The Maryland men’s basketball team will host Butler in the 2017 Gavitt Games, the annual competition that pits Big Ten programs against Big East schools, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.
Last year, the Terps earned the No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament but lost to Xavier in the first round. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, were the No. 4 seed and advanced to the Sweet 16 before falling, 92-80, to eventual champion North Carolina.
In ESPN’s way-too-early top-25 rankings for the upcoming campaign, Butler is listed at No. 19. Maryland, which lost guard Melo Trimble to the 2017 NBA Draft, did not receive a place in the rankings.
But the Terps return rising sophomore guards Anthony Cowan and Kevin Huerter, who finished third and fourth, respectively, on the team in scoring last season.
Plus, they’ll bring back forward Justin Jackson if he doesn’t enter the draft. In his first year in College Park, Jackson averaged 10.5 points per game and led the squad with six rebounds per contest.
Maryland is 2-0 all-time in the Gavitt Games, with both victories coming against Georgetown. In 2015, the Terps beat the Hoyas, 75-71, at Xfinity Center. Last season, they came from behind to earn a 76-75 victory at Verizon Center sealed by a late block from Huerter.
Butler won its only ever game in the Gavitt Games against Northwestern last season en route to its third straight 20 win campaign.
