Diggy Coit Scores 43 points as Maryland Beats Penn State, 96-73.

Diggy Coit scored an XFINITY Center record 43 points as Maryland won its first conference game of the season by defeating Penn State 96-73 on Sunday afternoon. Coit’s scoring output was one point shy of Maryland’s school record set by Ernie Graham (44 points) on December 20, 1978, against North Carolina State.

Penn State (9-9, 0-7 Big Ten) started the game scoring with a three-point basket, and Penn State jumped out to an early 9-4 lead until Diggy Coit answered with a three-pointer and a three-point play to put the Terps by a point, and Elijah Saunders scored a three-pointer to cap off a 9-0 run. Maryland led 16-13 at the first media timeout. After the timeout, Andre Mills hit a three-pointer to put Maryland up by six.

Freddie Dilione V answered back with a three-pointer as the pace flowed smoothly between both teams, with Coit carrying the offense and Saunders hitting another three-pointer as Maryland led 28-20 at the second media timeout. Coit continued with his torrid first half with a three-point play as Maryland continued to build on its advantage as its lead grew to 12 and then to 21 towards the end of the half as Penn State was helpless to stop Maryland’s barrage of treys.

Maryland led 56-26 at halftime as Coit scored 30 first-half points with six first-half three-pointers. Maryland as a team shot 11 for 17 from the free-throw line. Maryland also outrebounded Penn State 23-12 in the first half.

Ernie Graham scored 44 points on December 20, 1978, against North Carolina State.

Penn State started to chip away at its sizable deficit as Maryland seemed to take its foot off the gas coming out of halftime, with Penn State going on a 13-4 run to start the second half. After the media timeout, Penn State cut into the lead even further with baskets by Kayden Mingo and Josh Reed to cut the margin to 14 at 60-46 at the 13:03 mark of the second half. Penn State continued to chip away at the lead as Maryland went over six minutes without a field goal before a three-pointer by Andre Mills snapped the scoring drought, followed by a layup by Mills as Maryland retook control of the game, as Coit took over and helped Maryland pull away.

Maryland finished 18 for 34 on three-pointers (Coit went 9 for 15), while Penn State went 9 for 24 from long range, and Maryland outrebounded Penn State 39-21.

Saunders added 16 points, and Darius Adams scored 14 points (8-11, 1-6 Big Ten). Solomon Washington had six points and a game-high 11 rebounds for Maryland. Mingo led Penn State with 19 points and a game-high five assists, followed by Dominick Stewart with 17 points. Eli Rice scored 13 points, and Josh Reed scored 10 points for PSU.

Penn State will host Wisconsin on Thursday evening, while Maryland will travel to Illinois on Wednesday night.