Maryland’s Coit Eyes Momentum After Historic 41-Point Game

David Coit delivered one of the top-scoring performances in Maryland basketball history in just his fifth game with the program, and the senior guard will look to carry that momentum into Monday night’s matchup with UNLV in the Terrapins’ opening game of the Players Era men’s tournament in Las Vegas.

Coit scored a career-high 41 points in Maryland’s 95–90 overtime victory over Mount St. Mary’s on Wednesday. The total tied for the third-highest scoring output in program history, matching performances by Gene Shue (1953), Len Bias (1986), and Greivis Vasquez (2010). Only Ernest Graham (44 in 1978) and Al Bunge (43 in 1960) have scored more for the Terps.

Coit hit 8 of 10 attempts from 3-point range, finishing one shy of Mike Jones’ school record of nine 3-pointers set on Dec. 13, 2006, against Kansas City.

“I think what was working was my teammates playing in position to score, spacing us, reading the game, making the right decisions,” Coit said. “I think it just flowed into scoring.”

His efforts included a late-tying 3-pointer that forced overtime and prevented Maryland from being upset by the Mountaineers. Coit is quickly settling into his role after previous stops at Northern Illinois and Kansas before transferring to Maryland.

“Every night it’s going to be somebody else scoring and making a play,” Coit said. “So I just try my best to make the right play. I did that for most of the time.”

Maryland (4–1) will face No. 13 Gonzaga on Tuesday before playing a third game in the event on Wednesday or Thursday.

UNLV (3–2) will meet No. 11 Alabama on Tuesday ahead of its own third opponent.

The Rebels enter the tournament on a two-game winning streak, including a 99–85 victory over Saint Joseph’s on Thursday. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn scored 20 points and leads UNLV with a 16.2 scoring average.

“That was a good win for the Rebels,” UNLV coach Josh Pastner said. “… We had to scrap, claw, kick, fight, just had to find a way. And we’ve gotten better since where we initially started at the beginning of the year.”

UNLV previously defeated Memphis 92–78 on the road before the win against Saint Joseph’s. The Rebels opened the season by dropping two of their first three games.