Maryland wasn't supposed to be too good this season under first-year coach Kevin Willard — evidence being that the Terrapins were projected to finish 10th in the Big Ten and ranked 56th at KenPom.com two weeks ago.
Expectations were … modest.
But we're now 14 days into the 2022-23 college basketball season and Maryland is arguably the sport's biggest pleasant surprise. The Terps are 5-0 with five double-digit victories. They beat Saint Louis 95-67 on Saturday. They beat Miami 88-70 on Sunday. They've jumped 34 spots at KenPom.com in a span of just five games and are now 25th in the updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings.
The statistical star so far is Donta Scott. The 6-foot-8 senior is averaging a career-high 16.8 points and a career-high 6.8 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game. He's shooting a career-high 52.5% from the field, a career-high 47.4% from beyond the arc and a career-high 84.6% from the free-throw line after averaging 24.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in the wins over Saint Louis and Miami that lifted Maryland to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Tip-off Tournament championship.
"I think we still have a long way to go," Willard said while discussing the Terrapins' 5-0 start. "I mean, we're good. We have great players. But … they're still trying to learn this system and still trying to get comfortable."
Next up for Maryland is Friday's game with Coppin State. Then comes a trip to Louisville on Nov. 29 that'll be followed by the Big Ten opener against Illinois on Dec. 2.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Tyrese Hunter finished with 26 points and three rebounds in Wednesday's 93-74 win over Gonzaga. The Longhorns' next game is Monday against Northern Arizona. | -- | 21-13 |
| 2 |  | Armando Bacot finished with 19 points and 23 rebounds in Sunday's 80-64 win over James Madison. The Tarheels' next game is Thursday against Portland. | -- | 29-8 |
| 3 |  | Marcus Sasser finished with 16 points and three steals in Sunday's 66-56 win at Oregon. The Cougars' next game is Saturday against Kent State. | -- | 32-5 |
| 4 |  | Jalen Wilson finished with 33 points and six rebounds in Friday's 82-76 win over Southern Utah. The Jayhawks' next game is Wednesday against NC State. | -- | 23-11 |
| 5 |  | Julian Strawther finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds in Sunday's 88-72 win over Kentucky. The Zags' next game is Thursday against Portland State. | -- | 27-8 |
| 6 |  | Tyson Walker finished with 22 points and five assists in Friday's 73-71 win over Villanova. The Spartans' next game is Thursday against Alabama. | -- | 20-15 |
| 7 |  | Reece Beekman finished with 17 points and four rebounds in Sunday's 70-61 win over Illinois. The Cavaliers' next game is Friday against Maryland Eastern Shore. | 2 | 23-11 |
| 8 |  | Ricky Council IV finished with 19 points and two assists in Wednesday's 71-56 win over South Dakota State. The Razorbacks' next game is Monday against Louisville. | -- | 16-17 |
| 9 |  | Antonio Reeves and CJ Fredrick combined to go 3-of-13 from beyond the arc in Sunday's 88-72 loss to Gonzaga. The Wildcats' next game is Wednesday against North Florida. | 2 | 23-10 |
| 10 |  | Illinois finished with 13 turnovers and 11 assists in Sunday's 70-61 loss to Virginia. The Illini's next game is Friday against Lindenwood. | -- | 29-9 |
| 11 |  | Kyle Filipowski finished with 18 points and eight rebounds in Friday's 92-58 win over Delaware. The Blue Devils' next game is Monday against Bellarmine. | -- | 27-9 |
| 12 |  | Baylor Scheierman finished with 17 points and six rebounds in Thursday's 80-51 win over UC Riverside. The Bluejays' next game is Monday against Texas Tech. | -- | 25-10 |
| 13 |  | Trayce Jackson-Davis finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds in Sunday's 86-56 win over Miami-Ohio. The Hoosiers' next game is Wednesday against Little Rock. | -- | 19-14 |
| 14 |  | LJ Cryer finished with 28 points and four rebounds in Sunday's 80-75 win over UCLA. The Bears' next game is Wednesday against McNeese State. | -- | 24-11 |
| 15 |  | UCLA missed 11 of the 15 3-pointers it attempted in Sunday's 80-75 loss to Baylor. The Bruins' next game is Wednesday against Pepperdine. | -- | 16-17 |
| 16 |  | K.D. Johnson finished with 16 points and two rebounds in Friday's 72-56 win over Texas Southern. The Tigers' next game is Tuesday against Bradley. | -- | 27-8 |
| 17 |  | Kerr Kriisa finished with 24 points and five assists in Thursday's 104-77 win over Utah Tech. The Wildcats' next game is Monday against Cincinnati. | -- | 27-9 |
| 18 |  | Josiah-Jordan James finished with 18 points and six rebounds in Wednesday's 81-50 win over Florida Gulf Coast. The Vols' next game is Wednesday against Butler. | -- | 27-9 |
| 19 |  | Jaedon LeDee finished with 14 points and four rebounds in Tuesday's 74-62 win over Stanford. The Aztecs' next game is Monday against Ohio State. | -- | 26-11 |
| 20 |  | Brandon Miller finished with 28 points and eight rebounds in Friday's 104-62 win over Jacksonville State. The Crimson Tide's next game is Thursday against Michigan State. | -- | 25-12 |
| 21 |  | Zach Edey finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds in Tuesday's 75-70 win over Marquette. The Boilermakers' next game is Thursday against West Virginia. | -- | 34-5 |
| 22 |  | Brice Sensabaugh finished with 20 points and four rebounds in Wednesday's 65-43 win over Eastern Illinois. The Buckeyes' next game is Monday against San Diego State. | -- | 22-14 |
| 23 |  | Adama Sanogo finished with 26 points and eight rebounds in Sunday's 95-60 win over Delaware State. The Huskies' next game is Thursday against Oregon. | -- | 37-3 |
| 24 |  | Kris Murray finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds in Wednesday's 83-67 win at Seton Hall. The Hawkeyes' next game is Monday against Nebraska Omaha. | -- | 19-15 |
| 25 |  | Donta Scott finished with 24 points and eight rebounds in Sunday's 88-70 win over Miami. The Terrapins' next game is Friday against Coppin State. | NR | 16-17 |
| 26 |  | Kevin Obanor finished with 15 points and eight rebounds in Monday's 64-55 win over Louisiana Tech. The Red Raiders' next game is Monday against Creighton. | 1 | 23-11 |
