The race for the Big Ten crown is extremely competitive this season. Two teams smack dab in the mix are the Maryland Terrapins and the Michigan Wolverines. They are nationally ranked and will face off this week in a critical conference showdown.
Maryland is on the road and has the inferior body of work, so it is going to be the underdog. The Wolverines are in the hunt to get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, and a win here would help that push.
While Michigan is the better team, Maryland has enough weapons to keep things interesting. This should be an intriguing Big Ten battle in college hoops betting lines.
This NCAA basketball game between the Maryland Terrapins and Michigan Wolverines will be held at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 16th, 2019. The game will be nationally televised on FOX.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019 NCAA basketball season.
Odds Analysis
Maryland has a record of 19-6 on the season and has gone 10-4 in the conference. The Terrapins have won two in a row, including an impressive victory over a ranked Purdue team last time out. Maryland has lost four of seven road games on the year and could have a tough time bucking that trend against a team as good as Michigan.
The Wolverines are in the midst of a fantastic year. They are 22-3 overall and have won 11 of their 14 Big Ten games to sit atop the standings in a tie with Michigan State. Maryland and a few others are on their tail, so a loss in a game in which it is favored would be a brutal blow in NCAA men’s basketball wagering.
Key Stat
57.8. That’s the number of points per game Michigan allows on the season, which is one of the stingiest marks in the country. The Wolverines have usually been vulnerable when their defense hasn’t dominated. They are 2-2 in their past four games, giving up 74 and 75 points in lossed to Iowa and Penn State, respectively.
Michigan only gave up 52 points in its most recent win over Wisconsin. This game is likely to be really low-scoring. Maryland only allows 65 points per contest. The scoring total could be among the lowest of any game this weekend, and the spread might not be as big as believed because there will be fewer possessions than in a higher-scoring affair.
Player To Watch
Bruno Fernandez -- The Terrapins are the underdogs but they could hang around if Fernandez plays well down low. He is having a nice season, averaging 14.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per contest. He is shooting 66.8 percent from the field and will aim to get plenty of action in the post.
Michigan is really effective at crashing down and forcing teams into jumpshots, so this will be an interesting battle of strengths. Fernandez must look to be aggressive throughout.
Free NCAA Basketball ATS Picks
Michigan has a great overall record but has been having some trouble of late. The Wolverines are going to hang on and win this game but it will not be easy. The oddsmakers are likely to make Maryland too big of an underdog. Look for the Terrapins to cover in a game that becomes a defensive slugfest as expected in NCAA men’s basketball gambling.
Watch for the scoring total to see if the “under” makes sense to choose in this Big Ten showdown.
NCAA Basketball Pick: Michigan Wolverines 64, Maryland Terrapins 62
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