Maryland vs. Indiana Prediction and Odds (Hoosiers are a Tough Bet After Losing Five Straight)

Thursday night features some of the worst the Big Ten has to offer when the Maryland Terrapins and Indiana Hoosiers do battle at  Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers, tonight's favorites, enter this game at 16-10 overall and rank ninth in the Big Ten. The Terps are struggling even more at 13-14 and are in danger of finishing the season in the bottom three of the conference. One thing that Maryland has going for them is the fact they are on a two-game win streak.

While it’s nothing to write home about, a winning streak is a big deal no matter how small it is for these two teams. The Hoosiers, on the other hand, are riding a five-game losing streak including a loss to Northwestern. The last win they had was actually over Maryland on the road 68-55. Here are the odds for this Big Ten brawl, courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.

Maryland vs. Indiana Odds, Spread, and Total

Spread:

• Maryland +6.5 (-110)
• Indiana -6.5 (-110)

Moneyline:

• Maryland +225
• Indiana -280

Total: 135.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Maryland vs. Indiana Prediction and Pick

The Hoosiers are not only losing games straight up but haven’t covered once in February. But, their last cover was their 13 point win over Indiana to end January. It’s hard to ignore that last game but I think that Indiana is in a much better place than they were then. Meanwhile, I think the exact opposite of Maryland. 

The Terps are riding a three-game ATS win streak and are 5-3 against the spread when playing on the road. 

I'll admit that the Hoosiers defense does worry me when thinking of taking the underdog. The Hoosiers are a top 50 scoring defense and top 10 in opponent effective field goal percentage. But, their offense does a few things that I hate. This is especially true for Indiana’s free-throw shooting percentage of 68.3 which ranks them 283rd. They are also a very bad scoring offense in the second half with an average of 34.5 points per game or 275th in the league.

The Hoosiers also lose out in the rebounding battle. They give up a lot more turnovers and a ton more fouls. While the ML is tempting, I’m going to “play it safe” and take the Terps on the spread. Though I’ll probably sprinkle some on them straight up before tip-off. 

Pick: Maryland +6.5 (-110) Lean: Maryland +225 to win

Follow all of Matt De Saro’s betting picks HERE