Maryland Terrapins vs Northwestern Wildcats NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/16/25

Planning on watching today’s Terrapins and Wildcats game? Catch the action at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL, as the Wildcats hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on BTN. Maryland is favored by -1.5 in this Big Ten conference contest against Northwestern. The game’s over/under currently sits at 142.5 points.

MARYLAND TERRAPINS VS NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Northwestern Wildcats +1.5

This game will be played at Welsh-Ryan Arena at 9:00 ET on Thursday, January 16th.

WHY BET THE NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Wildcats.
• Not only will Northwestern pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +1.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 142.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.

Can the Terrapins Offense Score Enough on the Road?

Maryland improved to 13-4 on the season with a 77-71 win over Minnesota on Monday. The Terrapins were -15 favorites at home, but the Golden Gophers kept it closer than expected. The total points for the game reached 148, surpassing the O/U line of 138.5.

Maryland trailed 35-32 at halftime but turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Minnesota 45-36 to secure the win.

Maryland put up 77 points in their last game, shooting 47.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.7%. They hit 55.6% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 31.6% of their threes (6/19). At the free-throw line, they were solid, hitting 79.2% (19/24).

Derik Queen led the way with 27 points, shooting 66.7% (10/15) and grabbing 7 rebounds. Rodney Rice and Dawson Garcia each added 21 points, with Garcia hitting 2 of 3 from deep. Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Lu’Cye Patterson, and Isaac Asuma all contributed 15 points, with Gillespie dishing out a team-high 7 assists.

Maryland’s defense gave up 71 points, with their opponents shooting 47% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 20 two-point baskets on 36 attempts, a 55% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Maryland’s defense held their opponents to 6 made threes on 19 attempts, a 31% success rate. They also sent their opponents to the line 24 times, where they made 19 free throws, shooting 79%. Maryland gave up 6 offensive rebounds.

Will Northwestern Find a Way to Win at Home?

Northwestern fell to 10-6 on the season after a 78-68 home loss to Michigan State on Sunday. The Wildcats entered the game as +2 underdogs and did not cover the spread. The total points for the game were 146, surpassing the O/U line of 138.5.

Northwestern struggled in the first half, trailing 47-28 at the break. They improved in the second half, outscoring the Spartans 40-31, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

Northwestern’s offense struggled from the field in their last game, shooting just 35.6% overall and 20% from three-point range, hitting 5 of 25 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 40.7%, but they managed to score 68 points, thanks in part to 21 made free throws on 27 attempts, good for 77.8%.

Nick Martinelli led the way with 27 points, shooting 44.4% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. Jalen Leach added 17 points and 5 rebounds, while Jeremy Fears Jr. contributed 12 points and 8 assists, hitting 4 of 5 shots, including his only three-point attempt.

Despite Northwestern’s strong defensive effort, they allowed 78 points in their previous game. The Wildcats held their opponent to just 35% shooting from the field, including 20% from beyond the arc, where they made only 5 of 25 three-point attempts.

Northwestern sent their opponent to the free-throw line 27 times, where they converted 21 free throws for 77%. The Wildcats also gave up 14 offensive rebounds in the game.