Buzz Williams spent the spring rebuilding Maryland men’s basketball’s roster from scratch — a process that he estimated took his staff 72,000 phone calls. The former Texas A&M coach added his first player in May, almost a month after taking the job.

The late start likely contributed to Williams’ difficulty in defining his team’s style during the preseason. Pacing the Xfinity Center sideline on Friday, surrounded by a 16,594-seat sea of gold, Williams’ identity crisis deepened.

Maryland’s inexperience and offensive ineptitude were evident in its 70-60 loss to Georgetown on Friday night. The Terps made just 13 field goals on 52 attempts, their second-fewest made shots in a game over the past decade, in Williams’ first game in College Park.

Maryland’s sellout Gold Rush student section, buoyed with an additional section behind the Hoyas’ bench, quieted as it watched the Terps miss 17 field goals in the first half, and then 21 more in the second.

“The environment got to us a little bit,” graduate guard Diggy Coit said. “Not getting in our offense, getting good shots that we wanted — we made it tough for ourselves.”

[Ahead of return to Xfinity Center, DeShawn Harris-Smith reflects on his time at Maryland]

The Terps’ offensive flaws were deeply exposed Friday.

Maryland made just four 3-pointers, converting 20 percent of its attempts. The offense recorded only four assists and only grabbed 12 offensive rebounds – a typical strength of Williams’ teams.

If it weren’t for the 35 free throws the Terps took, their final offensive numbers could have looked even more dismal.

Indiana transfer Myles Rice made his Maryland (1-1) debut after missing the season-opener against Coppin State on Monday due to an ankle injury. The 6-foot-3 guard scored a team high 19 points.

Rice, who’s expected to be Maryland’s lead guard this season, regularly touched the paint. The junior guard attempted just two shots from beyond the arc but scored 10 points off free throws, going 100 percent from the line.

He made three straight baskets late in the second half during a stretch that cut Maryland’s deficit to seven. As Maryland’s offense flopped, Rice was arguably the lone source of hope along with senior forward Pharrel Payne (17 points, 2-7 FGs, 13-15 FTs).

“[Rice’s] IQ is high,” Williams said. “His speed changes our team, whether we’re trying to play fast or not. But offensively, Maryland needs to play with as low a turnover rate as possible.”

[Maryland women’s basketball’s energetic youth could provide extra depth this season]

Fueled by its press and uncontested transition looks, Georgetown (2-0) jumped out to an 11-0 advantage. The Hoyas drew three fouls and forced three Maryland turnovers during that stretch.

The Terps were held to just 27 first-half points, a dramatic dropoff from their 40-point average that ranked eighth in the nation under Kevin Willard last season.

Georgetown transfer DeShawn Harris-Smith returned to College Park after playing for Maryland for two seasons. The 6-foot-5 guard, met with choruses of boos after checking and touching the ball, made life hard for Maryland’s guards along the perimeter.

Perimeter creation is likely going to be a consistent issue for the Terps this season. That’s why entering the home opener, Williams emphasized a need for the Terps to control possessions.

And while Payne logged a game-high 11 rebounds, the Hoyas outrebounded the Terps, 41-40.

After dominating the offensive glass against a smaller Coppin State team Monday, the Terps failed to gain second-chance looks off rushed rim attacks down the stretch.

“We didn’t handle their physicality very well,” Williams said. “I’m not a genie, but I do think that we have to defend without fouling more, and we have to play with the shot selection … we’ve got to continue to coach them, teach them and hold them accountable.”