Preview, how to watch Maryland basketball’s nonconference finale on Saturday

After having Christmas week off, the Maryland men’s basketball team returns to the XFINITY Center for its final game of the 2024 calendar year and its nonconference finale.

The Terps (10-2, 1-1 Big Ten) welcome Maryland Eastern Shore (4-11, 0-0 MEAC) to College Park on Saturday. It is the first meeting between the two foes since Nov. 12, 2017, a 96-43 win for the Terps. Maryland has never lost to UMES, leading the all-time series, 18-0.

Maryland is coming off an 87-60 win over Syracuse in Brooklyn, New York, last Saturday, a game where the Terps totally dominated. Selton Miguel had 24 points and hit six three-pointers, Ja’Kobi Gillespie had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Julian Reese had 11 points and 13 rebounds and Derik Queen had 11 points.

Maryland’s starting five of Gillespie, Rodney Rice, Miguel, Queen and Reese ranks as the sixth-best in the country, per EvanMiya. Maryland also leads the country in “killshots” (also known as 10-0 runs), according to EvanMiya.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch, follow and listen to the game.

Tipoff: Noon on Saturday, Dec. 28 at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Maryland

TV: Big Ten Network – Joe Malfa (play-by-play), Christy-Winters Scott (analyst)

Streaming: FOX Sports

Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network, 105.7FM (Baltimore), 980AM (D.C.) – Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Chris Knoche (analyst), Walt Williams (analyst), Tom Marchitto (engineer)

Live Stats: Link

Betting Line: Maryland -39.5, O/U 151.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)

KenPom.com Line: Maryland -34

The Hawks are led by first-year coach Cleo Hill, Jr., who spent the previous six seasons as Winston-Salem State’s head coach. They are ranked No. 359 at KenPom and No. 361 in the NET.

UMES has yet to beat a Division I opponent this season. The Hawks have won their last two games, an 81-64 win over Cairn (Division III) on Dec. 16 and a 91-65 win over Bryn Athyn (Division III) on Dec. 14. They also own a 96-77 win over Penn State Schuylkill (USCAA Division II) and 113-58 win over Gallaudet (Division III).

UMES has played four high-major opponents this season: Vanderbilt, Illinois, Arkansas and UConn. It has lost those four games by an average margin of 53.5 points, including a 74-point loss to Arkansas.

Ketron “KC” Shaw is UMES’ leading scorer at 19.5 points per game. The 6-foot-5 guard also averages 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 47.8% from the field and 37.5% from three. Shaw followed Hill from Winston-Salem State.

Point guard Evan Johnson is another transfer, playing last season at UNC Asheville and the previous three at Georgia State. Johnson is UMES’ second-leading scorer at 13.2 points per game, and he also averages 2.7 rebounds and three assists per game. Johnson is shooting 47% from the field and 37.7% from deep.

Point guard Hassan Perkins, 6-foot-8 junior power forward Christopher Flippin and 6-foot-9 freshman forward Maurice Vassel joined Shaw and Johnson in the Hawks’ most recent starting five. Perkins, who stands at 6-foot and was named NJCAA All-American while playing at Hagerstown Community College last season, is averaging 3.8 points per game. Flippin, another NJCAA All-American who played at Highland Community College last season, is averaging 10.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Vassel is averaging 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.

Eleven other Hawks are averaging double-digit minutes per game, and plenty are transfers. Junior guard Cardell Bailey comes from Navarro College, forward Jalen Ware from Austin Peay, Jose Cuello from the College of the Sequoias and Lawrence Foreman from St. Thomas Aquinas. Kyrell Shaw and Ralph Martino Jr. are freshman contributors.

The game against UMES just serves as one last opportunity to work on things before Big Ten play for Maryland. While it will not be a season-changing win by any means, it could be the one that pushes Maryland from No. 26 to No. 25 in the AP poll if any ranked opponents lose.

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