Preview: Maryland basketball set to open Players Era Tournament vs. UNLV

Ahmed Ghafir
3 days ago
3 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Maryland (4-1) vs. UNLV (3-2)

When & Where: November 25, 2025 | 12:00 AM EST | MGM Grand Garden Arena

TV: TNT | Spere Dedes, Greg Anthony, Jared Greenberg

Radio: 105.7 FM (Baltimore) | 980 AM (DC) | SiriusXM channel 381

Betting: Maryland -2.5 | O/U: 161.5 (DraftKings)

After escaping against Mount St. Mary’s on Wednesday night, Maryland men’s basketball is ready for the biggest week of the nonconference slate with the Players Era Championship Tournament set to begin on Monday.

Though the game tipsoff at midnight on the East Coast, Monday marks the first of three games this week with UNLV up first before facing Gonzaga the next day. Monday’s late-night meeting marks the first meeting between the two since Len Bias scored a game-high 31 points in a 70-64 loss in the 1986 NCAA Tournament.

After stints at Memphis and Georgia Tech, Josh Pastner is in his first season as UNLV’s head coach with a virtually brand-new roster as sophomore forward Jacob Bannarbie marks the only returning player on the roster. UNLV signed eight transfers, along with forward Walter Brown who played professionally in the NBL for the last five seasons, in addition to a two-man high school recruiting class. UNLV was picked to finish sixth in the preseason Mountain West standings with High Point forward transfer Kimani Hamilton was the lone selection to the All-Conference team.

Slowing down UNLV’s offense

UNLV has scored at least 81 points in every regular season game, including at least 92 in wins, as they enter the week ranked inside the top-30 nationally in scoring offense. Maryland enters the week allowing the second-most points among Big Ten teams, second to a USC team days removed from a 3OT buzzer-beater.

Freshman guard Isaac Williamson and Illinois transfer Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn have led UNLV in scoring, accounting for over 35% of the team’s scoring, while four others enter Monday averaging double figures in Kimani Hamilton (14.0 ppg), Howie Fleming Jr. (11.2), Naas Cunningham (10.4 ppg), and Tyrin Jones (10.2 ppg).

They've done so while shooting over 50% from the field in three games and finished just shy of shooting 46% from the field in a 14-point win vs. Saint Joseph's, but a big part of their success has been similar to Maryland - at the free-throw line. UNLV is averaging over 35 free throw attempts after attempting a season-high 49 in their latest win, while they enter the week ranked top five nationally with 25.2 free throws made per game – roughly one fewer than Maryland per game in 2025-26.

Can Maryland win the boards?

It’s been a sore spot for Maryland to open the season, a surprising weakness for a Buzz Williams-led team, though the team’s health plays into that.

Still, Maryland has allowed double digit offensive boards in four of five games and have been outrebounded in three of their last four.

UNLV has won the rebounding margin in four of their five games this season and are coming off a season-high 58 rebounds, including 25 offensive, in a 99-85 win vs. Saint Joseph’s. UNLV has four players 6-foot-7 or taller who average at least 20 minutes per game and five players averaging at least five rebounds, serving as the biggest test for the frontcourt to-date. Will Collin Metcalf, who head coach Buzz Williams noted needs the senior “to continue to carve out a distinct role on our team,” be able to get comfortable and provide those minutes at the five in Las Vegas?

Who returns for Maryland?

Monday update on injuries

While Maryland has had to piece together lineups through the bulk of the first five games of the season, all eyes are on the return of the big three still sidelined: Myles Rice, Pharrel Payne, Solomon Washington. While no official word has been released, the buzz points to Rice being in line to return with both Payne and Washington potentially making their return onto the court this week, marking a potential debut for Washington who was pictured on Sunday practicing with the team. While Rice shone in his lone appearance this season with a team-high 19 points vs. Georgetown, the biggest surprise is Payne, who appeared to suffer a gruesome injury after being stretched off the floor in the road win vs. Marquette.

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