Alcorn State (0-8) vs. Maryland (6-1)
When: Dec. 1, 2024 | 12 PM | XFINITY CENTER
TV: BTN - Joe Malfa (pxp), Christy Winters-Scott (analyst)
Stream: One Maryland App, 105.7 FM (Baltimore), 980 AM (DC), SiriusXM channel 372
Betting: Maryland -32 | O/U: 138.5
Maryland men’s basketball is set to kick off their final tune-up game before kicking off Big Ten play later this week as head coach Kevin Willard and his team welcome Alcorn State to the Xfinity Center on Sunday afternoon. Willard is 1-0 all-time against the Braves after Maryland secured a 40-point win on Dec. 12, 2023, marking the second consecutive in the second all-time matchup.
The last matchup came back in 1989 when Tony Massenburg finished with 20 points and both Jesse Martin and Jerrod Mustaf added a double-double to lead Maryland to a 40-point win. The 1989 win marked the first of 87 consecutive wins against non-conference teams at home, a streak that ultimately lasted until Dec. 14, 2002.
Maryland has averaged 107.5 points in both games against Alcorn State, while Alcorn State has opened the season winless after being outscored by an average of 25.1 points per game through the first eight games.
Maryland will look to pick up its fourth consecutive win of the season in search of winning its 21st consecutive home game against an unranked non-conference opponent. Maryland will also do so as one of the best defensive teams nationally as they enter Sunday allowing just 58.7 points per game, which sits top ten nationally and would mark the eight-best in program history. Maryland’s 26.7-point scoring margin ranks ninth-best in D1, and that’ll have a chance to grow with Alcorn State looking to avoid their ninth consecutive loss. Brooklyn native and junior G/F Omari Hamilton leads Alcorn State averaging a team-high 9.8 points per game on 37.8% shooting from the field.
With Maryland expected to stick with its post-Marquette starting lineup heading into Sunday, while Jordan Geronimo’s status remains uncertain after missing the last three consecutive games, head coach Kevin Willard will look to see whether a sixth different player will ultimately lead the team in their final tine-up. Tafara Gapare became the fifth leading scorer after finishing with a career-high 19 points in the win vs. Bucknell.
Derik Queen also enters Sunday ranked third in program history in rookie scoring, averaging 16 points per game, as only Joe Smith (19.4) and Melo Trimble (16.2) averaged more points per game in their first seasons with the program.
Meanwhile, senior Julian Reese enters Sunday tied with Sean Mosley for 51st all-time in scoring (1,103) one point away from tying Landon Milbourne for 50th all-time and 20 points from tying Duane Simpkins for 47th all-time.
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