Maryland vs. Iowa State: Preview for 2014 CBE Hall of Fame Classic Championship

When the Maryland Terrapins (4-0) square off against the Iowa State Cyclones (3-0) Tuesday in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic Championship Game, early-season supremacy hangs in the balance.

There will still be plenty of time for the losing team to regain its momentum, and the loss in the finals is a testament to how good both programs are this season, but both schools would love to put a tournament victory on their resume to start the year.

Here is the full preview for the CBE Hall of Fame Classic championship between Maryland and Iowa State.

Where: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri

When: Tuesday, November 25

Start Time: 9:30 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPNU

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Breaking Down the 2014 CBE Hall of Fame Classic Championship

Over the last two weeks, some of the top teams in the nation took part in the 2014 edition of the CBE season-opening tournament. After several marquee matchups, it was Maryland and Iowa State that stood tall when the dust settled.

For Maryland, the road to the championship was a wild one. After three lopsided victories to advance to the semifinals, the Terrapins found themselves in a battle against the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Maryland was able to pull out the 78-73 win, but ASU exposed the defensive flaws that the Cyclones can take advantage of during the game. With Iowa State averaging 86 points per game to start the year, the Terrapins will face their toughest test by far.

One of the keys to victory Tuesday will be getting the ball to versatile forward Dez Wells in open space. Wells was a big part of the team’s victory over Arizona State, and Terrapins coach Mark Turgeon spoke to STATS LLC, via ESPN.com, about getting the senior involved in crucial moments: "We were going to Dez. I told the whole team, the whole staff. We were just creating plays in timeouts, drawing them up in the dirt there, trying to get him the ball, letting him make plays. He made some big-time shots."

Maryland will also have to get freshman guard Melo Trimble involved again, especially after he managed to score 31 points against ASU in the semifinals. While the Terrapins have serious talent on the roster, Iowa State has the depth to outlast them.

Led by junior forward Georges Niang (averaging 22.7 points per game), the Cyclones offense has been playing well in the early stages of the season, reaching the 80-point plateau twice and scoring 90 points once.

Fellow forward Dustin Hogue is another cog in the offensive end, but it was the return of bench players Matt Thomas and Abdel Nader from suspension that will really make the difference in the championship.

With far more depth than Maryland, Iowa State will wear down the Terrapins.

Both teams have proven to be worthy of the championship stage, but the Cyclones are too talented to lose now. A loss for Maryland would be disappointing, but a run to the tournament final should be enough to build momentum for the rest of the regular season.

Predicted Final Score: Iowa State 80, Maryland 76

*Stats via ESPN.com.