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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

Biggest Movers
2 Maryland
2 Kentucky
Rk
Teams
  
Chg
Rcrd
1 Texas 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. -- 17-13
2 N. Carolina 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. -- 20-11
3 Houston 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. -- 26-4
4 Kansas 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. -- 19-11
5 Gonzaga 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. -- 23-8
6 Michigan St. 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. -- 24-5
7 Virginia 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 15-15
8 Arkansas 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. -- 18-12
9 Kentucky 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 20-10
10 Illinois 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. -- 19-11
11 Duke 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. -- 27-3
12 Creighton 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. -- 21-9
13 Indiana 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. -- 18-12
14 Baylor 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. -- 18-12
15 UCLA 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. -- 21-9
16 Auburn 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. -- 27-3
17 Arizona 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. -- 20-10
18 Tennessee 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. -- 24-6
19 San Diego St. 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. -- 20-8
20 Alabama 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. -- 23-7
21 Purdue 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. -- 21-9
22 Ohio St. 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. -- 17-13
23 UConn 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. -- 21-9
24 Iowa 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. -- 15-14
25 Maryland 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 23-7
26 Texas Tech 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 23-7