The opening whistle is set for Maryland’s trip to the Players Era 16, and the Terrapins now know exactly when they’ll get their first shot.
Maryland and Tennessee will tip off at 3 PM EST on Tuesday, Nov. 24, starting the tournament’s slate before Iowa State and San Diego State follow. That’s a much friendlier window for Maryland than the one it dealt with last year, when the Terps were stuck with a midnight EST game against Alabama and UNLV, plus a 9:30 PM EST matchup with Gonzaga.
The bracket path is laid out from there. If Maryland gets past Tennessee, it would meet the winner of Iowa State-San Diego State at 1:30 PM on Thursday, Nov.
- A loss would send Maryland into a 9 PM ET game that same day.
The third-place, fifth-place and seventh-place games, along with the semifinal, are scheduled for Nov. 27.
Maryland’s opener also brings a familiar opponent back into the picture. The Terps last played Tennessee on Dec. 11, 2022, when the Volunteers held on for a 56-53 win at Barclays Center after Maryland pushed in the second half.
This year’s tournament gives Maryland a chance to do better in the modified 2026 event after going 1-2 in year one under Buzz Williams. Both of the Terps’ losses came against ranked teams.
There’s another layer to the matchup, too. Tennessee enters with four returning Vols, and head coach Rick Barnes also added a familiar name for new Maryland guard Bishop Boswell. Boswell could be used both on and off the ball in his first season with the program.
Maryland’s nonconference and Big Ten path is already taking shape as well. The Big Ten previously announced its conference schedule, with Maryland set to play Indiana, Michigan State and Rutgers twice. The Terps will host Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, UCLA, USC and Wisconsin, and travel to Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue and Washington.
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Maryland Opens Players Era With A Measuring Stick Fans Will Feel
Marylands next big November test arrives in a setting built to feel bigger than a typical tournament stop, with the Terps opening the 2026 Players Era Mens Championship against Tennessee on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 3 p.m. The event has quickly become one of college basketballs newest showcases since debuting in 2024, and its move to 24 teams across two sites only adds to the sense that this is no ordinary early-season trip. For Maryland, it is also a chance to keep stacking meaningful games in a format designed to reward teams that can handle pressure right away.
The bracket gives the Terps a clear path through the week, with three games guaranteed depending on how the opener goes. A win would move them into a matchup with either Iowa State or San Diego State, while a loss would send them into a consolation game against the loser of that pairing. It is the kind of setup that can tell a lot about a team in a short span, and for Maryland, the first answer comes quickly against a Tennessee program that will offer a sturdy measuring stick right out of the gate. [Read more 🡒]