Opponent: Clemson Tigers (3-0)
Location: Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson, South Carolina
Tipoff: 5:00 EST, Wednesday, December 9
Last matchup: March 2, 2014 — Clemson 77-73
Last game: Maryland defeated Saint Peter’s 90-57; Clemson defeated South Carolina State 75-38
Line: Clemson -2.5 per OddsShark
TV: ESPN2 — Doug Sherman (Play-by-Play), Corey Alexander (Analyst)
Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network (105.7 FM Baltimore, 980 AM D.C., TuneIn Radio App) — Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Chris Knoche (analyst), Walt Williams (analyst)
What to watch for Maryland: Hakim Hart
Maryland will face its biggest challenge to date against the Clemson Tigers, and Hakim Hart will likely attract the spotlight heading into the game after pouring in a career-high 32 points in Maryland’s last game versus Saint Peter’s. Hart spent 28 minutes on the court in that game — by far the most in his career — and he’ll likely be given the same opportunity against Clemson after that gem of a performance. The sophomore was labeled as Maryland’s “preseason surprise,” per Jon Rothstein, and he’ll get his first chance to shine on national TV against Clemson.
Hakim Hart. Buy Stock Now. https://t.co/MWUVLXq8g6
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 4, 2020
What to watch for Clemson: Lockdown defense
Clemson has been nothing short of an elite defensive squad through its first three games, limiting opponents to a 50-point average. According to KenPom’s defensive efficiency rankings, the Tigers have the No. 10 defense in the nation. They haven’t necessarily been overwhelming on the boards, but they have proven to guard the perimeter very efficiently, as opponents have combined to shoot 29.2% from beyond the arc. Against the 15th-ranked offense in Maryland — according to KenPom — Clemson’s defense will have to keep up its efficiency in order to pick up the win.