Takeaways from Maryland men’s basketball’s 85-70 exhibition win over Georgia Tech

Maryland men’s basketball took the floor for the first time in exactly seven months, opening its 2026-27 season with an exhibition game against Georgia Tech. Despite 10 players making their unofficial debut, the Terps came out hot.

Maryland started on an 8-0 run and led by as many as 27 points in the second half before the Terps took their foot off the gas. Pharrel Payne poured in a game-high 16 points to help fuel Maryland to an 85-70 rout of Georgia Tech.

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Here are three takeaways from the game.

Freshman class showcases potential

While Baba Oladotun was the prized recruit in Williams’ 2026 freshman class haul, he wasn’t named to the starting lineup. Instead, three-star forward Austin Brown was Maryland’s lone freshman to earn the start.

But Kaden House, the No. 48-ranked recruit, was the standout performer Sunday, making his presence known off the bench. House had a team-high nine points in the first half and was a sparkplug defensively.

The 6-foot-3 guard used his active hands to force two of Maryland’s 13 steals. House took both turnovers himself, going coast-to-coast for a pair of easy transition buckets. But his physical presence came with a consequence — he had five personal fouls.

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“I feel like my defense really made my offense,” House said. “I got to not reach as much and just be more solid.”

House’s offensive versatility was impressive. He shot 5-of-7 from the field and nailed both of his 3-point looks for a 14-point performance in just 14 minutes. House got downhill frequently, earning four free-throw attempts.

Oladotun wasn’t as impressive statistically. He finished with a 20% field goal percentage and only made four of his nine attempts at the charity stripe. But Oladotun’s length created problems for Georgia Tech’s offense, generating two steals.

Despite not appearing until nine minutes into the second half, Adama Tambedou’s short stint was memorable. Tambedou shot an efficient 3-of-5 from the floor, showcasing his ability to knock down looks…

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Publish date : 2026-10-12 16:12:00

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