Coming off of a two-game losing streak, Maryland returns home for another tough non-conference matchup against #16 UCLA. The Bruins currently hold a record of 8-2 (2-0 Pac-12), and have won their last five games. They suffered their two losses to Illinois and Baylor during the Continental Tire Main Event tournament in mid-November. Mick Cronin is in his third season as their head coach, two years removed from that miraculous Final Four run in the NCAA Tournament. Last season, they made it to the Sweet Sixteen as a four-seed before being knocked off by North Carolina.
UCLA typically plays small, with 3-4 guards on the court the majority of the time. Senior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez, Jr. leads them in scoring, averaging 17 points per game while shooting 58% from the field. Senior Tyger Campbell is their starting point guard, averaging 13 points and 5 assists per game. They added two 5-star freshmen in their 2022 recruiting class, guard Amari Bailey and forward Adem Bona.
KenPom Rankings
- Maryland: #18 (#24 AdjO, #27 AdjD; #240 AdjT)
- UCLA: #8 (#7 AdjO, #24 AdjD; #140 AdjT)
