The 2023 NCAA Tournament tips off with a physical 9 vs. 8 duel in the South region, as the No. 9 West Virginia Mountaineers take on the No. 8 Maryland Terrapins in the opening round.
Let’s take a look at West Virginia vs. Maryland odds, props, trends, and predictions.
West Virginia vs. Maryland Betting Odds: Spread, Moneyline, Total
West Virginia (between -130 and -143 on the moneyline as of Wednesday afternoon) is a 2- to 2.5-point favorite against Maryland. Bettors can grab the underdog with odds ranging from +108 to +115.
The betting public is leaning toward the Mountaineers in this one. 67% of spread tickets and 60% of moneyline tickets at DraftKings are on the ninth seed. The Over/Under total opened at 140.0 points, but early wagering dropped the total to 137.5 on legal US sports betting apps.
NCAAB · Thu (3/16) @ 12:15pm ET
| WVU West Virginia | at | MARY Maryland |
| XFINITY Center, College Park, Maryland | ||
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West Virginia vs. Maryland Betting News
West Virginia
The Mountaineers earned a ticket to the Big Dance after barely surviving the loaded Big 12. But the biggest perk of playing in the nation’s toughest conference is racking up Quadrant 1 wins (six).
Coach Bob Huggins is known for his strong full-court defense, though the offense has now become the strength of the team after a poor last few years. The team has the 15th-most efficient offense (per KenPom).
Guard Erik Stevenson leads the groups with his 15.5 points per game average. The fifth-year senior can score at all three levels, including from beyond the arc where he’s knocked down 77 treys at a 38.1% clip.
There’s also 6’9” center Tre Mitchell, who leads the team in rebounds (5.5 per game) and can do it all inside. West Virginia will worry about Alabama likely waiting in the Round of 32, but for now, it’s talented enough to survive the first round.
Maryland
The Terrapins are back in the Big Dance after posting a 16-1 home record. Maryland is one of the most experienced teams in the nation, with four seniors in the starting lineup, including leader Jahmir Young.
The 6’1” Charlotte transfer is a do-it-all-type of guard, averaging 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game for the Terps. He has scored in double figures in all but four games this season. Sharing the court with Young is glass cleaner Julian Reese, who stands at 6’9” and hauls in 7.3 rebounds a night.
The Terrapins aren’t as strong on the offensive end as the Mountaineers, but they’re more balanced on both ends of the floor. Maryland ranks inside the top 35 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.
A glaring weakness, however, is distance shooting. The program ranks outside the top 240 in threes made (6.8 per game) and three-point percentage (33.0%). They may not be built for a deep run.
West Virginia vs. Maryland Betting Trends
West Virginia
- West Virginia is 17-16 against the spread (ATS) this season
- West Virginia is 12-7 ATS as the favorite, 5-9 ATS as the underdog
- West Virginia is 3-2 ATS at neutral sites
- West Virginia is 4-2 ATS in its last six games
- West Virginia is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games
- The total has gone 21-12 on the Over in West Virginia games
Maryland
- Maryland is 21-12 ATS this season
- Maryland is 4-7 ATS as the underdog, 17-5 ATS as the favorite
- Maryland is 4-1 ATS at neutral sites
- Maryland is 4-2 ATS in its last six games
- Maryland is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games
- The total has gone 12-21 on the Over in Maryland games
West Virginia vs. Maryland Betting Pick
This game will be as close as the betting lines and their seeds suggest. We expect there to be a ton of lead changes from the opening tip to the final buzzer, but in the end, we’re siding with the favorite to advance to the Round of 32.
It’s not so much that we like the Mountaineers to pull it off. It’s more so we believe that Maryland isn’t made up of the right stuff here. The Terps have dropped three of its last four games and cannot win away from College Park (5-11 in road and neutral-site games combined).
Pick: West Virginia moneyline via DraftKings Sportsbook
Read more: Oral Roberts vs. Duke odds and prediction | Texas A&M vs. Penn State odds and prediction | Illinois vs. Arkansas odds and prediction
How to Watch West Virginia vs. Maryland
- Game Day: Thursday, Mar. 16, 2023
- Game Time: 12:15 p.m. ET
- Location: Legacy Arena at BJCC | Birmingham, Alabama
- Channel: CBS
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