Florida A&M (0-2) at Maryland (2-0)
When: Monday, Nov. 11, 2024 | 7:00 PM | Xfinity Center
Stream: BTN+ | Nathan Schwartz, Jack Bowman, Ryan Martin
Radio: 105.7 FM (Baltimore) | 980 AM (DC) | SiriusXM channel 385
Maryland men’s basketball will hit the court for their third tune-up game before welcoming Marquette to College Park as Maryland welcomes FAMU to campus for the first meeting since 2006. Maryland secured a 39-point win in the last matchup, while head coach Kevin Willard is 1-0 all-time against them.
They’ll take on a Florida A&M team in search of their first win after falling to TCU and SMU last week by a combined 73 points. Led by first-year head coach Patrick Crarey II, a DC native, Florida A&M has shot under 35% from the field and 28% from deep through two games. Sterling Young is one of two players averaging double figures entering Monday, averaging 15.5 points on 35.5% shooting, while Jordan Chatman is coming off a 13-point performance in 24 minutes vs. SMU. Chatman is one of just five returners for the Rattlers in 2024-25, while guard Milton Matthews followed Crarey from St. Thomas University after being named an All-Sun First Team selection last season.
As for Maryland, they’ll look to move to 3-0 as the Terps look for its 18th consecutive win against unranked non-conference opponents while securing their 12th consecutive home non-conference win.
After Derik Queen stole the headlines with the first 20/20 game in program history since Joe Smith in 31 years in the season opener, it was the Rodney Rice show on Friday after the former DeMatha guard poured in 26 of his career-high 28 points in the first half. Ja’Kobi Gillespie added another 13 as the two transfer additions helped the offense stretch the floor by adding six of the team’s nine threes, helping Maryland ride a 29-5 run over the middle eight minutes of the first half to put the game away early. Selton Miguel, meanwhile, scored his first points as a Terp after posting 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting in 22 minutes.
Julian Reese, who suited up in his 100th career game on Friday night, enters Monday 16th all-time in rebounds (705) and just ten away from tying Albert King to move up in the record books.
Though the sample size is small, the Terps’ defense has been among the best in the nation as Willard’s team have been able to mix in their fullcourt and halfcourt press through two games. Maryland’s adjusted defensive efficiency ranks sixth nationally while the defense ranks top-25 in five other categories, according to KenPom.
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