We’ve got another exciting Big Ten matchup on Thursday’s college basketball schedule as the No. 17 Illinois Fighting Illini will host the Maryland Terrapins. Illinois is 13-5 overall and 8-2 at home, while Maryland is 14-5 overall and 0-4 on the road. The Illini won the last matchup, 85-80, in Feb. 2024, which ended a three-game win streak by the Terrapins in the head-to-head series. Illinois is 10-7-1 against the spread (ATS) in the 2024-25 college basketball season, while Maryland is 9-10 versus the spread.
Tipoff is at 9 p.m. ET at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. The Illini are favored by 8 points in the latest Maryland vs. Illinois odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 157.5 points. Before entering any Illinois vs. Maryland picks, you’ll want to see the NCAA Basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 11 of the 2024-25 season on a 199-138 betting roll (+2692) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Maryland vs. Illinois. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines for Maryland vs. Illinois:
- Illinois vs. Maryland spread: Illinois -8
- Illinois vs. Maryland over/under: 157.5 points
- Illinois vs. Maryland money line: Illinois: -337, Maryland: +267
- Illinois vs. Maryland picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Illinois vs. Maryland streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why Illinois can cover
Illinois lost a heartbreaker on Sunday to Michigan St. by a score of 80-78, but the loss doesn’t tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Will Riley, who scored 19 points along with six rebounds. Meanwhile, Kylan Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic each had 13 points, and they also filled up the box score as they combined for 13 rebounds and nine assists.
Despite the subpar offensive showing by the Illini, they have thrived on that end of the court this season, ranking fifth in the nation with 86.8 points per game. They pound the glass, ranking second in the country in total rebounds, and Illinois excels both converting and defending on the perimeter. The Illini rank in the top 25 in made 3-pointers per game, while it limits opponents to the seventh-fewest made 3-pointers per night. Illinois is also a solid 5-2 ATS over its last seven outings, while Maryland enters in with three straight ATS defeats. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why Maryland can cover
Maryland came out on top in a nail-biter against Nebraska, 69-66, on Sunday, giving the Terrapins three victories over their last four games. Ja’Kobi Gillespie was the offensive standout as he had 22 points plus five assists and four steals. Julian Reese was another key player, scoring eight points along with 10 rebounds and four blocks, while Rodney Rice (15 points) knocked down all three of his shots from downtown.
The Terrapins have dominated the recent series, going 10-3 versus the Illini over their last 13 meetings. Maryland has great depth, with all five starters averaging at least 11.2 points per game, and it is an efficient group as the team ranks among the top quartile of Division I in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage. The Terrapins could also exploit a suspect Illinois defense that doesn’t force many turnovers and ranks 340th (out of 364 Division I teams) in steals per game. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Illinois vs. Maryland picks
The model has simulated Maryland vs. Illinois 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Illinois vs. Maryland, and which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Maryland vs. Illinois spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up nearly $2,700 on top-rated spread picks since its inception, and find out.
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