West Virginia vs. Maryland Bracket Prediction: Round of 64 March Madness Odds
The Mountaineers are 2.5-point favourites on the college basketball odds.
West Virginia vs. Maryland NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
The winner of this game faces South Region No. 1 Alabama, the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. For obvious reasons, the 8 vs. 9 game is usually evenly matched with the 9 seeds holding a 76-72 edge. Both Maryland and West Virginia are +1644 to win the South.
This will mark the 30th all-time appearance for Maryland, which has a 43-28 record in the NCAA Tournament. The Terps won the national title in 2002. To reach the Sweet 16 this year, they are +463, to miss out they are -833.
This will be West Virginia’s 31st NCAA appearance, and the school is 38-30 overall. It’s the 11th trip under Hall of Fame coach Bob Huggins, who owns a 14-10 record in the NCAAs at his alma mater. Huggins will be coaching in his 26th NCAA Tournament overall and his record is 34-24. WVU is +370 to reach the Sweet 16 and -588 to miss.
When Maryland was in the ACC, these teams used to play annually. WVU leads all-time 24-14, and the last meeting was in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, a 69-59 win by the Mountaineers.
West Virginia Mountaineers (9)
When Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim retired after the Orange lost in the ACC Tournament, WVU’s Bob Huggins became the active winningest coach in men’s college basketball. Huggins has coached two teams to the Final Four but has yet to win a national title, and that’s likely not changing this tournament. West Virginia (19-14) has two losses in its past six games, both to defending national champion Kansas. The No. 9 seed is the second-lowest at WVU under Huggins.
West Virginia got into the tournament in 2012 as a 10-seed and lost to Gonzaga 77-54. Erik Stevenson, a transfer from South Carolina, leads the team in scoring at 15.5 points per game and was named third-team All-Big 12. WVU has reached the Sweet 16 in eight of its last 13 NCAA appearances (2018, 2017, 2015, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2005, 1998). The Mountaineers are 5-1 ATS in their past six games.
Maryland Terrapins (8)
Kevin Willard is in his first season as Maryland head coach; he arrived from Seton Hall. Willard is the first coach in Maryland history to lead his squad to the NCAA Tournament in his first season at the helm. The Terrapins have won 14 of their last 15 opening round games dating back to 1997. Not a ton was expected from Maryland (21-12) this year, but Willard did well in the transfer portal, led by guard Jahmir Young, who arrived from Charlotte. He leads the team in scoring at 16.1 ppg.
The Terps are a good defensive team, allowing just 63.2 ppg. The last season giving up fewer than 63 points was 1981-82 (58.8), a season before the ACC used the three-point line and three before the shot clock (1985-86). One concern for Maryland: It was 4-11 in non-home games. Maryland is 11-5 ATS in its past 16 games.
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