The Maryland Terrapins will hit the road on Friday for a date in Madison against the Wisconsin Badgers. Both teams are in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten standings, but still have a shot at winning the conference’s regular season title. Read on for a preview of this highly anticipated showdown between two Big Ten sleepers.
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Betting Preview for the Maryland Terrapins vs. Wisconsin Badgers College Basketball Game on February 1, 2019
Where: Kohl Center, Madison
When: Friday, February 1, 2019, 4:00 PM ET
Line: Maryland Terrapins (odds) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Maryland Terrapins (16-5 Overall / 7-3 Conference)
It’s hard to penalize the Terrapins in Big Ten power rankings by much after losing to the Michigan State Spartans, 69-55, on Jan. 21. After all, that loss was on the road against the Spartans who were at that time No. 6 in the nation. What’s more unacceptable for Maryland, however, was its subsequent 78-67 neutral-court loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini last Saturday. Maryland played reckless against the Fighting Illinis, as obviously illustrated by the Terrapins’ haul of 21 turnovers against just nine by Illinois. Maryland is a young team, fourth youngest in the nation, so they are always going to be susceptible to games in which they just lose control of their possessions. In any case, Maryland will have to be careful in taking care of the leather, though, they can expect a lesser on-ball defensive pressure from Wisconsin which is only 255th in the nation with 5.5 steals per game.
Maryland is 6-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last seven road games.
Betting on the Wisconsin Badgers (14-6 Overall / 6-3 Conference)
Sure, Wisconsin does not pressure opponents enough to let them cough up plenty of turnovers, but the Badgers defense does not work that way. The Badgers make their opponents feel as though they are playing on a mud court. Wisconsin plays one of most excruciatingly slow brand of college basketball, as the Badgers are 331st in the nation with only 64.5 possessions per 40 minutes. Although they only take 57.0 shots per game, the Badgers are efficient with their possessions, coming up with a 54.9 effective field goal percentage – good for 32nd in Division I basketball. Their opponents aren’t as good in managing their limited possessions, scoring just 62.0 points per game on 57.0 field goal percentage despite an equal 57.0 shots per contest. The Northwestern Wildcats could attest to Wisconsin’s defense after shooting just 29.6 percent in a 62-46 loss to Wisconsin last Saturday in Madison.
Wisconsin is 3-1 ATS in its last four games against Maryland as the home team.
Writer’s Prediction
Wisconsin wins, 68-64.
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