The Maryland Terrapins want that winning feeling again. But will they be able to get that against the tough Illinois Fighting Illini this coming weekend? Before dismissing the Terps, just remember that they recently took down a giant, so anything can happen in Champaign on Sunday. Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Maryland Terrapins vs Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA College Basketball Game on January 10 2021
Where: State Farm Center, Champaign, IL
When: Sunday, January 10, 2021, TBD PM ET
Line: Maryland Terrapins (odds) vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (odds) – view all 2021 NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: TBD
Betting on the Maryland Terrapins (odds)
Record: 6-6 Overall / 1-5 Conference
After stunning the Wisconsin Badgers in a 70-64 in Madison last December, the Terrapins have gone 0-3 straight up, losing to the Michigan Wolverines, Indiana Hoosiers, and the Iowa Hawkeyes in succession. The Terps didn’t even cover the spread in any of those three losses. Aaron Wiggins led the Terps in the loss to Iowa with 17 points, five points, and five rebounds. Eric Ayala and Donta Scott had 11 and 13 points respectively. Turnovers weighed the Terps down in that game. They committed 16 errors to just 10 by the Hawkeyes, and it’s largely because of senior Darryl Morsell, who had six turnovers in his first game back from a one-game absence. Perhaps, the Terps may want to limit his minutes for now, while he tries to adjust to playing with a mask. Morsell missed the Hoosiers game after getting elbowed in the face in the loss to Michigan. In any case, the Terps are averaging 72.6 points per game, so far this season.
Maryland is 5-4-1 against the spread in its last 10 road games.
Betting on the Illinois Fighting Illini (odds)
Record: 8-3 Overall / 4-1 Conference
Unlike Maryland, the Fighting Illini are on a roll, having won all their last four games. In their last outing, the Fighting Illini took down the Northwestern Wildcats on the road Thursday night, 81-56. Illinois easily covered its spread as 6.5-point road favorites. Illinois has an excellent balance on offense and defense. There’s no real weakness on this team. The Fighting Illini are sixth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency and 18th in adjusted defensive efficiency. If there’s one thing they have to improve on, it’s ball security, as they are committing 13.8 turnovers per game. That might not matter at all against Maryland’s porous defense, however. The Terps are not great in forcing turnovers, with their opponents committing just 10.9 errors per game. Plus, Illinois likely will win the possession battle in this game, considering the gap between it and Maryland in terms of rebounding. The Fighting Illini is second in the Big 10 with 42.0 rebounds per game, while Maryland averages just 34.5 – second-fewest in the league.
Illinois is 4-0 against the spread in its last four games overall.
Writer’s Prediction
Illinois wins, 81-71.
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