Maryland Terrapins vs Northwestern Wildcats Betting Pick & Prediction 1/17/24
The Terrapins and Wildcats are set to face off at 9:00 ET on BTN. The Wildcats will host the game at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL. The odds for this Big Ten conference game currently have the Wildcats as the betting favorite with the over/under line sitting at 127.5 points.
MARYLAND TERRAPINS VS NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Northwestern Wildcats -3.5
This game will be played at Welsh-Ryan Arena at 9:00 ET on Wednesday, January 17th.
WHY BET THE NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-68 in favor of the Wildcats.
- Not only will Northwestern pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -3.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 127.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 144 points.
Can the Terrapins Pull Off a Win at Evanston?
With an overall record of 11-6, Maryland is 3-3 in Big Ten play and 8-3 outside of conference games. They have won two straight games, and their road record is just 2-4 compared to 9-2 at home this season. So far, the Terrapins have been the underdog in six games, going 2-4 in those contests.
Coming off a 76-67 victory over Illinois, Maryland’s record over their last 10 road games is 2-8. Over their last five, they are 2-3, and their record on the road this season is -2.8 points per game. For the year, the Terrapins have been the underdog in six games, going 2-4.
As the underdog this season, Maryland has gone 2-4 vs. the spread. On the road, their ATS mark is 2-4. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Terps are 4-6 vs. the spread.
This season, the over/under record for Maryland games is 5-12 and today’s line of 127.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games (136.3). So far, eight of their games have finished with less than 127.5 points. The average scoring total in their last three games is 130 points.
In their latest game, Maryland offense put up 76 points against Illinois. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 46.2% and made 4 threes. Jahmir Young led the team in scoring, putting up 28 points. Additionally, Julian Reese contributed 20 points for the Terrapins.
So far, the Terrapins’ defense is ranked 23rd in the country at 63.5 points per contest. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Maryland’s defense has allowed opponents to shoot 40.2% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 32.8% this season.
Can Northwestern Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?
Coming off a 71-63 loss to Wisconsin, Northwestern will be looking to get back on track as they host Maryland as 3.5-point favorites. The Wildcats have been excellent at home this season, going 10-1, and they have won three straight games at home.
Overall, Northwestern is 12-4, and they have gone 3-2 in Big Ten play. In their 16 games this season, they have been favored 11 times, going 10-1 in those games.
At home this season, Northwestern has an ATS record of 6-4-1 and an overall ATS record of 7-7-2. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Wildcats are 5-3-2 vs. the spread.
So far this season, the over/under record for Northwestern games is 9-7. Today’s over/under line of 127.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games this season of 136.1. Their games have averaged 139.9 points. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 3-0 and the average scoring total in those games is 147 points.
The Northwestern offense is coming off a game where they scored 63 points against Wisconsin. They posted a field goal percentage of 42.6% and connected on 6 threes. Offensively, the Wildcats hold a season-long field goal percentage of 47%, placing them 87th in the national rankings. When it comes to three-pointers, they are ranked 45th in terms of percentage and 169th in three-pointers made.
Coming into today’s game, the Northwestern defense is giving up an average of 66.9 points per contest. Northwestern’s three-point defense is currently 125th in the country at 7.1 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 44.1% of their shots vs. Northwestern.