It’s the first game of the 2023 NCAA Tournament First Round, as No. 8 Maryland is set to face No. 9 West Virginia on Thursday, Mar. 15. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:15 pm ET while airing on CBS. West Virginia enters this game as 2.5-point favorites with the total set at 139.5. How will this one play out? Let’s dive into the Maryland vs. West Virginia predictions below.
Maryland vs. West Virginia Odds
- Spread: West Virginia -2.5
- Total: 139.5
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. New to DK? Check out our DraftKings Sportsbook Review to find out how to bet $5 to get $200 in bonus bets!
Game Info
- Date: Thursday, Mar. 16
- Time: 12:15 pm ET
- Location: Legacy Arena at BJCC, Birmingham, AL
- TV: CBS
- Stream: March Madness Live
Maryland Betting Trends
- Terrapins are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
- Terrapins are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Terrapins last 4 overall.
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West Virginia Betting Trends
- Mountaineers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- Mountaineers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss.
- Over is 4-1 in Mountaineers last 5 NCAA Tournament games.
Maryland vs. West Virginia Predictions
Maryland went 15-1 at home this season. Its resume-boosting wins were all in College Park. This game will not be played in Maryland, which begs the question: can the Terrapins rise to the occasion and get a quality win outside of the Xfinity Center?
West Virginia is a battle-tested opponent that ran the gauntlet of the Big 12 Conference. The Mountaineers got better as the season went on, nearly downing No. 1 seed Kansas on the road, but still picking up quality wins against Iowa State and Kansas State.
West Virginia’s length could be a problem for Maryland, and the Mountaineers have the better offense to go along with an advantage on the glass. It’s hard to believe in the Terrapins outside of the Xfinity Center, and it feels like West Virginia is the better team to begin with.
Prediction: West Virginia wins 70-64
The Pick: West Virginia -2 | -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook
