After a 3-0 start to their regular season, Maryland hits the road this weekend to take part in the 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament in Uncasville, CT. In their first game, they'll face off against Saint Louis, who's also started off with a 3-0 record. The Billikens are fresh off of a big 90-84 win over Memphis on Tuesday night, and are the best team in this tournament. Travis Ford is in his sixth season as their head coach, and led them to a 23-12 (12-6 Atlantic 10) record last year. They haven't been to the NCAA Tournament since 2019, but expectations are very high for this year's team.
The team is led by sophomore shooting guard Gibson Jimerson, a Richmond, VA native who's averaging just under 19 points per game and is shooting 46% from beyond the arc. Junior point guard Yuri Collins is averaging a double-double of 14 points and 12 assists per game. This may be a game where you see Maryland go small more often than not, with senior forwards Francis Okra and Jake Forrester being their biggest players at 6'9". Maryland's defense has been excellent so far this season, but they'll be fully put to the test as this is one of the best offenses they'll see all year.
Maryland will play either Miami (FL) or Providence on Sunday afternoon, depending on the outcomes of each first round game.
KenPom Rankings
- Maryland: #46 (#52 AdjO, #37 AdjD; #270 AdjT)
- Saint Louis: #32 (#13 AdjO, #78 AdjD; #75 AdjT)