NCAAB: #9 West Virginia vs #8 Maryland Odds, and Picks (Mar 16)
- West Virginia lost in the Big-12 tournament, 78-61, to Kansas.
- Maryland fell to Indiana, 70-60, in a game they led in the 1st half.
- These two teams last met on March 22, 2015, in a game that West Virginia won 69-59.
West Virginia (19-14) and Maryland (21-12) take each other for the tournament’s first 8 vs 9 matchup. The Mountaineers are the favorite after playing a brutal schedule, but the Terrapins can’t be counted out.
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How to Watch
- Where: Legacy Arena, Birmingham, AL
- When: Thursday, March 16, 2023, at 12:15 p.m ET
- How to Watch: CBS
Odds
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Game Preview
West Virginia landed as a 9-seed as expected, with a peculiar résumé. Some may protest their seeding following a 19-14 season, but the Mountaineers faced the nation’s 5th toughest schedule, picking up 6 Quad 1 wins and a top-25 NET ranking. Being tested all season reflects well on their chances to win, which is why West Virginia is the Vegas favorite in this game despite their lower seed.
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Maryland may be considered the underdog in this game, but they are also flying under the radar. After going 1-3 in their final 4 games, the Terrapins are being written off by many in their brackets. This could prove to be a mistake, as Maryland posted an 11-9 record in a deep Big-10 conference. They also have one of the most balanced teams in the nation, which raises their typical level of consistency.
Picks
It’s tempting to pick the Big-12 team in close matchups, as the metrics loved the Big-12 conference this year, which reflects in the multiple Quad 1 wins for all their of tournament teams. That being said, I’ve seen traps like this before, where a conference that was ranked highly does poorly in the tourney. After analyzing both of these teams for a long time, I think Maryland’s consistency is the key.
Moneyline:
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