Maryland vs. Northwestern prediction, pick, college basketball odds
Today at 10:46 PM
The Maryland Terrapins (13-4, 3-3 Big Ten) hit the road to take on the Northwestern Wildcats (10-6, 1-4 Big Ten) Thursday night. It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Maryland-Northwestern prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
Here are the Maryland-Northwestern College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Maryland-Northwestern Odds
Maryland: -1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -125
Northwestern: +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +104
Over: 141.5 (-110)
Under: 141.5 (-110)
How to Watch Maryland vs. Northwestern
Time: 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT
TV: BTN
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Maryland Will Cover The Spread/Win
In the last two games, the Terrapins have beaten Minnesota and UCLA. Both of those games came at home, and neither team is great, but wins are wins. Those two conference wins brought Maryland back to .500 in the Big Ten. Maryland is playing good basketball right now, and that makes them a dangerous team. In their last two wins, Maryland has allowed just 71 and 61 points while scoring just below 80 points per game. If Maryland can continue to play as they have been, the Terrapins will win this game on the road.
Maryland’s defense is going to come into play here. On the season, Maryland has allowed 63.8 points per game, which is the second-lowest in the Big Ten. They hold opponents to just 40.8 percent shooting from the field, and 31.4 percent from beyond the arc. Northwestern is the third-lowest scoring team in the Big Ten. They have the third-lowest field goal percentage, third-lowest three-point percentage, as well. Northwestern does not do a great job scoring, and it is only going to get tougher against Maryland. As long as Maryland can continue to play strong defense, they will win.
Northwestern is on a three-game losing streak. They were three very tough games against Penn State, Purdue, and Michigan State, so they were not expected wins. Still, it is three losses in a row, and the last two were by double digits. Northwestern has not done a great job scoring in those three games, so Maryland’s defense will be on full display in this game. With how Northwestern has been playing, you can expect Maryland to have a good game.
Why Northwestern Will Cover The Spread/Win
Northwestern’s defense picks up the slack from their lack of offense. They allow just 66.9 points per game, which is the fourth-lowest in the Big Ten. A big reason for this is because the Wildcats slow down the pace and force other teams to slow down. Northwestern allows the second-lowest shots attempted per game, and they force the fifth-most turnovers in the conference. Their ability to play defense keeps them in games, and that has to be the case Thursday night. If they can have a good defensive game, they will be able to cover the spread.
Nick Martinelli and Brooks Barnhizer are the leading scorers for Northwestern. Martinelli scores 19.9 points per game while Barnhizer is at 18.0 points. Martinelli is the better shooter of the two, but Barnhizer is just 0.7 rebounds per game away from averaging a double-double. These are the two key players for Northwestern and they both have to play well if they want to win. If Martinelli and Barnhizer can both put up points, the Wildcats will have a chance to win at home.
Final Maryland-Northwestern Prediction & Pick
This should end up being a good game. I do think Northwestern has a chance to win this game at home, though. I will take the Wildcats to win straight up.
Final Maryland-Northwestern Prediction & Pick: Northwestern ML (+104)
The post Maryland vs. Northwestern prediction, pick, college basketball odds appeared first on ClutchPoints.
