Published Feb 25, 1:35pm ET by
Gabriel Kozlow - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Feb 25, 1:35pm ET
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Pinnacle Bank Arena hosts two teams in very different situations this season as the Maryland Terrapins visit the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Terrapins come in as heavy underdogs on the road, will they be able to steal a win?
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| NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS | -16.5 (-105) |
| MARYLAND TERRAPINS | +16.5 (-105) |
Maryland has struggled on both ends of the court this season, but it has shown some flashes under first-year head coach Buzz Williams. The reality is that Maryland is off the radar in most March Madness predictions, but an upset here could greatly affect its rival’s outlook.
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Their season sits at a shaky 11–16 overall with an abysmal 4–12 mark in the Big Ten. However, they do have a bright spot in David Coit, who leads the team in scoring, and Pharrel Payne, who has been on a roll in recent games.
The Cornhuskers come into this game at 23–4 overall, ranked No. 12 in the nation, and 12–4 in conference play. They have quietly built top-tier status through tough defense, allowing just 65.6 PPG from opponents. This is the main reason their March Madness odds have them projected to go far this season.
Pryce Sandfort, their sharpshooting forward, is averaging 17.9 PPG and is coming off a recent 33-point outing. He gets plenty of help on defense from Sam Hoiberg, their point guard and defensive specialist.
At this point, the only real motivation Maryland has is to spoil Nebraska’s expected win. The Cornhuskers are favorites at -16.5, with an over/under of 139.5. The moneyline is a lopsided -1800 for Nebraska and +1000 for Maryland.
It’s almost a given that Nebraska will win, but can they cover? We think they’ll treat this game as shooting practice and get the job done easily. Let’s take the Cornhuskers -16.5.
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Pick
Nebraska Cornhuskers -16.5
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