Dec. 30, 2015.
- With 37 points in the game, Jahmir Young added to his career scoring total and now has 2,206 points. He is the second-leading active scorer in the nation behind Texas' Max Abmas (2,740).
- It was his sixth game with 20-plus points this season and 47th in his career, the most among all active Big Ten players.
- Young is the only active player in the nation with 2,000+ points, 600+ rebounds and 400 assists as he has 2,206 points, 670 rebounds and 415 assists.
- Young had his consecutive streak of made free throws end at 39 in a row as he missed his sixth free throw attempt of the game, which would have tied him with Juan Dixon for the school record at 40.
- Young's 23 first-half points marked the first time since a Terp scored 20 or more in the first half since Julian Reese scored 22 in the first half at Coppin State last season (Nov. 25, 2022). It was also just the fourth 20-point first half performance since the 2013-14 season.
Most Points By a Terrapins' Player in True Road Game
Grevis Vasquez - 41 Points at Virginia Tech (2/27/2010)
Len Bias - 41 Points at Duke (1/25/1986)
Joe Smith - 40 Points at Duke (3/1/1995)
Walt Williams - 38 Points at Florida State (2/5/1992)
Jahmir Young - 37 at UCLA (12/22/23)
Young Comes Up Just Shy Of Maryland Free Throw Record
- With Young making his first five free throw attempts of the game, he came within one of the school record of 40 held by Juan Dixon (in 2001-02). Young made 39 in a row before missing his sixth attempt with 9:36 left in the second half.
- Young's mark of 39 is the third-longest streak among Big Ten players since 2018-19. Only Ohio State's CJ Walker (45 in a row from 2020-21) and Michigan's Isaiah Livers (42 in a row from 2019-20).
Scott Climbing the Charts
- After scoring 17 points, Donta Scott increased his career total to 1,437 points, moving him to No. 21 all-time as he passed longtime NBA player Jake Layman (1,436, 2012-16). Next on the list at No. 20 is Eric Ayala (1,449, 2018-22).
- Scott grabbed six rebounds to increase his career total to 766 rebounds, good for No. 12 all-time. Next up is Ekene Ibekwe who grabbed 781 boards from 2003-07.
- Scott played in his 141st career game as a Terp tying for the school record for games played with Jake Layman (2012-16) and Juan Dixon (1998-2002) both also played 141 games. Scott also started his 126th career game which ranks third-most in program history. The school record is 136 by Steve Blake (1999-2003).
West Coasters
- The Terps have now won five of their last six games in the state of California, winning those two games in the 2001 NCAA Tournament and two NCAA Tournament games in Sacramento in 1998 followed by a loss in the NCAA Regional Semifinal in Anaheim.
- Prior to Friday, the last time the Terps played on the West Coast came in the 2016 NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds as Maryland beat South Dakota State and Hawaii in Spokane, Washington on March 18 and 20, 2016.
- Before Friday, the last time Maryland played a regular-season game on the West Coast was on Dec. 9, 1995 when the Terps dropped a 73-63 decision to UCLA in the John Wooden Classic in Anaheim, California.
- The last time Maryland played a true road game in California or on the West Coast was on Dec. 29, 1981, a 90-57 loss at UCLA at Pauley Pavilion.
- The last time Maryland played in the state of California came as the Terps won the 2001 NCAA West Regional in Anaheim, beating Georgetown and Stanford (March 22 & 24) advancing to the Final Four for the first time in program history.
Numbers To Know
- 23: Jahmir Young scored 23 points in the first half, his most points in a half in his career.
- 39: Jahmir Young saw his consecutive made free throws in a row, streak end at 39.
- 37: Young's point total is the most by a Terp since Diamond Stone scored 39 on Dec. 30, 2015.
- 117: Jahmir Young scored in double-figures for the 117th time in his career.
- 141: Donta Scott played his 141st game as a Terp to tie for the school record for games played.
- 300: Head Coach Kevin Willard won his 300th career game. Thirty of those wins have come at Maryland.
Up Next
- Maryland returns home to the XFINITY Center for an in-state matchup against its final non-conference opponent with Coppin State on Thursday, Dec. 28. The game will tip-off at 7 p.m., and will be televised on BTN and aired on Maryland Sports Network.
