Maryland Terrapins at Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview

A wacky and wild season in the Big Ten continues Sunday as the No. 7 Maryland Terrapins travel to Columbus to face the No. 25 Ohio State Buckeyes. At home, Ohio State is favored by 2.5 points with an over/under of 130.5 points.
The Buckeyes are back in the Top 25 despite being 7-8 in conference play. Ohio State couldn’t handle Iowa on Thursday night, losing 85-76 to snap a stretch of five wins in six games. However, at 17-9 overall, the Buckeyes are a safe bet to make the NCAA Tournament.
That being said, they still need to win a few games down the stretch to help their seed for both the Big Dance and the Big Ten Tournament.
Meanwhile, the Terrapins have their sights set on a regular-season Big Ten title. Thanks to nine consecutive wins, Maryland is 12-3 inside the loaded Big Ten, giving them a two-game cushion on everyone else.
At 22-4, the Terrapins are still alive for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament if they can stay hot late in the season.
Two-Man Crew
All season, it’s been Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith leading the way for Maryland. One would be hard-pressed to find a better tandem anywhere in the country. Cowan leads the team with over 16 points per game but also distributes the ball with 4.5 assists per game.
At times, he’s been able to put the Terrapins on his back late in games and carry the team to victory. Meanwhile, Smith is a force at both ends, averaging a double-double, as well as over two blocks per game.
But it’s the supporting cast that puts Maryland over the top in most games. Darryl Morsell has scored in double figures six times in his last eight games. Aaron Wiggins and Eric Ayala also remain two key X-factors.
If at least one of them can knock down a couple of outside shots each game, the Terrapins get a huge lift while easing some of the pressure off Cowan and Smith.
My Brother and Me
For Ohio State, the brother tandem of Kaleb and Andre Wesson has helped spark their better play in February. Kaleb has done it all season with nearly 14 points and nine rebounds per game.
But Andre has become a more reliable scorer since January and is also contributing more on the boards, including a 13-point and 10-rebound performance against Rutgers a couple of weeks ago.
More importantly, both Wesson brothers contribute to Ohio State’s excellent three-point shooting. The two brothers both shoot at least 40% from three-point range.
Duane Washington Jr. isn’t far behind at 39%, giving the Buckeyes three perimeter threats who are often on the floor at the same time. With the ability to spread teams out and make shots, Ohio State can keep pace with just about any team in the country when the shots are falling.
Turtle Power
The Buckeyes have made some progress recently, but they lack the star power that Maryland has with Cowan and Smith. Even at home, viewing Ohio State as a favorite is a bad idea. Bet on Maryland against the spread when they visit Ohio State.